Airport braces for return of our Miss World hopeful
MISS THAILAND WORLD Maeya Nonthawan didn't come up with the Miss World tiara at the pageant in London on Sunday night, but her countrymen are bursting with pride nevertheless.
The popular vote, based on balloting through a dedicated online app, earned her the People’s Choice Award and thus an immediate place among the 11 finalists.
Naturally, the Thais had a lot to do with that. We do apps well, and this was a national cause, so there was a big online push ahead of the big day. People were not only encouraged to cast their vote for Maeya but also to share their reasons for doing so. Among the reasons: her beautiful skin tone (a little darker than usual), her wit, and her good education.
Rolene Strauss from South Africa was crowned Miss World 2014. Eduna Kulcscar of Hungary and Miss USA Elizabeth Safrit were the runners-up. But it was Maeya’s photos that hogged the social media. “She looked stunningly beautiful in her dress,” was a common comment.
Channel 3 broadcast the pageant, but not live, so a lot of Thais knew the outcome while the show was still in progress. Yet no one switched channels, apparently. They wanted to see how she pulled it off with such aplomb.
There was some grumbling afterward, perhaps a bit of sour grapes. “I don’t think this contest is as good as Miss Universe,” someone said on the official Miss Thailand World Facebook page. “Maeya is by far more beautiful than the ones who won the titles. She has my admiration for her grace.”
But the same page had details of Maeya’s return flight and a lot of the fans made plans to be at the airport tomorrow morning to welcome her home. “And if it’s not convenient to get to the airport,” Facebook informs them, “you can go to the Mallenont Building [Channel 3 headquarters] because she’ll be going there straight away to do a live morning programme.”
