Thai plus-size pageant ladies have eating contest with an elephant

A group of Thai plus-size beauty pageant contestants partook in an eating contest with an elephant yesterday in the northeast Nakhon Ratchasima province.

The Miss Jumbo Queen beauty pageant is not just about celebrating plus-size beauty, it also aims to boost Nakhon Ratchasima’s tourism and help society. The contestants are taking part in several charitable causes, one of which is helping elephants that are suffering from abuse and hard labour, as well as elephants that are sick. The project is called ‘Bringing Elephants Back to Their Homeland.’

At a press conference held yesterday at The Mall Korat, the six jumbo queen contestants competed with a young elephant named Phang Orathai to see who could eat the most. Phang Orathai emerged victorious.

The Miss Jumbo Queen pageant is being held for the sixth consecutive year. Preliminary rounds will take place in six regions of Thailand, with the final round to be held at The Mall Korat. Women and ladyboys weighing more than 80 kilograms can participate in the competition to showcase their potential and abilities.

The Miss Jumbo Queen contest name directly translates to “Miss Daughter of the Elephant,” so participants also engage in activities to support elephant welfare across the country. The winner of the pageant will receive a cash prize of 300,000 baht, Nation Thailand reported.

Present at the press conference were: Samart Suwanmanee, the permanent secretary of Nakhon Ratchasima province; Katesiree Somboonsilp, the deputy director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand Nakhon Ratchasima office; Jitravadee Chutimantanon, president of the Miss Jumbo Queen Contest; and Preecha Limua, general manager of The Mall Ratchasima Co Ltd and contest sponsors. Jitravadee said…

“With the support of the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Nakhon Ratchasima province, all contestants in the final round will be presented with ‘Pak Thong Chai’ silk, one of the Korat’s identities, along with experiencing the local wisdom of Korat during the contest period.”

Those interested in taking part in the contest can purchase an application form at https://www.facebook.com/thidachangThailand/ or follow the news on the Facebook fan page of The Mall Korat.