Cheers to 'Miss Drunk'

2003-01-17 09:59

Bangkok - Most people would hate to be called a drunk, but Thailand's Arunothai Sriaran is wearing the epithet like a crown.

Arunothai was named "Miss Drunk" at a contest on Thursday to promote Thai wines after downing five shots and walking a zigzag path between two rows of wine bottles without knocking them down.

"I was not drunk. Only a little bit dizzy. I was fine and refreshed after a cup of coffee and washing my face," Arunothai told The Associated Press on Friday.

"The local wine is rather sweet...like orange juice," said Arunothai, a 36-year-old wine seller who defeated 14 other female rivals by completing the obstacle course in seven seconds after putting down five pegs of wine. A peg is about a liter.

To make the course harder, the contestants were dressed in traditional Thai dresses of heavy silk finery including golden headgear.

For her troubles, Arunothai won 5 000 baht (R1200) prize money and the title of "Miss Meri," named for the female protagonist of a Thai folk story, Phra Rot-Meri, who was tricked into getting drunk. In contemporary vocabulary, Meri either means liquor or a drunk woman.

The aim of the contest - held by a private company - was to promote Thai products and encourage people to stop drinking foreign whiskey.

The contest went ahead despite protests by some Thai senators who called it a disgrace to the dignity of Thai women. Public drunkenness, especially by women, is frowned upon in Thailand, a conservative Buddhist society.

Arunothai said she couldn't understand what the fuss was about.

"It was fun and I do not understand why people criticise us for promoting local production. One has to accept the truth that women drinking wine is widely common in the society," she said. - Sapa-AP

- SAPA