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19-year-old student Noi Nar is crowned Miss Tiffany Universe
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Noi Nar, otherwise known as Tiptantree Rujiranon, a
19-year-old student from Ratchapat Suandusit University, was crowned Miss
Tiffany Universe 2005 on May 7. Noi Nar won out over 32 finalist
contestants, all being cheered on by an appreciative audience of
celebrities, the media and the public who packed Tiffany’s Theatre,
showing once again how transvestites have truly captured the imagination
of the Thai public.
 Sutham
Phanthusak, managing director of Tiffany Show Co Ltd, presents awards to
Tiptantree Rujiranon, Miss Tiffany Universe 2005.
Part of the night’s proceeds will be donated to the
Thai Red Cross Association for the “Give a life back to parents for a
child free from AIDS” charity under the sponsorship of Her Royal
Highness Princess Soamsawalee. Amongst the judges was the chief organiser
of the event, Dr Saeree Wongmontha.
Judges whittled the number of contestants down to 10,
and finally to three: No 31 Pheeraya Ruangroongroj, No 20 Tiptantree
Rujiranon, and No 28 Kanpicha Sirisakorn. Each of the three had to choose
a question envelope given by the committee, the result hinging on charm
and personality in addition to giving a correct answer.
This
year’s winning trio (left to right) Runner up Pheeraya Ruangroongroj,
Miss Tiffany Universe 2005 Tiptantree Rujiranon, and second runner up
Kanpicha Sirisakorn.
Miss Tiffany Universe 2004, Nong Poi, Treechada
Petcharat, formally surrendered her crown when it was announced that
Tiptantree was the winner. First runner-up was Pheeraya, and second
runner-up was Kanpicha Sirisakorn.
 Tiptantree
Rujiranon takes gracefully to the stage.
Miss Tiffany Universe 2005 received a diamond crown, a
Honda Jazz, 100,000 baht, and other gifts.
The evening also included three special awards: Most
Beautifully Dressed, a Mass Media award, and the Miss Friendship award.
Tiptantree was additionally winner of the Mass Media award, while Miss
Most Beautifully Dressed was No 25, Nakanyar Mahamongkon. Miss Friendship
was No 14, Naritsara Sirirungsan. Ripley’s Most Beautiful Wo-man of 2005
was No 31, Pheeraya Ruangroongroj, the judging having been conducted on
May 5.
Tiptantree Rujiranon’s real name is Mr Paripat Raksantisarnti, age
19, size 34-24-36, 175cm in height and weighing 55kg. He is studying for a
bachelor’s degree at Ratchapat Suandusit University. Apart from being
the winner of the Miss Tiffany Universe 2005 award and the Mass Media
award, he will be Thailand’s representative for the Miss Queen of the
Universe 2005 competition.
Contestants
present to the stage amidst song, dance and a Vespa motorcade.
The
three finalists (from left to right) No 20 Tiptantree Rujiranon, No 31
Pheeraya Ruangroongroj, and No 28 Kanpicha Sirisakorn.
The
final 32 contestants dressed in evening gowns.
Judges select 32 contestants to go forward
to next round of Miss Tiffany 2005
Suchada Tupchai
The preliminary round for the Miss Tiffany Universe
2005 contest was held May 3, with 77 “women of the second category”
vying for a place in the next round of 32 contestants.
Amusing
activities were held at Hard Rock Pattaya.
Amongst the celebrities attending the event were Nong
Poi-Trichada Petcharat, who won the Miss Tiffany Universe 2004 and the
Miss Queen of the Universe 2004 titles.
The 77 applicants showed their abilities to the judges
with lip sync, drama, a traditional show, and interview. With so many
talented and lovely performers, the judges had difficult decisions to
make, but eventually the 32 were selected for the next round.
Contestants
enjoy Thai dancing with the elderly.
Alisa Phanthusak, deputy managing director of the
Tiffany Show Company in Pattaya, said that this year has seen a
particularly high participation in the contest. The contestants were
pretty and had great abilities, she said, which made it difficult to
select them. Anyone not getting through the initial round this year is
welcome to apply again next year, she added.
On May 4, the 32 participants went on to the Old Folks
Home in Banglamung, where the guardian of the establishment and its
elderly people welcomed them. There was singing and Thai dancing for the
benefit of the seniors, and a good time was had by all.
In the afternoon, contestants went to the Hard Rock
Hotel and were welcomed by general manager Andrew Khoo. The “women of
the second category” caused a sensation amongst the hotel guests,
especially at the swimming pool.
The 32 contestants continue to participate in all the activities
organised by the contest committee. Part of this will be used for video
production to support tourism in Pattaya.
Believe it or not, man chosen
as Ripley’s most beautiful woman
Suchada Tupchai
Ripley’s Believe it or Not! Museum at the Royal
Garden Plaza welcomed 32 Miss Tiffany Universe 2005 contestants on May 5
to the Ripley’s Most Beautiful Wo-man 2005 contest as a foretaste of the
real event.
Somporn
Naksuetrong, general manager of Ripley’s, presents a certificate to Nong
Taetae, Ripley’s Most Beautiful Wo-man for 2005.
Contestants had lunch with celebrities and reporters at
Food Wave on the third floor before gathering in front of the museum.
General manager of Royal Garden Resort Public Co Ltd Amorn Amornkul gave a
welcome speech before the “women of the second category” walked on
stage to display their talents and participate in the activities.
 “Mai
chai phoo chai (Not a man)” show by Nong Poi.
Ripley’s staff also led them around “the world’s
biggest haunted house” and the newly installed Infinity Maze, a great
attraction for all of the contestants.
Present was Miss Tiffany 2004 and Miss Queen
International 2004, Nong Poi-Treechada Petcharat, who was introduced to
everyone.
Later, seven contestants were selected to answer the committee’s
questions. Kathy Heinecke from the Minor Holding (Thai) Company placed the
crown on the head of Ripley’s Most Beautiful Wo-man, contestant No 31,
Nong Taetae/Pheeraya Ruangroongroj, a student from Rangsit University. The
prize was 10,000 baht and a certificate from Ripley’s Believe it or Not!
Museum.
Difficult
choice for the committee.
Kathy
Heinecke presents the crown to Nong Taetae, Ripley’s Most Beautiful
Wo-man of 2005.
Fabulous
show from Tiffany’s.
U.S., Thai service members
build computer center for local school
Lance Cpl.
Karim D. Delgado
Pharmahachetsadaradchao Camp, Sattahip -
More than 30 U.S. Marines and sailors and 15 Royal Thai soldiers worked
together building a computer center at Ban Nong Lom, Thailand.
U.S.
Marines, sailors and Royal Thai soldiers with the Humanitarian/Civil
Assistance Task Force work together to build a computer center at Ban Nong
Lom, an elementary school in Lan Saw Village. The construction began on
April 10 and was scheduled to be completed May 4. The Marines are attached
to Combat Logistics Company A and the sailors are attached to Naval Mobile
Construction Battalion-40. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl.
Karim D. Delgado)
The service members were with the Humanitarian/Civil
Assistance Task Force executing one of six engineering construction
projects in conjunction with the joint, combined Cobra Gold 2005 exercise
held in Thailand May 2-15.
 Three
Marines coat metal beams that will support the roof of the computer center
being built at Ban Nong Lom, an elementary school, with tar in Lan Saw
Village. A group of Marines, sailors and Royal Thai soldiers with the
Humanitarian/Civil Assistance Task Force constructed a computer center for
the school as part of the Cobra Gold Engineer Civil Assistance Project
2005. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Karim D. Delgado)
Cobra Gold is a regularly scheduled joint and combined
multilateral exercise held in the Kingdom of Thailand. Cobra Gold 2005 is
the latest in a continuing series of exercises designed to promote
regional peace and security.
The computer center, which was scheduled to be
completed May 4, will serve as a digital reference library for more than
500 Thai elementary school students in Law Saw Village, according to Staff
Sgt. Randy Harrell, Combat Logistics Company A company gunnery sergeant
and site chief.
 U.S.
Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Dorn C. Keil works with Royal Thai Army
Master Sgt. 1st Class Somkiat Pimsaree (center) and Pfc. Sirichai Kunsee
on the framework of a wall on a computer center being built at Ban Nong
Lom, an elementary school in Lan Saw Village. Keil is a seabee with Naval
Mobile Construction Battalion-40. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by
Lance Cpl. Karim D. Delgado)
The task force worked on several small projects in
addition to the computer center.
“None of this was here before we came,” Harrell
said about a newly constructed playground. “We tied, welded, and
constructed every (playground) piece together.”
The task force also built an aquarium from a water
basin.
“(The school) had a small concrete basin that was
filled with trash and had a tarp over it held up by tree branches,”
Harrell said. “We took out the makeshift shelter and rebuilt it with
sturdy mahogany wood. We plan on filling the basin up with water and
putting some fish in there for the kids to play with.”
Moreover, the service members constructed a basketball
court.
Harrell explained that the community service project
has allowed many junior Marines to experience a different side of their
occupation.
“This computer (center) is going to be awesome,”
said Pfc. Michael S. Willis, a combat engineer with CLC-A. “It feels
great to know we’re doing something to help these kids out.”
Willis said the Marines and sailors are gaining a new
perspective as a result of the combined training environment.
“They build very differently from us,” said Willis.
“It’s interesting to see the differences between the way we were
taught to do things and their way.”
Willis explained that community projects such as this
one are mutually beneficial for the Marines and the community members.
“These kinds of experiences are great for the
Marines,” Willis noted. “It helps build international relations and
shows everybody that behind our uniforms, we’re just as human as
everybody else.”
This year’s Cobra Gold exercise focused on capturing lessons learned
from the humanitarian assistance/disaster relief operations in response to
the December 26, 2004, earthquake and tsunami that affected nations
surrounding the Indian Ocean.
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