The Miss Universe 2025 competition in Thailand has been hit by controversy after a heated exchange between the host organiser and several contestants led to a brief walkout during the sashing ceremony on Tuesday (4 Nov).
Footage from the event showed Nawat Itsaragrisil, chairman of the Miss Universe Thailand Host Committee and CEO of the Miss Grand International Organisation (MGI), in a tense exchange with Miss Universe Mexico, Fátima Bosch.
Moments later, Bosch left the room, followed by other contestants, including reigning Miss Universe Victoria Kjær Thelvåg.
Source: Miss Universe Thailand on Facebook
Bosch later alleged that Nawat had called her “dumb”, describing his remarks as disrespectful and adding that “no one has the right to silence us”.
Raúl Rocha Cantú, President of the Miss Universe Organization (MUO), has since issued a statement condemning the incident.
“I would like to make it clear my great indignation toward Nawat for the public aggression he committed against Fátima Bosch,” he said. “Nawat, you need to stop.”
He added that Nawat’s role in the competition’s events would be significantly restricted, if not removed entirely.
The Miss Universe Mexico organisation likewise denounced the incident, stating that no woman should ever be “insulted or humiliated”.
Addressing the controversy later that night, Nawat said the dispute stemmed from confusion over how the competition would be judged.
He explained that only the intensive interview, national costume, evening gown, and swimsuit rounds would count towards scoring, leading some contestants to opt out of other events such as sponsor-related promotions.
Nawat said this lack of participation had already caused friction and that four MUO staff members, including Mexico’s national director, were dismissed on 3 Nov.
He claimed that during his subsequent briefing to contestants, he was unable to hear Bosch clearly and asked her to stop speaking, which triggered the exchange.
Source: @fatimaboschfdz on Instagram
Nawat added that he called security as she left the formation and later apologised for the situation.
In a separate statement, MUO confirmed that the competition will continue as planned, assuring that all events will proceed “in full cooperation with the host country and MGI”.
Source: Miss Universe on Facebook
The organisation reiterated its commitment to celebrating diversity, empowerment, and inclusion, and said its CEO, Mario Búcaro, is leading a delegation to Thailand to enhance coordination with local partners and authorities.
Despite the tension, all contestants later joined a scheduled dinner cruise on the Chao Phraya River that evening.
Nawat said organisers have since adopted a “let everyone do as they please” approach to maintain harmony and ensure the event proceeds smoothly.
Earlier, the host committee had faced scrutiny after Nawat alleged that MUO staff instructed contestants to film promotional content for an online casino, an act that would violate Thai law.
Police briefly examined the claim, while MUO denied any wrongdoing.
The Miss Universe 2025 competition runs until 21 Nov in Bangkok, Phuket, and Pattaya, culminating with the coronation at the IMPACT Arena.
Also read: Miss Grand International Myanmar contestant returns 2nd runner-up crown, alleges contest was unfair
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from Missosology on Facebook.