Miss Grand International strips Myanmar beauty queen of second runner-up title due to misconduct

Miss Grand International has stripped 17-year-old Thae Su Nyein from Myanmar of her second runner-up title due to “inappropriate behavior.”

The decision was announced on the competition’s official Facebook page on Monday amid a dispute involving the beauty queen and the Miss Grand Myanmar organization. “The Miss Grand International Organization has decided to revoke the title of 2nd Runner-up from Miss Grand Myanmar 2024, Ms Thae Su Nyein, due to inappropriate behavior and actions that violated several regulations,” the statement read. The organization has not yet announced her replacement.

Thae Su Nyein was awarded third place on Oct. 25, with the Philippines taking first runner-up and India’s Rachel Gupta winning the title. However, after the announcement, Thae Su Nyein tearfully exited the event with her team, declining to participate in activities organized for the top five finalists.

Miss Grand Myanmar Thae Su Nyein. Photo from Miss Grand Myanmar Official Instagram

On Oct. 27, during a livestream on her personal account, Thae Su Nyein stated that she was not upset about losing the top title, nor did she hold anything against the winner or the first runner-up. However, she raised concerns about the transparency of awards for “Best National Costume” and “National Power of the Year.”

She claimed that Myanmar supporters cast the majority of votes, but the awards went to Thailand and other countries. Consequently, she decided to return her tiara and title, citing “unfair treatment.”

In response, MGI President Nawat Itsaragrisil dismissed her allegations of award-buying as baseless and attributed her actions to immaturity and the influence of her national director, Htoo Ant Lwin. He expressed a willingness to welcome her back if she changed her stance.

Miss Grand International, founded in 2013 by Nawat Itsaragrisil, is an annual beauty pageant based in Thailand. The competition garners global attention and in 2023 was hosted by Vietnam. This year’s event, held from Oct. 3- 25, included interviews, national costume showcases, and talent performances. The contest initially began in Cambodia but was relocated to Thailand following disputes between Miss Grand Cambodia and MGI’s president.

Amid these conflicts, representatives from Cambodia and Costa Rica withdrew from the competition, while Miss Hong Kong and Miss Ukraine also dropped out due to health concerns. On social media, they criticized the organizers for requiring them to attend events while unwell and not providing adequate medical care.