Jumbo queen proves big is beautiful
A former model who once weighed 8st 2lb before more than tripling her weight was crowned Jumbo Queen today at an annual pageant where big is beautiful.
Dressed in billowing silks, the 20 big-boned contestants sashayed down a stage and climbed on a weighing scale before showing off talents ranging from Indian dance to lip synching songs.
Weighing in at 26st 8lb, Bangon Waiyawong was a clear winner, beating the second placed Sirirat Wongknongwa by 4st 7lb.
Bangon, dressed in a mauve skirt and flowing orange crepe wings attached to the shoulders, got the audience rocking with her performance of a disco dance.
“The way I danced … I did things the judges didn’t think I could do,” Bangon said after being crowned.
34-year-old Bangon is the owner of a beauty shop and trains aspiring contestants to conventional beauty contests.
The Jumbo Queen event was staged at the Samphran Elephant Ground and Zoo, 25 miles west of Bangkok, as part of the zoo’s annual Jumbo Banquet elephant feast. The event is aimed at highlighting elephant conservation.
Previous Jumbo Queens have gone on to local fame, acting in soap operas and performing in music videos.
