BANGKOK, THAILAND – The world’s biggest beauty pageant had ended, but a scandal over alleged insults between the new Miss Universe and a Thai organizer continued in court.
Dispute at Bangkok preparation event
The conflict dated back to 4 November, during a preparation event in Bangkok, where organizer Nawat Itsaragrisil, head of the pageant’s organizing committee, accused Mexican contestant Fatima Bosch of ignoring advertising obligations. When Bosch attempted to explain herself, he allegedly interrupted her brusquely, prompting her to leave the room in tears. She later told reporters that Nawat had called her “dumbhead.”
Public apology but denial of the insult
The organizer publicly apologized for what he described as his “heated” tone, but he strongly denied using the insulting word attributed to him. Despite the incident, Bosch went on to win the competition and was crowned Miss Universe 2025.
Criminal complaint and accusations of falsehoods
The victory did not bring calm. On 3 December, Miss Universe Thailand announced that Nawat’s company, the Miss Grand International Company, was initiating legal action. Nawat had already filed a criminal complaint against Bosch on 12 November, accusing her of slander and spreading false facts. The company alleged that she continued to repeat the insult story even after being informed of Nawat’s denial, and that no apology had been offered.
Organizer’s version of the disputed words
The company then presented its own account of what was said. According to this version, Nawat’s actual words were:
“If you follow the order from your national director, you’re damage. If you not, you can do it. I very happy and the good report will go to organise…”
said Nawat Itsaragrisil, organizer. The firm described this as a clumsy English instruction to follow directions, but insisted it did not include the word “dumbhead,” and argued that Bosch had misrepresented the situation and severely harmed Nawat’s reputation.
Legal warnings aimed at media outlets
The plaintiffs’ announcement ended with a clear warning that further legal steps would be taken if additional defamatory statements emerged. Media outlets were directly cautioned not to repeat what the company called false claims, in order to avoid exposing themselves to defamation lawsuits. The move underlined how seriously Nawat pursued the matter, framing it not only as an emotional dispute but as a question of legal principles.
Scandal overshadows new Miss Universe reign
The case cast a dark shadow over what should have been the brightest moment of Fatima Bosch’s career. Instead of travelling the world, she now faced lawyers and court proceedings in Thailand. For the Miss Universe organization, the affair amounted to a public relations setback, shifting attention from the new queen and her humanitarian projects to a courtroom battle behind the pageant’s glamorous facade.