(20 May 2006) SHOTLIST
1. Various exteriors of Miss Tiffany's, where pageant being held
2. Various of contestants preparing for competition in dressing room
3. Contestant parading her outfit
4. Contestant looking at herself in the mirror
5. Various of contestant having make-up applied
6. SOUNDBITE (Thai) Aphibenya Chantianon, known as "August", contestant:
"I have been watching the Miss Universe pageant since I was the age of four and I love every pageant and now here I am, it's like a dream come true."
7. Contestants leaving dressing room
8. Various of contestant dancing on stage
9. Cutaway judge looking at computer screen showing contestant's profile
10. Various of contestants performing on stage
11. Cutaway of audience
12. Various of contestants parading individually on stage
13. Close-up of computer screen showing contestants' profiles
14. Miss Tiffany 2005 holding the crown
15. Winner Rat-ravee Jirapraphakul (right of frame) and first runner-up Sophananat Utomkul as Jirapraphakul announced as winner
16. Cutaway of master of ceremonies
17. Various of Jirapraphakul being crowned Miss Tiffany 2006
18. Runners-up gather around Jirapraphakul for photo opportunity
19. Wide shot of Jirapraphakul and runners-up on stage
20. SOUNDBITE (Thai) Rat-ravee Jirapraphakul, Miss Tiffany 2006:
"I think this is the most important title for transvestites and transsexuals in Thailand. And more important, my parents will now be proud that I won this title. They couldn't accept me since I was young, but now with this title, they will be able to accept who I am."
21. Various of Jirapraphakul and runners-up on stage
STORYLINE
The finals of the 2006 Miss Tiffany's Universe competition, an annual beauty pageant for transvestites and transsexuals, reached a colourful and spectacular climax in Thailand on Friday.
The annual event is fashioned after the Miss World beauty pageant, with the notable exception that each of the contestants has to have been born male.
At the end of an evening of lavish costumes and carefully choreographed routines, 22-year-old student Rat-ravee Jirapraphakul was crowned Miss Tiffany 2006.
As well as the coveted crown, Jirapraphakul won a car and a cheque for two and a half thousand US dollars.
The emotional beauty queen said she was delighted to win "the most important title for transvestites and transsexuals in Thailand".
"And more important, my parents will now be proud that I won this title," she said.
While Thailand, a predominantly Buddhist country, is widely tolerant of homosexuals, transvestites and transsexuals, many must overcome family
pressure and even domestic violence.
Miss Tiffany's, one of Thailand's most famous all-male cabaret theaters, has held the annual beauty pageant since 1998 in a gaudy Roman-pillared
building in Pattaya, about 110 kilometres (70 miles) southeast of Bangkok.
Pattaya is known for its seedy nightlife and is a popular destination for foreign tourists.
Keyword-wacky
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