Miss Grand International’s Thai president Nawat Itsaragrisil said that he came to HCMC Thursday to prepare for this year’s pageant, which is set to be held in Vietnam in October.
Accompanying Itsaragrisil are were contestants from the 2023 Miss Grand Thailand: Tapimsiya Kasemwuttirat, Vanessa Nattacha Wenk, Tia Li Taveepanichpan, Kamonwarai Prajakrattanakul, Ajcharee Srisuk, Tantawan Jiteelak, Kodchakorn Korntrakoon and Chayatanus Saradatta.
Some of the beauties caught the media’s eye by wearing traditional Vietnamese ao dai and conical hats.
In order to visit Vietnam, the women had to sell Miss Grand products via livestream. The eight contestants with the most orders got to go on the trip. Itsaragrisil gave the women a food product sales quota of at least 200 orders a day.
Itsaragrisil 's actions caused controversy on social networks. While many of his Thai fans said he made good use of every situation to make money, international nay sayers called for a boycott of the contest. Online critics said the contestants shouldn’t be forced to “wear bad makeup” and sell goods in order to participate in a beauty contest.
Thai-Vietnamese Miss Grand contestant Pailiuus Prajakrattanakul is popular in Vietnam. Local fans were delighted to meet her and ask for autographs.
The Miss Grand Thailand contestants actively interacted with fans. The final round of the event will be held in Bangkok on Apr. 29. The winner will receive the crown from reigning queen Engfa Waraha. They’ll then go on to represent Thailand at Miss Grand International this year.
The beauties used their phones to record charming moments with Vietnamese fans. Many have received gifts as souvenirs on the trip, which began Thursday and ends Saturday.
After leaving Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport, the Thai delegation moved to the Miss Grand International in Vietnam headquarters. President of Miss Grand Vietnam Pham Kim Dung (bottom row, middle) and four runners-up – Tuyet Nhu, Quynh Chau, Mai Ngo and Minh Thu (bottom row), welcomed Itsaragrisil and the Thai contestants.
Miss Grand International was first held in 2013 and is among the top six most prestigious beauty contests in the world. Last year, Brazilian beauty queen Isabella Menin won the contest.
This year, Miss Grand International will be held in Vietnam beginning Oct. 25. The event will feature photoshoots, press conferences, visits to cultural sites and tourist attractions, a swimsuit event, the Vietnam Beauty Fashion Festival, the National Costume contest, interviews, and the highly-anticipated semi-final and final competition rounds.
