Areeya Chumsai (Thai: อารียา สิริโสภา; nicknamed "Nong Pop", born June 28, 1971) is a Thai model, teacher and filmmaker. June 28 is the 179th day of the year (180th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 186 days remaining. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday. ... Photograph of the once famous model Dovima A model is a person who poses or displays for purposes of art, fashion, or other products and advertising. ...

Biography

Early life and education

Areeya Chumsai was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the United States, the daughter of Thai immigrants. She spent her childhood and adolescent years in the state of Michigan and received a degree in journalism from Michigan State University in 1993. Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Official language(s) None (English, de-facto) Capital Lansing Largest city Detroit Area  Ranked 11th  - Total 97,990 sq mi (253,793 km²)  - Width 239 miles (385 km)  - Length 491 miles (790 km)  - % water 41. ... Michigan State University (MSU) is a public university in East Lansing, Michigan. ...

Miss Thailand

Upon completion of her undergraduate studies, she traveled to Thailand to visit relatives and found a side job as a model for various fashion magazines. Within a year, she qualified for the Miss Thailand pageant and won the crown in 1994. She went on to compete in the Miss Universe pageant held in the Philippines, placing 13th overall; she did not return to Thailand empty-handed, however, being the recipient of the "Best Kodak Smile." The Thai people were quite taken by Miss Chumsai, the first visible Western-influenced and educated winner of the Miss Thailand pageant. Her popularity soared and she became a media sensation working as a model, actress, and emcee. Mrs. ... Logo of the Miss Universe event. ...

Teaching career

Upon completion of her reign as Miss Thailand, Areeya went on to teach English and writing to Thai students at Bangkok University and later Chulalongkorn University. In 1995, she became a military officer at the Chula Chom Kiao Military Academy ranked as a 2nd Lieutenant while teaching English to Thai soldiers. Her experiences in the military were later described in her book "Bootcamp." She also kept herself busy writing a column for the Thai fashion magazine Praew and continued to model. In 1999, she worked as a spokesperson/model for Hitachi, Ltd., appearing in both print and television advertisements. Her visibility and recognition within the country helped Hitachi sales double to ฿ 3 billion by 2002. In 2000, she became the first Thai woman to receive the 13th Tokyo Creation Award, awarded for her social service. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Bangkok University (มหาวิทยาลัยกรุงเทพ)is an old educational institution in Bangkok. ... Chulalongkorn University is the oldest university in Thailand [1] and has long been considered one of the countrys most prestigious universities. ... It has been suggested that Hitachi Works be merged into this article or section. ... ISO 4217 Code THB User(s) Thailand Inflation 4. ...

Filmmaker and current activities

In 2005, she co-directed alongside Nisa Kongsri the film Innocence (Dek toh), which documented the schooling and everyday struggles of the hill tribe children in northern Thailand. Areeya and Nisa lived among the Hill tribe people for months as teachers and students lived together growing crops, cooking meals, and continuing the education process. The film opened to positive reviews and has been shown in several film festivals throughout the world, receiving several accolades including most recently the EIDF2006 "Spirit Award" in Korea. Its impact can be seen on both a regional and national level. All proceeds from the film have gone to the Hilltribe children; in addition, Areeya and Nisa have continued to raise awareness across the country and through their charity work have contributed thousands of dollars. Furthermore, the Thai Ministry of Education contributed by increasing its funding for the region. Areeya continues to model for L'Oréal products and currently resides in Thailand. Innocence (Thai: , or Dek Toh), is a 2005 Thai independent documentary film directed by Areeya Chumsai and Nisa Kongsri about a boarding school for hill tribe children in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. ... Akha girl. ... The LOréal Group Euronext: FR0000120321, headquartered in Clichy, France, is the worlds leading cosmetics and beauty company. ...

External links

• Brown, Samantha: Beauty and brains: Areeya 'Pop' Chumsai (interview), 2005. Retrieved November 27, 2006.