Miss Grand Thailand contestants arrive via ‘Bikini Express’
Miss Grand Thailand 2022 contestants sashayed down the runway at Suvarnabhumi on Sunday, touching down an hour later in Khon Kaen for the start of this year’s beauty pageant.
"We are thrilled to host and accompany the gorgeous Miss Grand Thailand 2022 contestants on the Thai Vietjet flight," gushed the airline's commercial director Pinyot Pibulsonggram.
The low-cost carrier, which was nicknamed the “Bikini Airline” for advertisements featuring scantily clad flight attendants, is sponsoring the swimsuit section of this year’s pageant.
The airline also sponsors Miss Grand International, ferrying beauty contestants from all over the world to promote various destinations in Thailand.
Among its passengers last year was Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien, the reigning Miss Grand International queen from Vietnam.
Other beauties to have graced the cabin of Vietjet since 2016 include Miss Grand Thailand winners Kantida Lungjareon (Phrae), Nicharee Boonsiri (Sakon Nakhon) and Unchaya Petchamanee (Songkhla).
Miss Grand Thailand has been held annually since 2013 to select national beauties to compete in global pageants – including its sister contest, Miss Grand International.
This year, the preliminary competition will be held in Khon Kaen while the grand final coronation night will take place in Bangkok on April 30.