Miss Thailand Crowned Miss International 2019
- Miss Thailand is crowned Miss International 2019, the country’s first Miss International crown
- Sireethorn “Bint” Leearamwat, 25, succeeded Mariem Velazco of Venezuela
- The Philippines’ Patch Magnanong finishes in Top 8 in the competition
It was a historic night for Thailand on the Miss International stage as Miss Thailand is crowned as its first Miss International on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019.
Sireethorn “Bint” Leearamwat, 25, succeeded Mariem Velazco of Venezuela. She beat 82 candidates for the title, including Philippines’ own Patch Magtanong, who finished as part of the final Top 8.
Miss Thailand’s Bint Leearamwat is Miss International 2019
After making it to the Top 15 and Top 8 rounds, Bint was crowned as the new Miss International 2019.
“I didn’t expect to be here,” she said upon winning. “I’m very proud that I can be here. I’m so proud of myself and so proud of my team and so proud of my nation … I hope all women do it like me. If you have a dream, follow it,” she said.
Held at Tokyo Dome City Hall in Japan last Tuesday, the pageant’s coronation night was livestreamed on YouTube and on Facebook for the entire world to see. It also dominated social media in the Philippines.
She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Maindol University. She currently works as a product specialist for immunotherapy medication.
Bint gathered criticism when she won the Miss International Thailand title. However despite the hate that she received, she chose to not give up.
“I dared to dream to become a beauty queen, even if there’s nothing really related to my career as [a] pharmacist. I used critic as power to make myself improve to be the best representative and make my nation proud,” she said.
“So the definiton of ‘cheer all women’ for me is how to encourage, support, and inspire all women, all around the world to make their dreams come true and make a great thing to our world.”
Her win as Miss Thailand earlier this year, which determined the candidate who will be Thailand’s representative to be the Miss International pageant, was her first time on the pageant circuit.
Mexico’s Andrea Toscano was crowned first runner-up, followed by Uganda’s Evelyn Namatovu, Colombia’s Maria Alejandra Vengoechea, and United Kingdom’s Harriotte Lane.
Patch Magnanong finishes in Top 8 in Miss International 2019
Meanwhile, the Philippines; Bea Patricia “Patch” Magtanong, the fierce 25-year-old lawyer and model, was close to snatching the crown of the 2019 Miss International pageant.
Magtanong addressed the issues regarding gender equality. In her speech during the final round of the pageant, she reiterates that no woman should be “left behind.
“Why should women live in fear of harassment, violence, and discrimination when basic human decency calls for respect, tolerance and compassion?” Magtanong asked.
“To cheer all women means to support all women regardless of the race, religion or background. But not only this, it also means to remove the barriers that prevent women from realizing their full potential,” she explained.
Her answer hit the mark on the question, but she fell short of an official Top 5 placing. Magtanong was aiming to win the country’s seventh Miss International crown after Kylie Verzosa in 2016.
Her predecessor, Ahtisa Manalo, finished first runner-up in last year’s edition of the pageant.
Congratulations to all the winners!
