New Miss Universe is Thai Teen-Ager Who Studied in Southern California

A 19-year-old student from Thailand who studied in Southern California was crowned Miss Universe of 1988 in a flashy competition this morning.

Porntip Nakhirunkanok, a Bangkok resident, won $250,000 in cash and prizes. She wiped away tears of joy and joined her hands together in a Thai sign of thanks after winning.

The first runner-up was Miss Korea, Yunjung Chang. She was followed by Miss Mexico, Amanda Olivares; Miss Japan, Mizuho Sakaguchi; and Miss Hong Kong, Pauline Yeung. Sixty-six women had competed.

Among the 10 semi-finalists was Miss USA, Courtney Gibbs, of Fort Worth.

Nakhirunkanok, who weighs 114 pounds and stands 5 feet 8 inches tall, was educated at Pasadena City College and UCLA. She said during the program that she owed her English-speaking ability to Big Bird on the “Sesame Street” children’s program.

Organizers of the 37th Miss Universe pageant estimated 600 million people in 57 countries watched the televised competition for a successor to the 1987 Miss Universe, Cecilia Bolocco of Chile.

The program, broadcast from a 9,000-seat sports stadium in a Taipei suburb, began at 9 a.m. Taipei time today so that U.S. viewers could watch during the prime-time evening hours Monday. The schedule forced the local audience to don tuxedos and evening attire at an hour more appropriate for a breakfast gathering.

The live broadcast seen in Taiwan was briefly interrupted with a bulletin for a civil defense emergency exercise in the central island.

The pageant generated much interest in Taiwan but was pushed into the background Friday when the island’s most violent anti-government protest in recent years broke out in Taipei.

Prizes for the 1988 Miss Universe include $76,000 in cash, a Maserati convertible and a mink coat and mink jacket.