Porntip Bui Simon (née Nakhirunkanok; Thai: ????????? ???????????, RTGS: Phonthip Nakhirankanok, pronounced [p???:n.t?íp nâ:k.hì.r?n.k?.nòk]; born February 7, 1969 in Bangkok, Thailand) is a Thai-American personality, philanthropist, and beauty queen who held the title Miss Universe 1988. Simon is President and founder of the Angels Wings Foundation. She is on the Board of Regents of Pepperdine University, the Board of the Children's Museum of Indianapolis as a Distinguished Advisor, and also is on the Board of Governors for the Dream Foundation.
Video Bui Simon
Biography
Porntip Nakhirunkanok was born in Bangkok, Thailand. Her middle name is "Bui" (Thai: ????, RTGS: Pui, pronounced [p?j]), which is her preferred name. It means "to sleep like a baby" in Thai. In the early 70's, she was brought to the United States by her family. She is the first daughter of Sornglin Nakhirunkanok. She had a younger sister who had died in 2005. In August 1988, Nakhirunkanok was presented the Thai Royal Medal of Honour, Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant, by King Bhumibol Adulyadej for her service in helping needy children. She received a second Royal Decoration in 2001, Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand.
In 1989, she was named United Nations Goodwill Ambassador of Thailand by Air Chief Marshal Siddhi Savetsila, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand. As Goodwill Ambassador, she addressed the UN General Assembly concerning the Convention on the Rights of the Child. She graduated with a bachelor's degree psychology from Pepperdine University.
In 2002, she 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. In addition, she also has been taking care of her deceased sister's three children along with her own children. 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.
She is well known in Thailand for her charity work, especially her effort to help the victims of the 2004 tsunami where Angels Wings built 100 new homes, a fleet of boats and new schools for those who lost them during the natural disaster. The Foundation also participated in efforts to rebuild orphanages and playgrounds for children of the affected communities. Her Charity is known as Angels Wings Foundation In 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, as founder of Angel Wings Foundation, Simon 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 2008, Simon launched the Angels Wings Rural Teaching Scholarship, created to provide scholarships to Thai high school students committed to teaching in Thailand's rural areas after their schooling is complete. 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. In July 1, 2010, she was elected to Pepperdine University Regents and was quoted saying "I am truly 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."
In 2011, Simon accepted a seat on the Board of Governors for the Dream Foundation, a profoundly compassionate organization that grants wishes to terminally ill patients. In that same year, Simon awarded scholarships and school funding at Shalom Orphanage, the 87th Thai Border Police School and announced two new students who were awarded the Rural Teaching Scholarship in Phuket. In 2011, Simon awarded scholarships and school funding at Shalom Orphanage, the 87th Thai Border Police School and announced two new students who were awarded the Rural Teaching Scholarship in Phuket.
In 2013, Simon was elected to serve as a Founding Board Member for the Children's Museum of Santa Barbara. The Children's Museum will pride itself on inspiring children and families around the world through a unique environment of national initiatives designed to boost student achievement in science, technology, engineering, the arts and math (S.T.E.A.M.). In 2013, Simon worked hand in hand with principal Pirom Praprom of Nongkung School to begin the first phase of construction of a new classroom building in Ubolrajathanee the hometown of Bui's mother Tiu Nakhirunkanok. Situated in Tumbon Nong Gung.
In 2014, Simon helped launch the Teach for Thailand initiative to strengthen the core subjects of English, math, and science in public schools and opened the Nongkung School in Ubolrajatanee Province, one of many schools Angels Wings Founder Simon has opened in the rural provinces of Thailand. The same year, she accepted a role as distinguished advisor on the Board of the Children's Museum of Indianapolis, which is "Best museum for families"- USA Today.
In 2015, Bui Simon presented a donation to the students at Wat Mahan School, the first Thai Royal public school, for a new IT system which would include 85 tablets to increase educational opportunities and social development in a technologically growing world.
Maps Bui Simon
Pageantry
Participation
In 1984, Simon joined the first Thai beauty pageant called "Tida Dome" held by the alumni of Thammasat 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 20, Simon 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 of the evening. She received the interview score of 9.730, swimsuit score of 9.684 and 9.752 for evening gown respectively. She also became the first woman ever to win both the Miss Universe and Best National Costume award in one pageant.
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 (Jang Yoon-jeong) 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-Roldan of Venezuela, Courtney Gibbs of USA, Diana Patricia Arevalo of Colombia, and Bente Brunland of Norway.
Hosting
Simon co-hosted a national costume competition in the Miss Universe 1992 pageant held in Bangkok, Thailand. The award was won by Miss Paraguay Pamela Zarza.
Judging
Simon was one of the telecast judges when the Miss Universe 2005 pagent was held in Bangkok, Thailand.
She was chosen as one of the judges for preliminary competitions in the 2006 Miss Universe pageant held in Los Angeles, California.
Angel Wings Foundation International
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
- Simon founded her own children's foundation
- Completed her term as United Nations Goodwill Ambassador of Thailand
- Simon was lead anchor and co-producer on the highly regarded television news program "60 Minutes II in Thailand".
- Simon was a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador in 1989.
- Simon 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.
- She led the Thai delegates during the 1998 Opening Ceremony of the XIII Asian Games held in Bangkok, Thailand
References
External links
- MU1988 Crowning Moment
- Bui's Angels Wings Foundation
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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