The night belonged to Mexico, but Thailand's Fonthip "Pookluk" Watcharatrakul was the one who walked away from Monday's Miss Universe pageant in Las Vegas with a brace of titles.
The 20-year-old law student was declared Miss Photogenic Universe and picked up the award for Best National Costume, while Mexican Jimena Navarrete, 22, was crowned Miss Universe.
The first runnerup was Miss Jamaica Yendi Phillipps and second was Miss Australia Jesinta Campbell. Campbell also won the Miss Congeniality Universe award.
Miss Thailand Universe 2010 - Pookluk's measurements are 332536 for those who keep score - wowed the judges with both her beauty and a disarmingly bold answer to one of their questions.
Asked why men still tend to be dubious about women's abilities, Pookluk replied that she "used to think" so too.
But then she ran for class president in Grade 12 at Ratwinit Bangkeao School, she said, and gender was never part of the race.
Nor is gender a factor in anyone's ability, she added - if you can do a job well, that's all that counts.
Pookluk was also asked why she decided to study law, and credited her lawyer father, but she said being female affected that choice too. "Learning the law ensures that I can take care of myself so that other people can't take advantage of me."
Her final question afforded a perfect chance to promote Thai tourism. Asked why foreigners should visit, Pookluk cited the beautiful nature and culture and abundant historical attractions.
She recommended Chiang Mai for its distinct culture and handicrafts and natural scenery, and Khampaeng Petch for its historical heritage and traditions and a rare freshwater beach.
For the National Costume segment of the competition, Pookluk wore the "Siam Aiyara" outfit designed Plin Aplinyakul. It was based on the outfits royalty once wore when riding elephants, but also bore a frontal protuberance resembling an elephant's head.
Along with tassels and a back cloak, the costume had a long, grey silk hipwrapper, grey tights and a oneshoulder red shawl. The puffed sleeve on one side was like an elephant's ear, and on the other side Pookluk held a longhandled royal fan.
And her hair was tied straight up - like an elephant's trunk.
The new Miss Universe, Jimena Naverette of Mexico, said after the show, "I want to give my parents a big hug. There was a lot of effort and a lot of sacrifice."
During the televised pageant she was asked by judge Evan Lysacek - the Olympic goldmedal figure skater - how she felt about unsupervised Internet use. Navarrete said the Net is important, but parents need to be careful and watch over their kids.
Navarrete - who's been modelling since she was 15 - is Mexico's second Miss Universe after Lupita Jones in 1991.
Navarrete replaces Miss Universe 2009 Stefania Fernandez of Venezuela.
Her win thwarted Miss Venezuela Marelisa Gibson from giving that country a third consecutive victory. Neither Gibson nor Miss USA Rima Fakih made the top 15 finalists.
With fans in some 190 countries watching on television and keeping tabs on social networks, the contestants introduced themselves while wearing deliberately exaggerated national costumes.
They then danced in silver and black dresses for the show's opening number before the top 15 finalists were announced.
The final 15 walked in swimsuits while Cirque du Soleil musicians played Elvis Presley songs including "Viva Las Vegas".
The last 10 impressed in their gowns while John Legend and the Roots played a soulful medley including "Save Room".
By the end of the show, seven of the top 10 trending topics on Twitter were about the pageant, its contestants, its judges or owner Donald Trump.
The realestate mogul coowns the pageant with TV network NBC.
The show was without any major gaffes, though Miss Philippines had a brassy answer when asked what her biggest mistake in life was and how she fixed it.
"In my 22 years of existence, I can say there is nothing major," Venus Raj said. She finished fifth.
Navarrete won a package of prizes including an undisclosed salary, a luxury New York apartment with living expenses, a oneyear scholarship to the New York Film Academy with housing after her reign, plus jewellery, clothes and shoes fit for a beauty champion.
Lysacek was one of this year's nine celebrity judges. The others were actors Jane Seymour, Chynna Phillips, Chazz Palminteri and William Baldwin, magician Criss Angel, MSNBC anchor Tamron Hall, drummer Shiela E and supermodel Niki Taylor.
