Controversy at Miss Grand International 2024: Miss Myanmar loses the title after her viral reaction

The Miss Grand International 2024 pageant, held in Bangkok, Thailand, generated unexpected controversy when the reaction of Thae Su Nyein, representative of Myanmar and one of the public’s favorites, went viral on social networks.

Upon being named second finalist, the 18-year-old could not contain her tears as she descended from the stage, generating divided opinions about her behavior. In response to the controversy, the contest organization decided to withdraw the title, citing “inappropriate behavior” that allegedly violated the contest’s rules.

The incident on stage

The grand final of Miss Grand International 2024 was to be highlighted mainly by the coronation of Rachel Gupta, the representative of India, as the new queen, succeeding Luciana Fuster of Peru, who ended her reign in this edition. However, the most talked about moment of the night was that of Thae Su Nyein, who could not hide her surprise and discontent when she was announced as the second runner-up. The young woman came down from the stage visibly affected and, in a moment captured by the cameras, she was seen crying as she left the stage.

The situation escalated when Soe Min Tun, director of Miss Grand Myanmar, reacted completely inappropriately: he abruptly took the crown from the young woman and threw it on the ground in front of the audience. The scene quickly went viral on social networks, where users expressed a variety of opinions about the reaction of both.

Miss Grand International’s response

The Miss Grand International (MGI) organization was quick to react to this situation. Just three days later, they issued an official statement through their social networks, in which they reported their decision to revoke the title of second runner-up to Thae Su Nyein.

In the statement, they explained that the measure was taken due to “inappropriate behavior and actions that violated various regulations.” Consequently, the organization removed the official images of the Burmese candidate as a finalist and prohibited her from participating in post-contest activities along with the other finalists.

Rachel Gupta, the new Miss Grand International 2024, shared a message of reflection on her social networks after the scandal, where she wrote: “Nothing can stop us,” alluding to the challenges and controversies of the pageant.

Thae Su Nyein’s version

In the midst of the controversy, Thae Su Nyein used her TikTok account to express her side of the story in a live broadcast. The young woman clarified that her crying was misinterpreted and that it was not due to her position in the contest. «I didn’t cry because I didn’t win the crown nor because I didn’t deserve second place. “My tears were for my people, for all those who waited for this crown and fought by my side,” he said.

As he explained, his reaction was an expression of gratitude to his followers and frustration for not having won in other categories of the contest, such as the National Costume competition and the “Country’s Power of the Year” category, which is decided by public vote. . “I’m not attacking another competitor, I’m simply speaking for my people, who gave their all,” Thae added.

The young woman also explained that, when she came off the stage, her national director removed her crown to prevent it from falling, since she was visibly affected and at risk of losing her balance. “Some media from other countries began to record us at that difficult moment and no one did anything to stop them,” he said, noting that he felt that his privacy was invaded at a time of great vulnerability.

This edition of Miss Grand International brought together 74 participants from different countries, who competed in a series of tests that evaluated their physical beauty but also their elegance, communication skills and their ability to inspire positive changes in their communities.

Thae Su Nyein’s performance in the final became one of the highlights of the event, although it also generated some controversy due to the expectations and pressure that seemed to affect her deeply.

This incident has also brought into discussion the nature of beauty pageants and the emotional demands they place on their participants. There has been especially talk about the pressure of representing their countries on an international stage.

For some, Thae’s reaction reflects the weight that comes with being a candidate in a pageant of this magnitude, while others have criticized the lack of professionalism in her response.