Miss Grand International Myanmar contestant returns 2nd runner-up crown over ‘unfair’ contest
Myanmar’s Miss Grand International contestant Thae Su Nyein has returned her 2nd runner-up crown after her pageant director said the contest was unfair.
Minutes after the coronation that took place on 25 Oct in Thailand, drama erupted at the Miss Grand International 2024 when Ms Thae Su Nyeim suddenly broke down in tears.
Controversy minutes after award ceremony
As she was helped off stage by her team, the Myanmar pageant director Htoo Ant Lwin ripped the crown and her sash off of her.
The move was captured and quickly shared on social media, shocking and confusing observers.
@theoneanonlymgi @Miss Grand International #บอส ค่ะ นางพม่า มันร้ายค่ะ มันถอด สายสพาย เเละมงออกเลยค่ะ#missgrandinternational #2024 #missgrand #mgi
Many netizens speculated that the Myanmar team was deeply unsatisfied with the final decision.
Some even assumed the director had thrown the crown aside in a fit of rage. However, that assumption was quickly disproven.
A celebratory moment marred by controversy
Based in Thailand, Miss Grand International is an international pageant competition that happens annually.
According to ABS-CBN, India’s Rachel Gupta won Miss Grand International 2024 with the Philippines’ CJ Opiaza getting 1st runner up.
However, the celebratory feeling quickly faded.
Shortly after the coronation, Myanmar’s pageant director left a cryptic message on his Facebook page saying: “Bye forever”.
Fearing the worst, many netizens then flooded him with support out of concern. Fortunately, he left another message explaining that everything was fine and that he’d go live on Facebook to explain what he meant.
According to GMA Network, Htoo told his viewers that the contest was unfair towards Thae. He also added that Myanmar will no longer join the pageant.
Not the pageant’s first controversy this year
This was not Miss Grand International’s first controversy this year. In addition to Myanmar’s claims of unfair judging, there had also been issues over location.
On 7 Oct, the pageant was moved from its original planned location in Cambodia to Thailand. According to Khaosod English, the move happened because the Cambodian venue failed to fulfil the requirements that were agreed upon in the contract.
Some of these requirements include backdrops, vinyl banners, and even security.
The relocation caused Cambodia’s contestant to pull out. Furthermore, Cambodia’s pageant director vowed that she’d do everything in her power to prevent Miss Grand International from appearing in Cambodia.
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Featured image adapted from SoeMin Tun on Facebook and @theoneanonlymgi on TikTok.
