A beauty pageant contestant has been praised after she recovered swiftly from what some are describing as an “embarrassing” on stage blunder that would haunt most people for life.
Kamolwan Chanago was one of 77 women recently competing in Miss Grand Thailand, with the winner going on to represent Thailand at the international edition of the contest.
But the 18-year-old’s appearance has turned into a viral moment after she suffered an unforgettable malfunction while on stage.
During the preliminary stages of the pageant March 25 in Bangkok, Ms Chanago’s teeth began to fall out of her mouth as she was introducing herself to the judges and those at home.
As she was delivering her first address, while wearing a nude sparkly strapless dress with a plunging neckline, Ms Chanago’s speech became noticeably less clear and seemed to affect her pronunciation.
It’s not clear whether the teen was wearing dentures or teeth covers, a temporary solution to improve appearance that usually aren’t suitable for eating and long-term wear.
Some reports suggested Ms Chanago had been wearing veneers, a custom made shell applied over the top of teeth, but that appears unlikely due to the fact that the entire bottom row of her teeth fell out.
Ms Chanago however didn’t let the mishap distract from the big moment.
Footage from the live event shows she turned her back to the audience to adjust her teeth before turning back around and walking to the front of the runway to pose in her flowing ballgown which she had paired with a fluffy pink shawl.
The crowd went wild, with a spectator at the event stating “she handled this better than most of us handle a bad hair day” before questioning if this might be “the most iconic pageant moment ever,” The Associated Press reported.
While her flawless recovery has been commended online, others have also expressed their sheer horror at the very public teeth malfunction, with some speculating “she must’ve been mortified”.
“Poor girl, this is so embarrassing,” noted one.
“I would have cried like a baby and never been seen again ever,” shared another.
As one added: “OMG, this is like watching a horror movie.”
The empathy for the young woman also poured in, with some even calling for others to “go easy on her. There’s so much pressure to live up to such high beauty standards these days”.
“Great recovery. You go girl,” praised one.
“The way she kept serving confidence,” chipped in another, as one said: “She carried on like a pro … that way the embarrassment got shortened.”
“I felt bad for her … anyway she handled it well,” shared another.
“She look magnificent regardless,” added one more.
Ms Chanago appears to have taken it all in her stride though, with a local report stating she “recreated” the viral moment during finale night.
As she addressed the crowd on the last event of the beauty contest, the 18-year-old – wearing a sparkly red mini-dress this time – “made a statement” by arriving without her teeth and putting them back in front of the audience.
Social media users loved it, declaring, “she ate that”.
Another user wrote: “Iconic.”