Myanmar’s Thae Su Nyein returns to social media after losing Miss Grand International’s 2nd runner-up title

Thae Su Nyein, Myanmar’s representative at the 2024 Miss Grand International pageant. Photo from Thae's Instagram

According to Tien Phong Newspaper, Thae posted on Facebook on Saturday to address the issue of impersonation accounts on different platforms. She urged her followers to stay vigilant and avoid engaging with these fake pages, emphasizing that she would not be accountable for any fraudulent activities conducted by them.

The beauty queen also took the opportunity to extend birthday greetings to Htoo Ant Lwin, the national director of Miss Grand Myanmar. She referred to him as "a mentor, brother, and friend that God gifted to her life," praising him as a perfect individual who consistently treats others well. Thae encouraged him to "continue striving together," highlighting her continued relationship with the director despite recent controversies.

On Oct. 26, during the coronation night of this year’s MGI pageant held in Bangkok, Thae, 17, was announced as the second runner-up. The Philippines’ representative took the first runner-up position, while India’s Rachel Gupta was crowned the winner. However, following the announcement, Thae and her team left the event in tears and chose not to participate in the top-five activities.

In an Instagram Live session the next day, Thae voiced her disappointment about not winning two special awards—Best in National Costume and Country’s Power of the Year—as reported by ABS-CBN News.

The National Costume awards were given to contestants from Brazil, Ecuador, and Honduras, while the Country’s Power of the Year title went to Thailand.

On Oct. 28, the MGI organization announced that Thae’s second runner-up title had been revoked, citing her "inappropriate behavior" as the reason for their decision.

Tensions between the MGI organization and its Myanmar franchise escalated when Htoo, 29, accused Nawat Itsaragrisil, the pageant’s president, of accepting US$25,000 from an Indonesian pageant official in exchange for a crown, as reported by The Straits Times.

Itsaragrisil, 51, denied the accusation and threatened legal action unless Htoo provided evidence. He also claimed that Htoo pressured Thae to relinquish her title.

Founded in 2013 by Itsaragrisil, a Thai television host and producer, MGI focuses on humanitarian efforts. Titleholders are expected to act as spokespersons for the organization and participate in charity events promoting its campaigns during their reigns.

Contestants for MGI are selected by franchise holders in their respective countries or territories through national competitions, internal casting, or direct appointments.