by REERA YOO
May Myat Noe, winner of Miss Asia Pacific World 2014 and Myanmar’s first international beauty queen, has absconded with her $100,000 crown after being stripped of her title for being rude and dishonest, the organizers said Friday.
Myanmar, also known as Burma, only just recently started sending contestants to international beauty contests since the country ended its 49 years of military dictatorship in 2011. When Noe was crowned Miss Asia Pacific World in Seoul, her victory was seen as a promising beginning for young, talented beauties in Myanmar, according to The Associated Press. However, Dave Kim, the director of media for the pageant, said Noe was a disappointment from the start.
Following the 18-year-old’s crowning in May, the organizers and sponsors wanted Noe to have breast enhancement surgery before they could offer her a record deal.
“We thought she should be more beautiful … so as soon as she arrived we sent her to the hospital to operate on her breasts,” Kim said, adding that the sponsors picked up the $10,000 tab for the surgery, as they have for past winners. Since one of pageant’s main goals is to turn their winners into international superstars, cosmetic surgery seems to be a top priority for the organizers.
“It’s our responsibility,” Kim said, “If she has no good nose, then maybe, if she likes, we can operate on her nose. If it’s breasts, then breasts.”
According to Kim, everything went downhill from there. Noe had her mother accompany her to Seoul for what was supposed to be a 10-day visit, but the trip stretched to three months, incurring extra expense to the sponsors. The organizers notified Noe earlier this week about her dethronement and gave her an airplane ticket back to Rangoon, but Noe never showed up, with Eleven Media reporting that she boarded an earlier flight.
“She thinks as long as she keeps this crown she’s the winner,” Kim said. “But she’s not.”
Organizers said in a statement that Noe had “lied” and “never had respect for the main organization, the national director, the manager, media or fans who made her the winner.” However, few details were provided.
According to Eleven Media, May Myat Noe remains unavailable for comment and plans to hold a news conference at a later time, although a date is yet to be confirmed.
Photo via Register Guard
