Han Lay

In this Burmese name, the given name is Han Lay. There is no family name.

Han Lay
Born	Thaw Nandar Aung 1999 (age 25–26) Myawaddy, Myanmar
Height	5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Beauty pageant titleholder
Title	Miss Grand Myanmar 2020
Major competition(s)	Miss Universe Myawaddy 2019 (Winner) Miss Universe Myanmar 2020 (1st runner up) (Best Smile Award) Miss Grand International 2020 (Top 20)

Thaw Nandar Aung (born 1999), known as Han Lay, is a Burmese beauty pageant titleholder, model, and activist. Han Lay was crowned Miss Grand Myanmar 2020 and represented Myanmar at Miss Grand International 2020, where she finished in the Top 20.

Early life and education

Han Lay was born on 1999 in Myawaddy.^{[ citation needed ]} She attended Yangon University, studying psychology. ^{[1] [2]}

Pageantry

Han Lay competed at Miss Universe Myawaddy 2019 representing Myawaddy, where she won the title, at Miss Universe Myanmar 2020.

On 30 December 2020, Han Lay was crowned as first runner-up of Miss Universe Myanmar 2020 by outgoing titleholder Hmwe Thet.

Miss Grand International 2020

On 27 March 2021, she represented Myanmar at the Miss Grand International 2020 pageant held in Bangkok, Thailand, placing in the top 20. ^[3] At the pageant, she gave a speech criticizing the military rule in Myanmar. ^[1]

Activism

Han Lay is a supporter of the pro-democracy movement in Myanmar and has called Aung San Suu Kyi her "greatest inspiration". ^{[1] [4]} She participated in protests in Yangon against the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état. ^[1] Following her speech at Miss Grand International 2020, Han Lay received numerous online threats. ^[1]

Han Lay took refuge in Thailand in 2021, and in 2022 was reportedly denied re-entry into Thailand after visiting Vietnam. ^[5] She reportedly spent one night in a detention room. ^[6] She worked with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for seeking political asylum in Canada. ^[7] Han Lay received political asylum in Canada, arriving in Toronto in September 2022. ^{[8] [9]}

She is now residing in Prince Edward Island, Canada, and has been travelling to different provinces, in the country such as British Columbia, Ontario, Québec, and Edmonton, to organize charity and fundraising events to help causes in her home country, Myanmar.

References

1. Wright, George (5 April 2021). "The Myanmar beauty queen standing up to the military". BBC News. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
2. "元ミス・ミャンマー、カナダに亡命" [Former Miss Myanmar flees to Canada]. AFP-BB (in Japanese). 2022-09-29. Retrieved 2025-09-30.
3. Requintina, Robert (Mar 27, 2021). "Miss Grand International 2020: Top 20 semifinalists and Best National Costume Award". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 2025-09-30.
4. "Myanmar Miss Universe Contestant Calls on World to Speak Out Against the Junta". The Irrawaddy. 2021-05-17. Archived from the original on 2021-05-18. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
5. Harmer, Jerry (2022-09-23). "Myanmar model who criticized country's military leaders fears she may be forced back home". PBS News. Associated Press. Retrieved 2025-09-30.
6. Kuhakan, Jiraporn (2022-09-23). "Myanmar beauty queen in Thai airport limbo, fears arrest at home". Reuters. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
7. Chen, Heather; Olarn, Kocha (September 23, 2022). "Myanmar beauty queen who criticized junta says she's safe in hands of UN officials". CNN. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
8. "Myanmar model who criticised junta says Canada has granted her asylum". The Guardian. Associated Press. 2022-09-28. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2025-09-30.
9. Lone, Wa (2022-09-28). "Myanmar beauty queen lands in Canada after Thai airport limbo". Reuters. Retrieved 2025-09-30.

External links

• Miss Universe Myanmar Profile

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Hmwe Thet	Miss Grand Myanmar 2020	Succeeded by Amara Shune Lei