Apasra Hongsakula

Apasra Hongsakula (Thai: อาภัสรา หงสกุล, RTGS: Aphatsara Hongsakun, pronounced [ʔàː.pʰát.sā.rāː hǒŋ.sā.kūn]; born January 16, 1947 in Bangkok, Thailand) is a Thai model and beauty queen who won the title Miss Universe 1965. She is the daughter of Group Captain Perm and Kayoon Hongsakula. She was the first woman from Thailand to win the Miss Universe crown.

Apasra Hongsakula
Hongsakula shortly after being crowned in 1965
Born
Apasra Hongsakula

(1947-01-16) January 16, 1947
Bangkok, Thailand
Height5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)
TitleMiss Thailand 1964
Miss Universe 1965
Spouse(s)
M.R. Kieatikhun Kitiyakara
​
(
m. 1967; div. 1969)

Suthikiati Chirathivat
​
(
m. 1985; div. 1995)
Children2
Beauty pageant titleholder
Hair colorBlack
Eye colorBrown

Biography

Apasra was born and raised in Bangkok, but she was sent to learn English at a girls secondary school in Penang, Malaysia.[1]

She married a first cousin of Queen Sirikit, by whom she has a son. The marriage ended long ago in divorce,[2] but she remains a revered social figure in the country. Her younger sister, Pavena, is a prominent political figure and former member of Parliament.

Her son Passakorn from her second marriage with Chirathivat, who in 2017 became chairman of the board of directors of Bangkok Post Plc., got officially engaged to Rasri Balenciaga on Dec. 8th 2017 in a ceremony presided over by princess Soamsawali.

Pageantry

Participation

In the 1964 Miss Thailand pageant held in Bangkok, Apasra Hongsakula, a high school student from Penang, won the crown.

She then went on to compete in the 1965 Miss Universe pageant held in Miami Beach, Florida, United States where she was crowned 14th Miss Universe winner on July 28, 1965.[3]

Judging

She returned to the pageant as a judge in 1973 and 1979.

Post Pageants

Facts/Trivia
  • She is the third Thai representative at Miss Universe pageant.
  • She got some advice from Queen Sirikit about how to strike a pose and how to walk in the pageant before she went to Miami.
  • Her Thai nickname is "Pook"
  • Apasra was presented a new crown by Miss Universe Organization and was crowned again at a private function by Miss Universe 1991 Lupita Jones of Mexico in 1992 when Thailand hosted the 1992 Miss Universe pageant. Most Miss Universe titleholders in the old days did not get to keep the crown.

References
  1. "In Style With Apasra : Apasra Hongsakula, Miss Universe 1965". Archived from the original on 2020-02-08. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
  3. "เปิดภาพ 11 นางงามไทยในตำนาน อดีต-ปัจจุบัน ยังสวยไม่สร่าง". kapook.com. 2020-06-05. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Corinna Tsopei		 Miss Universe
1965		 Succeeded by
Margareta Arvidsson
Preceded by
Sucheela Srisomboon		 Miss Thailand
1964		 Succeeded by
Cheranand Savetanand
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