Apasra Hongsakula (,, ; born January 16, 1947) is a Thai businesswoman and beauty queen who won the title of Miss Universe 1965. She is a daughter of Group Captain Perm and Kayoon Hongsakula. She was the first woman from Thailand and the first Southeast Asian to win the Miss Universe title.

Biography

Apasra was born and raised in Bangkok, but she was sent to learn English at a girls secondary school in Penang, Malaysia. She married the first cousin of Queen Sirikit, by whom she has a son. The marriage ended long ago in divorce, but she remains a revered social figure in the country. Her younger sister, Paveena, is a prominent political figure and former member of Parliament. Her son, Passakorn, from her second marriage with Chirathivat, who in 2017 became chairman of the board of directors of Bangkok Post, got officially engaged to Rasri Balenciaga on December 8, 2017, in a ceremony presided over by Princess Soamsawali. She has 2 grandchildren.

Pageantry

Participation

In the 1964 Miss Thailand pageant held in Bangkok, Apasra Hongsakula, a high school student from Penang, won the crown. She went on to compete in the 1965 Miss Universe pageant held in Miami Beach, Florida, United States where she was crowned 14th Miss Universe winner on July 28, 1965.

Judging

She returned to the pageant as a judge in 1973 and 1979.

Post pageants

Facts and trivia