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Miss Universe Thailand director Nawat Itsaragrisil has issued an apology following a controversy in which he was accused of verbally berating Miss Mexico during a pre-pageant event — but he insists he never called her a "dumbhead"
The incident occurred during a livestream on Tuesday, 4 November, when several contestants walked out of a Miss Universe 2025 briefing after Nawat was seen scolding them for failing to promote Thailand, the host country, on their social media pages.
About 13 minutes into the video, Nawat can be seen singling out Miss Mexico, Fatima Bosch, accusing her of not following his instructions because her country's national director had advised her otherwise.
When Bosch stood up to explain herself, he cut her off and allegedly called her a "dumbhead" for obeying her director instead of him.
As Bosch objected, Nawat called for security, prompting other contestants to stand in solidarity with her and walk out of the room.
"If anyone wants to continue the contest, sit down. If you step out, the rest of the girls get to continue," he warned during the livestream, which remains available on the Miss Universe Thailand Facebook page.
In a viral clip, Bosch called Nawat "disrespectful" and said it was a moment she needed to stand up for herself
"I believe the world needs to hear and see this because we are all empowered women and this is a platform for our voice," she told reporters just after walking out of the event.
"If something costs you your dignity, you need to walk away," she added.
In response, Miss Universe Organisation president Raul Rocha said they will take disciplinary action on Nawat
In a statement condemning Nawat's actions, Rocha said, "I want to express my solidarity and unconditional support to all delegates representing the 122 countries of the Miss Universe competition.
"I will not allow the values of respect and dignity towards women to be violated. Unfortunately, Nawat has forgotten the true meaning of being a genuine host."
Rocha further described Nawat's conduct as "publicly aggressive" and criticised his "serious abuse" of calling security to intimidate Bosch.
He said Nawat has been barred from participating in all remaining Miss Universe 2025 events.
However, on Wednesday, 5 November, Nawat was seen apologising to the contestants at the pageant's welcoming ceremony in Bangkok, citing stress and pressure
"I think you must understand that the pressure is a lot. I am human. Sometimes, I cannot control. I did not intend to harm anyone because I respect all of you… I am so sorry it happened," he said.
"If anyone isn't comfortable with what has happened, I am so sorry," he added, facing the contestants and bowing to them.
In a separate press conference, Nawat denied ever using the word "dumbhead", claiming he had said "damage" instead
"I didn't say 'dumbhead' even for one second. You can check it again. I said 'damage' — if she believed and listened to her national director, it's 'damage' to her," he explained.
Despite the controversy, the Miss Universe 2025 competition continues as planned. The new Miss Universe will be crowned on 21 November.
