Fátima Bosch left the Miss Universe 2025 sashing ceremony in Thailand on 4 Nov after Nawat Itsaragrisil publicly insulted her during a Facebook livestream. Nawat, chairman of the Miss Universe Thailand Host Committee and CEO of Miss Grand International Organisation (MGI), called her a “dumb head” in front of other contestants and viewers.
Several contestants followed Bosch out. Reigning Miss Universe Victoria Kjær Theilvig of Denmark walked out with her.
Nawat targeted Bosch for refusing to participate in promotional materials for Thailand. He claimed the director of Miss Universe Mexico had ordered her not to take part.
“If you follow the order from your national director, you’re a dumb head,” Nawat said during the livestream.
Bosch stood up to defend herself. Nawat called security, which drew gasps and protests from others in the room.
“I’m here representing my country and it’s not my fault that you have problems with my organisation,” Bosch said before leaving.
The livestream ended as contestants stood up to follow her. Around 75 contestants stayed in the room.
Outside, Bosch spoke to media. She said she respects Thailand and its people but found Nawat’s actions disrespectful.
“I think that the world needs to see this, because we are empowered women and this is a platform for our voice and no one can shut our voice,” she said. “It doesn’t matter if you have a big dream or a crown. If it takes away your dignity, you need to go.”
Theilvig walked out in solidarity with Bosch. She said Nawat’s actions violated women’s rights.
Tensions had been building between Miss Universe Organization and Thailand host
The walkout followed days of friction between the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) and the Thailand host committee.
One day before the incident, reports surfaced that contestants were encouraged to promote an online gambling platform. This violates Thailand’s strict gambling laws. Nawat said he wasn’t aware of this and criticized MUO for mishandling operations and disregarding local laws.
A video of Nawat criticizing MUO circulated online. “They don’t know how to run a pageant,” Nawat said. “They are not active at all. But we won’t follow up with them anymore. We’re done giving advice. Now we’ll take the lead.”
Raul Rocha Cantú, the MUO president, responded by posting an image showing Miss Grand International Public Co Ltd’s stock market price drop. Rocha Cantú is a Mexican businessman who bought a 50 per cent stake in the Miss Universe brand in January 2024. He holds the Miss Universe Mexico copyright.
Nawat later explained the dispute stemmed from confusion over judging criteria. He said only the intensive interview, national costume, evening gown, and swimsuit rounds would count for scoring.
Some contestants opted out of other events like sponsor-related promotions. The lack of participation created friction before the sashing ceremony.
Four MUO staff members were dismissed on 3 Nov. This included Mexico’s national director.
Nawat claimed he couldn’t hear Bosch clearly during his briefing to contestants and asked her to stop speaking. This triggered the exchange. He said he called security as she left the formation.
Miss Universe Organization condemned the incident
Rocha Cantú released a video response after the walkout. “I will not allow the values of respect and dignity of women to be violated,” he said.
He later issued a statement expressing indignation at Nawat for the public aggression against Bosch. “Nawat, you need to stop,” Rocha Cantú said.
He added that Nawat’s role in competition events would be significantly restricted, if not removed entirely.
The Miss Universe Mexico organization denounced the incident. They stated no woman should ever be insulted or humiliated.
MUO released a statement saying they stand firm in protecting the dignity, safety, and respect of every delegate. The organization confirmed the competition will continue as planned. All events will proceed in full cooperation with the host country and MGI.
MUO’s CEO, Mario Búcaro, is leading a high-level delegation to Thailand to strengthen collaboration with the host country and relevant authorities.
Despite the tension, all contestants attended a scheduled dinner cruise on the Chao Phraya River that evening on 4 Nov.
On 5 Nov, videos of Nawat’s apology circulated on social media. He apologized during a TikTok live for the disruption and specifically to the other contestants in the room.
Nawat said organizers adopted a “let everyone do as they please” approach to maintain harmony and keep the event running smoothly.
The Miss Universe 2025 competition runs until 21 Nov across Bangkok, Phuket, and Pattaya. The coronation is scheduled at the IMPACT Arena.
