Maria Lynn Ehren Biography

Maria Lynn Ehren (born 18 January 1992), also known as Maria Poonlertlarp (), is a Thai-Swedish actress, model, singer, and beauty pageant titleholder. On 29 July 2017, she won Miss Universe Thailand 2017 and will represent Thailand at Miss Universe 2017.

Early life

Maria Poonlertlarp was born in Bangkok, Thailand to a Swedish father, Goran Ehren, an electrical engineer and a Thai Chinese descent mother, Chanoksuang Poonlertlarp, a former teacher at the American TESOL Institute. At age 2, she moved to Hanoi, Vietnam and back to Bangkok with her family again when she was 7. At age 14 she began to train as a model for Bangkok Elle Magazine. She later attended the Stockholm Business School within the Stockholm University and is a graduate of international business commerce. Poonlertlarp speaks both Thai and English language fluently, and Chinese.

While residing in Sweden, Poonlertlarp first worked as an English teacher, followed by a brief career as a music jockey, and then worked as a head of marketing committee in Erasmus Student Network in Rotterdam, Netherlands. In 2014, Ehren returned to Thailand to work for Broadgate Financial, where she advanced to managerial duties in digital marketing. In August 2016, Poonlertlarp posed for Thailand's Vogue magazine.

Pageantry

Miss Universe Thailand 2017

On 21 June 2017, Maria Poonlertlarp gave a televised interview with "Unfold" show in GMM TV Thai Network where she was introduced as an aspiring contestant for Miss Universe Thailand 2017.

During its preliminary segment, Poonlertlarp won the Boutique Lady title sponsored by Bangkok Airways with a grand prize of 100,000 Baht cash prize and a complimentary round-trip first class airline ticket for the upcoming Miss Universe 2017 pageant destination.

Poonlertlarp was crowned Miss Universe Thailand 2017 on 29 July 2017 at the Royal Paragon Hall in Bangkok by outgoing titleholder Chalita Suansane. In the pageant, Poonlertlarp won the elusive Thailand sash and crown, a 2018 Honda Civic Turbo RS automobile, one million baht cash prize, and one full year contract sponsorship by BSC Cosmetology services.

Poonlertlarp is an adherent of agnosticism and a practicing Theravadan Buddhist, the dominant religion of Thailand. During her national competition, she advocated towards gender equality, proper trash disposal and care for the homeless.

Miss Universe 2017

In November, Poonlertlarp will represent the Kingdom of Thailand in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States at the upcoming 66th edition of the Miss Universe 2017 pageant.