Miss Thailand Universe National Costume

The inspiration for Miss Thailand Universe national costume may have been borrowed from the Padaung tribeswomen of Myanmar (formerly Burma).

It's so interesting to note the striking similarity of the concentric neck rings she'll be wearing as part of her costume in the 2009 Miss Universe to be held in Nassau, Bahamas to that of the Padaung women's brass neck coils.

The peculiar tradition of neck elongation is still practiced by the womenfolk of this tribe living in the highlands ot Northern Myanmar.Early European explorers called them "The Giraffe Women"..

The exact origins of this custom are shrouded in mystery. Some anthropologists feel that the rings were added to protect a woman from tiger attacks, which were quite common in that area. While, others feel that they were added to enhance a woman's beauty, adding grace to her form. The rings add about 22kgs to a women's weight. The rings are meticulously cleaned every now and then with tamarind juice to make them shiny. Though the women appear to have a long neck, the real fact is that their shoulder bones have been pushed back. Thereby, giving an appearance of a long neck. The Padaung themselves, consider these rings as a sign of beauty. The rings are reflective of a woman's social status. The rings are first added when a girl is five years of age. Successive rings would be added every two years. The rings are intended to be worn throughout the life of the padaung women. Removal of these rings later in life would cause death as the neck muscles would be unable to support the weight of the head. This would cause suffocation.