Miss Earth Thailand 2011 Niratcha Tungtisanont: My family has taught me to give and to share with others

“My family has taught me to give and to share with others. I believe that giving is an essential part of every person’s life. I think it is better to give than to receive. Not only does giving benefits others, but it also makes me feel that my life is worth something. It gives me a sense of purpose to actually make a difference. While helping others benefits me, my true reasons for doing such is because it is the right thing to do,” Miss Earth Thailand 2011 Niratcha Tungtisanont tells, MissEarth.tv mediates.

MISS THAILAND: Niratcha Tungtisanont
Age: 22
Height: 172 cm.
Weight: 48 kg.
Measurements: 85-70-85

What makes you proud of the country you are representing, and what can you promote about your country?
I am very proud to be Thai. We have our beloved King Bhumibol Adulyadej who is selfless and dedicated to Thai people. I personally look up to him and always find an inspiration to overcome my life difficulties thinking of how much he has done for Thailand. He is the heart of all the Thais. He has developed many projects that have improved the quality of life for the Thai people, including sufficient economy, rainmaking techniques, monkey cheeks, etc. Another key role the King plays is by giving Buddism guidance to Thai people. Buddhism is a spiritual guidance to Thai people. We have learned to meditate and apprehend the concept of impermanence. Meditation brings serenity to our life. Impermanence helps us get through the difficulty in life, let go the suffering and become a stronger person. Many of my morals come from Buddhism and it is an aspect of Thailand that I am very proud of.

Another key source of pride is my country’s many distinct geographic regions. The north of Thailand features the most hilly and mountainous region of the Kingdom. The south of Thailand in contrast features one of the most beautiful beaches of the world. Plus, we have a lovely city that never sleeps, Ba ngkok. With the various geographic areas of my country, Thailand can grow numerous types of tropical and sub-tropical fruit plants and trees. Thai people never have to be starving for food.

In addition, Muay Thai or Thai boxing is another thing that I am proud of my country and would like to share it with everyone. Muay Thai is a martial art like no others. It is a proud heritage of our nation. Eventhough Thais are very gentle, peach-loving country, we have developed Muay Thai. The history of Muay Thai is interwoven with the history of the Thai people. For centuries, Muay Thai is a technique which Thais had created to defense themselves and their land from aggressive powers. Also, it is a very powerful tool for females to defense themselves in any unsafe situation.

To promote my country, Thailand is one of the countries in the world which I believe has a unique blend of culture. We are taught to be humble, caring, and to respect each other. Also, we have what we call a “family bond;” we appreciate how much our parents have done for us and we show our gratitude to them when we are older. In fact, family is one of the most important aspects of traditional Thai culture. Our parents raise us when we are little then when we are more mature and have a career we will take good care of them. It has a cyclic nature; someone is always taking care of someone in the family. It ensures no one is left out, and teaches the children to be respectful to their parents and learn responsibility.

Even Thai holidays show some of the best aspects of Thai culture. For example the Songkorn festival has traditionally been celebrated as the Thai New Year for many centuries. It is a family time during the year. Most Thais will visit their hometowns to enjoy time and pay respect to elders including their parents, or relatives. Also, it is the time for Thais to pay homage to Buddha images, clean their houses, and sprinkle water on their elders in a show of respect. Some people make New Year resolutions – to refrain from bad behavior, or to do good things. Songkran is a time for cleaning and renewal. In addition, Thai cuisine places emphasis on lightly prepared dishes with strong aromatic components. Thai food is known for its balance of the five fundamental taste senses in each dish or the overall meal: hot (spicy), sour, sweet, salty, and bitter. Thai desserts are well known for their taste sensations, which are as impressive as their appearance. Their appealing appearance reflects the nature of the Thais who are neat and meticulous. Food is a very important cultural aspect to Thais. It carries a strong sense of tradition and cultural respect. I learned to cook traditional Thai food starting as a young age, and I am always so proud to share my techniques and styles with friends, especially my non-Thai friends. It is a simple way I can show pride and dedication to my culture and country, for those who know very little about Thailand.

Lastly, I love the free spirit, generosity, and loving kindness of Thai people. They are always willing and happy to help others while smiling. I am very proud to represent my country, Thailand, the land of smiles and happiness.

Describe your childhood/growing years.
This period of my life consisted of education, making my parents proud, and discovering the world. In fact, all three of these were and currently are very important to me. When I was growing up, my parent always told me that my duty is to study and be a good girl. So, I studied hard and was dedicated to school. I was always ranked in the top 3 highest scores in my class. Every times my parent saw my score report, they would smile and tell me how good I did and awarded me with a little gift. Their reaction made me feel happy and proud, therefore I continue to study hard. I always wanted to make them proud, because even at that age I understood the importance of family. Ever since I was very young, I was very determined to get a Ph D and become well educated. On my free time, I would like to read and travel with my family and friends to enjoy national parks and beaches. When I was 13, I wanted to explore the world outside Thailand and to know more about other cultures. I joined a student exchange program and went to England during the summer. After that trip, I began to embrace diverse cultures and appreciate the uniqueness of them.

What lessons did you learn from your childhood/growing years?
Since I was a child, my family instilled the concept of “Pay it Forward” in me. My family has taught me to give and to share with others. I believe that giving is an essential part of every person’s life. I think it is better to give than to receive. Not only does giving benefits others, but it also makes me feel that my life is worth something. It gives me a sense of purpose to actually make a difference. While helping others benefits me, my true reasons for doing such is because it is the right thing to do. My parents made sure that I understood this concept at an early age.

Another lesson I learned growing up was that we can never and should never try to turn back the clock. I’ve learned to do my best and be at the present moment. And I always put my head and heart into whatever I do. When I look back, I won’t have any regret. In fact, these two lessons go hand in hand; if you want to do good for others, you must not dwell on the past; instead you should attempt to make the future world a better place.

What is your environmental advocacy?
Today, people spend too much time on the computer, watching TV, playing video games, etc. We are
living further from the nature day by day. We should learn to live closer to the nature to appreciate more of the natural ways of life. Everyone should spend more time with the nature such as sitting or relaxing under the tree, hiking or walking on a trail, or just hanging out with family and friend in a park. The Earth is precious. It is our home. We should do our best to save it. Anything we do to harm the Earth, we hurt ourselves. It is important to realize that the natural resources will not last forever. The Earth does not replenish itself as fast as we destroy it. There is a limit and we should take better care of the Earth. With this in mind I believe spare time should be spent respecting and attempting to replenish the Earth, by using less, make new uses out of old items and recycling old items. I always try to influence my friends and family to make good use of what they already have and restrict themselves from purchasing new and unnecessary items. This overall helps us to become closer with the Earth and be able to enjoy its natural beauty.

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