Porntip Nakhirunkanok

Pageant titleholder bio
photo=
caption=
title=Miss Thailand 1988
Miss Universe 1988
location= Chachoengsao, Thailand
birthname= Porntip Nakhirunkanok|birth = birth date and age|1968|02|07
height=height|ft=5|in=8
eye color= Brown
hair color= Black
ethnicity= Asian

Porntip "Bui" Nakhirunkanok aka Porntip "Bui" Simon (born February 7, 1968 in Chachoengsao Province, Thailand; _th. ภรณ์ทิพย์ นาคหิรัญกนก ไซม่อน, : /pɔːn.tɪp/ /nɑːk.hɪ.rɑn.gɑ.nog/) is a Thai beauty queen who has held the title Miss Universe 1988. She became the second woman from Thailand to win the Miss Universe crown, the first being Apasra Hongsakula in 1965.

Biography

Nakhirunkanok was born in Chachoengsao, Thailand. In 1970, Porntip, who was 2 years old at the time, was brought to the United States by her family. She is the first daughter of Udom and Sonklin Nakhirunkanok. Her father was a member of a string band named "On The Rock". She had a younger sister who had passed away in 2005.

Porntip graduated with a Master Degree (Master of Arts in Psychology) from Pepperdine University, United States. [ [http://www.geocities.com/mu88_porntip/bio.html Porntip's biography] ]

In 2002, Porntip married Herbert Simon, an American businessman who is the owner of the Indiana Pacers basketball team and Simon Property Group. The man is 34 years older than her. Moreover, they have one son named Sean Robert Simon. Plus, she also has been taking care of her deceased sister's children along with her own child.

Bui is also well-known in Thailand for her charity work, especially her effort to help the victims of the 2004 tsunami.

Pageantry

Participation

At age of 15, Nakhirunkanok attempted to win the Miss California Teen USA pageant where she placed as first runner-up. The pageant was won by Shawn Gardner who was a semi-finalist at the 1983 Miss Teen USA pageant.

In 1984, she joined the first Thai beauty pageant called "Tida Dome" held by the alumni of Thammasat University (Thailand). At that pageant she placed as third runner-up. She tried to compete again in the following year and placed as first runner-up.

She participated in the 1988 Miss Thailand pageant held in Bangkok where she won and had the right to represent Thailand at the Miss Universe pageant.

At age of 19, Porntip Nakhirunkanok was crowned as the Miss Universe 1988 by outgoing titleholder Cecilia Bolocco on May 24, 1988 in Taipei, Taiwan. She entered the semi-finals in fourth place, right behind USA, Dominican Republic, and Korea. She impressed the judges so much during the interview portion that she swept the competition, becoming the clear winner for the evening. She received the interview score of 9.730, swimsuit score of 9.684 and 9.752 for evening gown respectively.

The 1988 pageant is notable for the fact that four of the top 5 finalists all hailed from the Far East, with Porntip as the winner, Korea (Yunchung Chong) in second, Mexico (Amanda Olivares) in third, Japan (Mizuho Sakaguchi) in fourth, and Hong Kong (Pauline Yeung Bo Ling) in fifth. The rest of the top 10 were Patricia Jimenez from the Dominican Republic, Yajaira Vera-Roldán of Venezuela, Courtney Gibbs of USA, Diana Patricia Arévalo of Colombia, and Bente Brunland of Norway.

Hosting

Nakhirunkanok co-hosted a national costume competition in the Miss Universe 1992 pageant held in Bangkok, Thailand. The award was won by Miss Paraguay Pamela Zarza.

Judging

In June 2005, Nakhirunkanok returned to the Miss Universe pageant as one of the telecast judges.

she was chosen as one of the judges for preliminary competitions in the 2006 Miss Universe pageant held in Los Angeles, California.

Post Pageants

- Working for her own children charities.

- Lead anchor for "60 Minutes II in Thailand".

- Being a United Nations Population Fund Goodwill Ambassador.

- Campaign Spokesperson of Face to Face International.

Facts/Trivia

* Nakhirunkanok is the 1st among Miss Universe winners who also won the National Costume competition. Wendy Fitzwilliam of Trinidad & Tobago won the award in 1998 and eventually won the crown then, Amelia Vega of Dominican Republic also won the Best National Costume and went on to win the 2003 Miss Universe crown.
* Before going to Taiwan, Porntip's Miss Thailand crown fell and the top of the crown broke. She was told that she would get a new crown!
* Her roommate during the pageant was Miss Korea (1st runner-up) who was one of the favourites to win the crown.
* She thought that Patricia Jimenez, Miss Dominican Republic would win the competition.
* She accompanied the Thai athletes at the Opening ceremony at the Olymic Games in Seoul 1988.
* Her nickname in Thai is "Booie or Bui" which means "Well sleeping"
* Despite being raised in Los Angeles, USA, Porntip is fluent in Thai.

References

External links

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cymgVQj8HSc MU1988 Crowning Moment]
* [http://www.geocities.com/mu88_porntip/ Porntip Nakhirunkanok Fanpage]
* [http://www.angelswingsfoundation.org/ Bui's Angels Wings Foundation]

Miss Universe Organization titleholders
Year=1988
Miss Universe=Porntip Nakhirunkanok
Miss USA=Courtney Gibbs
Miss Teen USA=Mindy Duncan