Angie tells it all
The Nation
Publication Date : 2005-09-28
Pic: angie.jpg (med-res)
A beauty queen goes to war
Asia News Network The Nation/Bangkok An "unfair contract" with BEC-Tero prompted her to give up Miss Thailand World.
Miss Thailand World 2005 Angela McKay stunned everyone with her version of the truth when she announced at the end of September that her resignation from the title was a staged set-up manipulated by the pageant organizer BEC-Tero.
"I don't want to lie anymore about having anything else such as education that would take priority over being Miss Thailand World," said Angela, who quit her title after just 10 days.
She said the real reason behind her resignation from the Miss Thailand World 2005 title was the "unfair contract" between her and BEC-Tero.
She said she hoped presenting her side of the story would put an end to all the rumors surrounding her resignation.
Angela announced her resignation from Miss Thailand World 2005, explaining that she wished to further her education. However, her announcement inspired claims that the real reason behind her resignation concerned the discovery of a set of explicit nude photographs of the former model.
When asked to comment on Angela's announcement, BEC-Tero chief executive Brian Marcar said tersely, "It is not true." He refused to elaborate, saying he was busy with preparations for the Thailand Open 2005.
Accompanied by her father, Robert McKay, Angela appeared on the Saitrong Bantuen TV entertainment program on Channel 5 to disclose the full story.
"I was advised by BEC-Tero to inform the press that I was stepping down because I wanted to further my studies," the half- Thai, half-Australian beauty said.
Angela denied rumors that the nude pictures recently circulated on the Internet were the reason behind her decision to step down from the Miss Thailand World title. She said BEC-Tero had seen her portfolio, which contained some inexplicit nude shots used for an advertising campaign, and that they were no secret.
She added that the more explicit pictures circulated on the Internet were computer-generated fakes and claimed that when she said she was going to quit and return to Australia, BEC-Tero told her that if she left they would be obliged to print the photos.
Angela then showed the pictures from her portfolio to the press and said that she would let the Thai people judge for themselves whether the photos were inappropriate for someone holding the Miss Thailand World title.
Angela added that a further reason for her stepping down was due to BEC-Tero's refusal to discuss the contract with her.
Unable to read Thai, Angela said she only scanned through a rough translation of the contract on the application date, as she didn't expect to win the title. She said her cousin then translated the contract once she had won, and the actual deal appeared very different.
Details she was unhappy with included the lack of salary payments aside from the Bt1 million (US$24,233) prize money, and the lack of residential provisions.
She says she subsequently requested a payment of Bt150,000 (US$3,635) per month and lodgings with gym facilities but that BEC-Tero failed to respond.
"I wish to thank all the judges who voted for me and all the people who have helped and supported me. I wish to say sorry for disappointing them," said Angela in her press statement.
"Truthfully, I feel that I had a good chance to win the Miss World crown for Thailand and I would have been so proud to win for Thailand. Sadly, this chance has gone. I'm so proud to have represented Miss Thailand World even if it was just for 10 days."
She said her fellow pageant attendants had also expressed concerns about the contract but that there was little that they would, or could, do about it.
First runner-up Sirinda "Cindy" Jensen said she talked to Angela a few days ago and was shocked to hear that Angela was leaving. However, Cindy, speaking from the MTI make-up school, said that she would still be fulfilling her duties as the first runner-up and that the pair would remain good friends.
"Actually I never wanted to go home. I just wanted to discuss the contract," said Angela, adding that she would be returning the Bt1 million prize and tiara, but not the cash sums awarded for achieving the Miss Congeniality and Miss Photogenic prizes.
Asked if she was afraid of BEC-Tero filing a lawsuit against her following the press conference, Angela admitted that she did have some concerns.
However, following comments from Anchana Panyarachun, BEC- Tero's corporate image manager, which suggested that the matter was of little importance, it looks as if Miss McKay may escape any lawsuits.