Pageant drama unfolds as a top executive from Miss Universe 2025 breaks down during apology for heated exchange with Miss Mexico

06 November 2025

Nawat Itsaragrisil President of Miss Universe Thailand 2025 speaks next to contestants during the official Miss Universe 2025 welcome event in Bangkok, Thailand on Nov. 5, 2025. RUNGROJ YONGRIT/EPA/Shutterstock

The bright lights of the upcoming Miss Universe competition have been cast into sharp relief by a moment of unexpected drama this week in Thailand. During a live-streamed pre-pageant event, veteran Thai pageant producer and executive Nawat Itsaragrisil faced public ire and an emotional reckoning after a startling confrontation with Mexico’s delegate, Fátima Bosch. The incident not only sparked widespread social-media backlash but also prompted a walkout from multiple contestants, and ultimately led Itsaragrisil to address reporters in tears as he offered a public apology for his remarks.

According to video footage from the incident, which occurred on 4 November during a session for contestant introductions and sponsor promotion, the exchange began when Itsaragrisil called on Miss Mexico by name, demanding to know why she had not fulfilled an assigned social-media post tied to Thailand and the pageant sponsors. When Bosch responded that she felt her obligation had been misunderstood, Itsaragrisil escalated the situation, calling her a “dummy” and summoning security to remove her from the room. This led more than a dozen other delegates to exit the event in protest.

The fallout was swift. On 5 November the pageant’s executive appeared at a press conference with tears streaming and a visibly shaken demeanour. “I am human,” he said, “I didn’t want to do anything like that.” He apologised directly to the contestants and to the public, adding that he never intended harm, and asking for forgiveness from anyone who felt uncomfortable. In parallel he issued a statement on social media echoing the sentiment and acknowledging the damage of the viral moment.

The head of the Miss Universe Organisation, Raúl Rocha Cantú, also addressed the episode, condemning the executive’s conduct as a violation of the pageant’s values of respect and dignity. He announced that Itsaragrisil’s role in the remainder of the 2025 competition would be limited and that another representative would oversee the event’s proceedings in Thailand. The announcement underscored how seriously the top leadership viewed the incident amid concerns about the pageant’s global image.

Miss Mexico’s response was equally firm. She described the confrontation as humiliating and said she would not be treated like a “doll” to be styled or silenced. The walk-out by her fellow contestants served as a powerful act of solidarity, with delegates making clear that public disrespect of any competitor would not stand.

In many ways this moment reveals broader tensions within the world of beauty pageants: the collision of traditional hierarchical culture, the demands of social‐media visibility, and the awareness among modern contestants that their platforms and voices matter. The incident highlights how contestants now expect both creative opportunity and respectful treatment, and how actions by organizers are subject to immediate and viral scrutiny.

For the Miss Universe brand it is a moment of reckoning. Once the focus was solely on gowns and crowns. Now it includes the backstage exchanges, the live-streamed conduct, and the reputational ripple effects of a few minutes of confrontation. The decision by leadership to step in signals a shift toward accountability and a recognition that the optics and ethics of how participants are treated underpin the pageant’s credibility.

From a human interest angle the executive’s tearful apology made clear the personal cost of public scandal even for someone long-experienced in the pageant world. He referenced the pressure of the event and the difficulty of managing thousands of moving parts, but he also acknowledged that stress is not an excuse for his words and behaviour. This blur of vulnerability and responsibility added new layers to a story that could easily have remained a sensational clip.

For delegates, the incident may embed a sense of empowerment. The act of walking out together in protest is unlikely to be forgotten. It brings attention to the fact that beyond the trophies, contestants are people with agency, dignity and a desire not just to compete but to be heard and respected. Observers see the walk-out as a symbolic moment for pageant culture: the end of automatic deference and the rise of collective assertion.

As the pageant edges toward its 21 November finale in Thailand, many questions remain. How will the remainder of the lead-up be managed in light of the episode? Will there be procedural or structural changes to contestant management, social-media participation and organizer behaviour? And crucially, will the brand recover its narrative of glamour without hint of scandal? The answer may depend less on the crown being awarded than on what follows the podium.

One thing is clear: this week will be studied as more than fast-moving viral drama it may mark a turning point in how global pageants balance tradition, modern values and the public’s increasingly demanding social-media lens.