The daughter of two Bangkok garbage collectors now wears a dazzling crown adorned with peridot, topaz, and diamonds designed by luxury jewellery company Mouawad.
Beauty queen Anna Sueangam-iam was born into a life of hardship yet grew up to become Miss Universe Thailand 2022, the well earned winner of a crown fittingly named ‘The Power of Resilience.’
Anna grew up playing with toys that her parents collected and repaired on their rounds working as garbage collectors for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. She was later adopted by her grandmother, a white-robed Buddhist maechi who taught her the values that have helped her strive forward to get to where she is today.
After competing in several beauty pageants, Anna fulfilled her childhood dream of becoming Miss Universe Thailand at just 23 years old and will go on to represent Thailand at the global competition Miss Universe 2022.
Mouawad Co-Guardian Fred Mouawad commented on the ‘Power of Resilience’ crown, which seems as if it were designed with Anna in mind…
“This year, for the Mouawad Miss Universe Thailand Power of Resilience Crown, we thought about the resilience exuded by Thai citizens, and how this quality is not something we are born with but an attribute we learn over time and embody through our actions. It is also a quality that all of us have had to demonstrate in recent years when we faced a global pandemic and immense disruption to our lives.”
The crown features two motifs: the peacock feather and the lotus flower, whose interlocking harmony serves as a reminder of the role community bonds play in our resilience.
“The peridot gemstone was selected for its stunning green hues, evoking thoughts of fresh beginnings and growth. In total, 43 pear-shaped and one marquise peridot, weighing 101.08 carats are set in the crown. Their warm hues stand out beautifully against 158.24 carats of marquise-cut and round white topaz gems and 4.19 carats of round white diamonds, which were selected for their embodiment of the values of purity and honesty.”
Thailand’s sweetheart has since met with Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt to discuss how to tackle social and environmental issues in the capital, according to her Instagram post captioned…
“I will use all of my efforts and assets to help you and our city be a better place. United, we stand.”