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Wichanee Piaklin celebrates after winning ‘The Star’ singing contest on Sunday night.
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'Dark' horse, dazzling finish
Daily Xpress
Published on April 29, 2008
'Ordinary, fat' 18-year-old shows she's got the stuff stars are made of
Wichanee "Kam" Piaklin took a risky gamble with her life when she decided to enter a singing contest instead of sitting a university admission test on the same day. The decision has changed her life forever, as Kam has become the winner of The Star, ahead of almost 17,000 contestants from around the country. The 18-year-old is the first female winner - and the youngest - in the Channel 9 contest's four-year history. Another popular reality show, Academy Fantasia, has had a male winner for six consecutive years. Kam won the show with a popular vote of 61.17 per cent, beating Suparuj "Ruj" Techatanont, who got 38.83 per cent. "I think maybe audiences wanted to see a female winner or perhaps it could be that they really love my voice. I am still puzzled and I never expected I would receive so many votes," she told Daily Xpress yesterday. Critics say her win shows that audiences now take the quality of singers more seriously. "I think if they would like one thing about me, it should be my voice," Kam added. Last year Kam was among the audience in the final round of The Star and dreamt she might be up on stage one day. She thanked all fans that gave her support: "I'd like to say I feel grateful to all Thais. It's a dream come true for an ordinary, fat and dark-skinned person like myself," said Kam. She was nervous and blurred the moment her name was announced. "I couldn't hear a thing when the name was announced and I thought the winner would be Ruj. When I realised it was me, I just wanted to cry but I couldn't." Runner-up Ruj said Kam's beautiful voice made her a worthy winner. Kam said her mother is the most important person in her life. "She always supports me in every way and she has taken me around to singing contests. My mom said that a chance doesn't come so often and if you like it, go for it."
XTRA
Route to fame >> 'The Star' is aired on Channel 9 >> The latest contest had 16,927 entrants from around the country >> The show ran for six months >> 100 members of audience at live concert on Sunday accounted for 10 per cent of total score, with mobile-phone votes providing the rest >> Besides prizes, the winner will be signed as an artist by major entertainment firm GMM Grammy
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