And now for the swimsuit section: Moment dozens of Miss Thailand contestants plunge into a filthy pond after bridge gives way during photo shoot
- Hopefuls were posing on a bridge in Chiang Mai when it collapsed on Monday
- Footage shows the 30 beauty queens dropping a short distance into a pond
- The fall happened on the second day of the annual Miss Thailand competition
- The owner of the restaurant where the bridge is has donated money to cover the treatment costs of the women with minor injuries
A group of Thai beauty queens made a splash at a photo shoot in Chiang Mai after the bridge they were posing on gave way.
The fall sent 30 hopefuls for the Miss Thailand competition plunging into a filthy pond on Monday.
The shocking moment was caught on film, showing the women in matching outfits, sun hats and face shields smiling and waving before the bridge collapsed, prompting screams.
Moments before the splash, the group had been posing on the suspension bridge made from ropes connected to a steel walkway as part of the second day of the Miss Thailand competition in Chiang Mai.
A group of Thai beauty queens made a splash at a photo shoot in Chiang Mai after the bridge they were posing on gave way
The 30 contestants can be seen smiling and waving in matching outfits while posing on the bridge on Monday
As the structure begins to collapse, the shocked women’s smiles change to alarmed grimaces
The structure could not hold their weight and it snapped, sending the women crashing into the water below.
Three of the contestants were injured in the fall. One suffered cuts and bruises on her forehead while two others sustained minor scrapes.
They were all reportedly taken to hospital for a checkup and have been discharged.
The fall happened at a cafe the contestants were visiting. Worapot Chatkanjana, the embarrassed owner of the establishment, promised to cover the cost of the injured women’s treatment.
The 43-year-old donated 500,000 Baht (£12,500) to cover their bills and offered to pay for the other contestants to have their clothes cleaned professionally.
The women begin to scream before falling a short distance into the dirty pond beneath the bridge
Some of the beauty queens cling to the rope sides of the bridge as they try to avoid falling in the water
Many of the contestants can be seen laughing having found their feet after the fall but three suffered minor injuries
The chaotic scenes are a sharp contrast to earlier in the day when the contestants enjoyed a chilled drink at the restaurant where the bridge was
‘I don’t know why the bridge broke. It is strong, but it just could not handle the weight of the women. In the future, we will make improvements to the bridge to be even stronger,’ he said.
After the collapse, the remaining 27 Miss Thailand hopefuls continued the event, with three of their rivals missing. They will rejoin tomorrow.
Dr Adisorn Suddee, Director of the Miss Thailand 2020, called the collapse ‘unexpected’.
He added that the competition, which is usually held in the capital, Bangkok, was moved to Chiang Mai this year for safety and security.
Beauty pageants are a booming industry in Thailand, with events held regionally and nationally throughout the year.
Women can win the equivalent of hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and prizes – as well as lucrative modelling and sponsorship agreements.
The women are assisted out of the pond and back into the restaurant they had been visiting
A contestant laughs off the unexpected soaking on the second day of the Miss Thailand competition