Porntip Nakhirunkanok
Encyclopedia
Porntip Bui Nakhirunkanok aka Porntip Bui Simon (born February 7, 1968 in Chacheonsao, Thailand
; , pronounced pʰōntʰíp nâːkhǐrāŋkànók sājmɔ̂ːn (pǔj)) 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.
. Her nickname was “Bui,” which is now one of her legal names. It means “to sleep like a baby” in Thai. In 1972, 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 died in 2005.
In August 1988, Nakhirunkanok was presented the Thai Royal Medal of Honour by King Bhumibol Adulyadej for her service in helping needy children.
Also in 1988, at the age of 19, Porntip was named United Nations Goodwill Ambassador of Thailand by Air Chief Marshal Siddhi Savetsila ~ Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand.
Porntip graduated with a Master Degree (Master of Arts in Psychology
) from Pepperdine University
, United States
.
In 2002, Porntip married Herbert Simon
, an American businessman who is the owner of the Indiana Pacers
basketball team and Simon Property Group
. The couple was married by Queen Sirkit of Thailand in the Royal Summer Palace. They have a son and a daughter. Plus, she also has been taking care of her deceased sister's three children along with her own children.
Bui is also well-known in Thailand for her charity work, especially her effort to help the victims of the 2004 tsunami
where she built 100 new homes, a fleet of boats and new schools. Her Charity is known as Angel Wings Foundation
In 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, as founder of Angel Wings Foundation, Porntip donated funds to support the Thammasat Alumni Associations’s Thai/American scholarship program that enables American students of Thai descent to study abroad. For many it was their first chance to see their mother country.
In December 2008, the Bui Simon Thai Endowed Scholarship Fund was established to help Thai students who wish to come to the United States and study as undergraduate students at Pepperdine University.
July 1, 2010 Angels Wings Founder Bui Simon was elected to Pepperdine University Regents and was quoted saying “I am really honored by the opportunity to serve the faculty and students of my alma mater. My foundation believes that every child is an angel and deserves wings to fly to their fullest ability. I look forward to extending this principle to the student body at Pepperdine as I work with the regents to further the educational goals of the university.”
(Thailand). At that pageant she 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 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.
pageant held in Bangkok, Thailand. The award was won by Miss Paraguay Pamela Zarza.
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.
Angels Wings Rural Teaching Scholarship was created to provide scholarships to Thai college students who committed to teaching in Thailand’s rural areas after their schooling is complete.
After the 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia, Angels Wings built 100 new homes, a fleet of boats and new schools and participated in efforts to rebuild orphanages and playgrounds for children of the affected communities.
- Completed her term as United Nations Goodwill Ambassador of Thailand
- Porntip was lead anchor for "60 Minutes II in Thailand".
- Porntip was a United Nations
Population Fund Goodwill Ambassador
.
- Porntip was the spokesperson for Pepsi, Colgate, Revlon and Sunsilk in Thailand.
- She accompanied the Thai athletes during the Opening Ceremony of the 1988 Summer Olympics
held in Seoul
, South Korea
.
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
; , pronounced pʰōntʰíp nâːkhǐrāŋkànók sājmɔ̂ːn (pǔj)) is a Thai
Thai people
The Thai people, or Siamese, are the main ethnic group of Thailand and are part of the larger Tai ethnolinguistic peoples found in Thailand and adjacent countries in Southeast Asia as well as southern China. Their language is the Thai language, which is classified as part of the Kradai family of...
beauty queen who has held the title Miss Universe 1988
Miss Universe 1988
Miss Universe 1988, the 37th Miss Universe Pageant was held at Lin Kou Stadium, Taipei, Taiwan on May 24, 1988. Porntip Nakhirunkanok of Thailand was crowned the title of Miss Universe 1988. 66 contestants competed in the pageant...
. She became the second woman from Thailand to win the Miss Universe crown, the first being Apasra Hongsakula
Apasra Hongsakula
Apasra Hongsakula is a Thai beauty queen who has held the title Miss Universe 1965. She is the daughter of Group Captain "Perm" and Kayoon Hongsakula...
in 1965.
Biography
Nakhirunkanok was born in Chacheonsao, ThailandThailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. Her nickname was “Bui,” which is now one of her legal names. It means “to sleep like a baby” in Thai. In 1972, Porntip, who was 2 years old at the time, was brought to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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 died in 2005.
In August 1988, Nakhirunkanok was presented the Thai Royal Medal of Honour by King Bhumibol Adulyadej for her service in helping needy children.
Also in 1988, at the age of 19, Porntip was named United Nations Goodwill Ambassador of Thailand by Air Chief Marshal Siddhi Savetsila ~ Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand.
Porntip graduated with a Master Degree (Master of Arts in Psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
) from Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University is an independent, private, medium-sized university affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The university's campus overlooking the Pacific Ocean in unincorporated Los Angeles County, California, United States, near Malibu, is the location for Seaver College, the School of...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
In 2002, Porntip married Herbert Simon
Herbert Simon (real estate)
Herbert Simon is an American real estate magnate. He lives in Indiana and is a billionaire. He was educated at the City College of New York. He is the owner of the Indiana Pacers, and chairman emeritus of the shopping mall developer Simon Property Group. In 2010 he purchased Kirkus...
, an American businessman who is the owner of the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
basketball team and Simon Property Group
Simon Property Group
Simon Property Group, Inc. is an American commercial real estate company, ranked #1 in the United States as the largest real estate investment trust. Simon is a fully integrated real estate company which operates from five retail real estate platforms: regional malls, Premium Outlet Centers, The...
. The couple was married by Queen Sirkit of Thailand in the Royal Summer Palace. They have a son and a daughter. Plus, she also has been taking care of her deceased sister's three children along with her own children.
Bui is also well-known in Thailand for her charity work, especially her effort to help the victims of the 2004 tsunami
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
where she built 100 new homes, a fleet of boats and new schools. Her Charity is known as Angel Wings Foundation
In 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, as founder of Angel Wings Foundation, Porntip donated funds to support the Thammasat Alumni Associations’s Thai/American scholarship program that enables American students of Thai descent to study abroad. For many it was their first chance to see their mother country.
In December 2008, the Bui Simon Thai Endowed Scholarship Fund was established to help Thai students who wish to come to the United States and study as undergraduate students at Pepperdine University.
July 1, 2010 Angels Wings Founder Bui Simon was elected to Pepperdine University Regents and was quoted saying “I am really honored by the opportunity to serve the faculty and students of my alma mater. My foundation believes that every child is an angel and deserves wings to fly to their fullest ability. I look forward to extending this principle to the student body at Pepperdine as I work with the regents to further the educational goals of the university.”
Participation
In 1984, Nakhirunkanok joined the first Thai beauty pageant called "Tida Dome" held by the alumni of Thammasat UniversityThammasat University
Thammasat University , or in brief TU , is Thailand's second oldest university. Officially established on 27 June 1934, the university was originally named by founder Pridi Banomyong, University of Moral Science and Politics , reflecting the political fervor of the time...
(Thailand). At that pageant she placed as first runner-up.
She participated in the 1988 Miss Thailand
Miss Thailand
Miss Thailand is a beauty pageant held in Thailand for single Thai women, first held on December 10, 1934 in Phra Nakorn province or The National Capital, under the name of Miss Siam ....
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 Miss Universe 1988
Miss Universe 1988
Miss Universe 1988, the 37th Miss Universe Pageant was held at Lin Kou Stadium, Taipei, Taiwan on May 24, 1988. Porntip Nakhirunkanok of Thailand was crowned the title of Miss Universe 1988. 66 contestants competed in the pageant...
by outgoing titleholder Cecilia Bolocco on May 24, 1988 in Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. 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
Yunchung Chong
Jang Yoon-jeong was named Miss Korea in 1987. She represented South Korea and was the first runner-up of the Miss Universe 1988 beauty contest. Porntip Nakhirunkanok was the winner of the competition.-Miss Universe 1988:...
) in second, Mexico (Amanda Olivares
Amanda Olivares
Amanda Beatriz Olivares Phillips is a former Miss Mexico who represented her country in the 1988 Miss Universe pageant, held in Taipei, Taiwan on May 23, 1988 and obtained the second runner-up spot....
) 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
Courtney Gibbs
Courtney Ann Gibbs-Mokarow is a former Miss USA and Top 10 semifinalist at Miss Universe 1988.-Miss USA:...
of USA, Diana Patricia Arévalo of Colombia, and Bente Brunland of Norway.
Hosting
Nakhirunkanok co-hosted a national costume competition in the Miss Universe 1992Miss Universe 1992
Miss Universe 1992, the 41st Miss Universe pageant, was held at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, Bangkok, Thailand on May 8, 1992. 78 international beauties competed for the Miss Universe crown....
pageant held in Bangkok, Thailand. The award was won by Miss Paraguay Pamela Zarza.
Judging
In June 2005, Nakhirunkanok returned to the Miss UniverseMiss Universe 2005
Miss Universe 2005, the 54th Miss Universe pageant, was held at the Impact Arena, Bangkok, Thailand on May 31, 2005.At the conclusion of the final telecast, Miss Universe Canada, Natalie Glebova was crowned Miss Universe 2005 by outgoing titleholder Jennifer Hawkins of Australia...
pageant as one of the telecast judges.
She was chosen as one of the judges for preliminary competitions in the 2006 Miss Universe
Miss Universe 2006
Miss Universe 2006, the 55th Miss Universe pageant, took place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, USA. Unlike past events, it was broadcast live on NBC on a Sunday, July 23, 2006, almost two months later than usual....
pageant held in Los Angeles, California.
Angel Wings Foundation International
Porntip Bui Simon founded the Angels Wings Foundation in 2002 with its mission to build and fund schools and orphanages and supply healthcare and other support for underprivileged children in Thailand.Angels Wings Rural Teaching Scholarship was created to provide scholarships to Thai college students who committed to teaching in Thailand’s rural areas after their schooling is complete.
After the 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia, Angels Wings built 100 new homes, a fleet of boats and new schools and participated in efforts to rebuild orphanages and playgrounds for children of the affected communities.
Post Pageants
- Porntip founded her own children’s foundation- Completed her term as United Nations Goodwill Ambassador of Thailand
- Porntip was lead anchor for "60 Minutes II in Thailand".
- Porntip was a United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Population Fund Goodwill Ambassador
Goodwill Ambassador
Goodwill Ambassador is a collective term sometimes used as a substitute honorific title or a title of honor for an Ambassador of Goodwill; but, most appropriately for a generic recognition, it is a job position or description that is usually indicated following the name of the individual recognized...
.
- Porntip was the spokesperson for Pepsi, Colgate, Revlon and Sunsilk in Thailand.
- She accompanied the Thai athletes during the Opening Ceremony of the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
held in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
.