Punika Kulsoontornrut

Punika "Polly" Kulsoontornrut (Thai:ปุณิกา กุลสุนทรรัตน์), is a Thai beauty queen and represented Thailand in Miss Earth 2013 pageant.[1] She won the title of Miss Earth-Water 2013,[2][3] the highest title a Thai beauty queen achieved in the said beauty pageant. She shares that distinction with Watsaporn Wattanakoon, the Miss Earth-Water 2010. In 2014, she placed as 2nd Runner-up at Miss International 2014.

Punika Kulsoontornrut
Born (1992-10-09) October 9, 1992
Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand
Height1.74 m (5 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
TitleMiss Earth Thailand 2013
Miss Earth Water 2013
Beauty pageant titleholder
Hair colorBlack
Eye colorBrown
Major
competition(s)		Miss Universe Thailand 2013
(Unplaced)
Miss Earth Thailand 2013
(Winner)
Miss Earth 2013
(Miss Earth-Water)
Miss International 2014
(2nd Runner-up)
Miss Universe Thailand 2020
(2nd Runner-up)

Early life

According to her interview published in the Miss Earth website, Punika said that she grew up in a rough neighborhood with her big family. Although her family is poor, she is happy for she is being taken care of them and for her, that is the lesson she values the most.[4]

Pageantry

Miss Universe Thailand

Punika decided to join the Miss Universe Thailand 2013 pageant held at Royal Paragon Hall, Siam Paragon, Bangkok, Thailand. The said pageant sends its winner to the Miss Universe Pageant. The pageant was won by Chalita Yaemwannang, from Bangkok. However, Punika failed to place in the pageant[5]

Miss Earth Thailand

In November, Punika tried her luck to join in the first edition of Miss Earth Thailand pageant.The pageant was held on November 15, 2013 at Millennium Bangkok Hilton Hotel. She won the said pageant that earned her the right to represent Thailand in Miss Earth 2013. Punika was crowned by Watsaporn Wattanakoon.[6]

Miss Earth 2013

Even though she had a very limited time to prepare for the pageant, Punika still performed very well in the 13th edition of Miss Earth. She received numerous special awards during the preliminaries. She got two gold medals for the "Most Child Friendly" award for group 3 and "Best in Resorts Wear" award.[3][7] For the "National Costume" award, she got a bronze medal for team Asia. She also got a minor awards which were the "Miss Ever Bilena", "Gandang Ricky Reyes Award" and "Miss EB Advance" awards. Those awards are from the sponsors. Punika also became one of the Top 15 finalists in the Talent Competition segment. These made her one of the fan favorites by the pageant fans for the crown.

As the pageant concluded, Punika became the Miss Earth-Water 2013. She was crowned by Miss Earth-Water 2011, Athena Imperial. Winning the 2nd Runner-up finish, Punika was the highest Asian candidate finisher in the Miss Earth 2013 pageant. At the end of the pageant, Alyz Henrich of Venezuela was declared as the winner.[8][9]

Dethronement

Effective on October 13, 2014, Punika was no longer the reigning Miss Earth Water after she was dethroned by Carousel Production for violating her contract as a titleholder.[10] Her dethronement was on the ground of her joining another pageant, Miss International, during her one-year reign as Miss Earth Water 2013.

Miss International 2014

Punika represented Thailand at Miss International 2014, which held on November 11, 2014 at the Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa, Tokyo, Japan where she placed as 2nd Runner-up.

Miss Universe Thailand 2020

Punika also participated in Miss Universe Thailand 2020. Although being a heavy favorite by many pageant portal, she was unable to win the crown and was declared as 2nd Runner-up during the final competition on October 10, 2020.

Media and environmental activism

According to the Miss Earth website, her environmental advocacy is to "believe in yourself." For that, she believes that everything can be done for mother earth to protect it. Polly also guested, together with Miss Earth 2013 Alyz Henrich and the other elemental queens, in a local cable news channel, ABS-CBN News Channel, where they were asked about the pageant and their respective advocacies.[11]

When Polly went back to Thailand where she appeared in different shows and events. She was warmly welcomed because of her win. Polly went to Myanmar to attend a jewelry fashion show where she showed her modelling skills.

As part of her win as Miss Earth-Water, Polly went to Reunion Island to attend the finals of Miss Earth Reunion Island 2014 where she became one of the judges. She also crowned the winner, Lolita Hoarau, with the Miss Earth Reunion 2013, Christelle Abrantes.[12] Polly also did some environmental activities there.

After her commitment in Reunion Island, Polly went to Mauritius to take part in the screenings for Miss Earth Mauritius 2014..[13]

References
  1. "Miss Earth Thailand Punika Kulsoontornrut photo". Yahoo.com. 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
  2. "Alyz Henrich of Venezuela Crowned Miss Earth 2013". Beauty Pageant News. 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  3. "Miss Venezuela Alyz Henrich is Miss Earth 2013". webmagazine.net. 2013. Archived from the original on 11 December 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  4. "The 13th MISS EARTH Pageant". Miss Earth. 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  5. "Miss Universe Thailand 2013 winners". Normannorman.com. 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  6. Jennifer (2013). "PUNIKA KUNSUNTORNRAT - thailand 2013". Sashfactor. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  7. Jennifer (2013). "Punika Kulsoontornrut of Thailand Wins Miss Earth 2013′s Best in Resorts Wear Special Award". Beauty Pageant News. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  8. Blanco, Eunice (2013). "Alyz Henrich of Venezuela is Miss Earth 2013". Philippine Star. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  9. "Venezuela's Alyz Henrich wins Miss Earth 2013". MSN. 2013. Archived from the original on 11 December 2013. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
  10. "Miss Earth Water 2013 dethroned".
  11. Buenaflor, Nestor (2013). "Miss Earth 2013 Winners (Earth, Air, Water & Fire) Morning Interview with ANC TV". ANC. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  12. "Le salon international du mariage ouvre ses portes aujourd'hui". Clicanoo.re. 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  13. "เตรียมขนชุดไทยไปแจ่ม 'พอลลี่' กะเจิดที่แอฟริกาใต้". Thairath.com. 2014. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Thanatchaphon Boonsang		 Miss Universe Thailand
(2nd Runner-Up)
2020		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by
Casey Radley		 Miss International
(2nd Runner-Up)
2014		 Succeeded by
Eunice Onyango
Preceded by
Osmariel Villalobos		 Miss Earth Water
2013
(2nd Runner-Up)
(Dethroned but was not replaced)		 Succeeded by
Maira Rodríguez
Preceded by
Waratthaya Wongchayaporn		 Miss Earth Thailand
2013		 Succeeded by
Sasi Sintawee
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