I was born in a social service family: My uncle and brother are soldiers, my father is a police officer and my mother is a teacher. They couldn’t accept that I’m not a man.
I couldn’t believe it the first time I won. At that time I had no hair—I was undergoing military training. The prize was B10,000, but half of it went to my mentor. I was very proud that I could buy stuff I wanted with my own money.
I have had pressure put on me since I was little, but I can’t change. I wanted to, but I cannot. My father punished me a lot for playing like a girl.
The first time I saw Miss Tiffany, I never thought I would be on that stage. I was on the Lopburi volleyball team then, and I was obsessed with volleyball.
I wasn’t that interested in beauty contests, but I couldn’t resist my friends. They saw my potential.
I don’t like winning beauty pageants because I’m vain but because it’s something I earn.
The beauty pageant lifestyle isn’t as glamorous as I thought. It’s competitive. The mentors of other candidates have contested the results when I won or tried to prevent me from entering contests.
I’ve learned to wear a mask. It’s something one has to do sometimes in ladyboy society.
I started with the provincial contests, without my father knowing.
I’ve gotten new friends and experiences through beauty pageants. I see people’s kindness too.
There are times when help comes from my competitors. It impressed me when one of my heels got stuck in my dress and another candidate pulled it out for me.
The contests enlarge my vision. I’m studying hospitality and tourism so I want to learn more about good things in Thailand. Because of these contests I’ve gotten to travel to different provinces, go sightseeing and learn more about the local culture.
I wanted to rise to my potential, so I thought I should try a big stage like Miss Tiffany.
My parents now accept me as I am. They used to refuse to acknowledge that I was gay, but now they wholeheartedly call me their daughter. That’s what’s made me happiest.
People can dislike me or look down on me—I don’t care. My family understands me—that’s enough.
I dream of being a guide because that’s what I’m studying. I know I can get along with people, and I love getting to know new faces.
People think beauty queens are dumb, but they’re wrong. All 10 finalists from Miss Tiffany are intelligent. They all gave good answers to the questions.
I believe that ladyboys nowadays are brainy: They can do all kinds of jobs. The problem is Thailand doesn’t offer much for ladyboys in terms of careers, so they’re limited to beauty business jobs like make-up artist, showgirl or costume designer.
In Thailand, many people still have a negative attitude toward gays. But gays are the same as straight men and women—some are good and some are bad.
