Miss Mexico, Fatima Bosch, was crowned the new Miss Universe in Thailand on Friday, concluding a tumultuous pageant season characterized by controversies. The 25-year-old contestant had previously walked out of a pre-pageant event after being publicly reprimanded by an official who threatened disqualification for those who supported her. This incident led to the resignation of two judges a week later, one alleging that the competition was rigged.
Founded in the United States, Miss Universe is one of the longest-running beauty pageants globally. The recent disputes highlight cultural and operational differences between its Thai and Mexican ownership. Thailand’s Praveenar Singh finished in second place, while Venezuela, the Philippines, and Cote d’Ivoire rounded out the top five. This year marked Thailand’s fourth time hosting the event, with its delegate considered a frontrunner by fans.
The pageant is organized by Thai media figure Nawat Itsaragrasil, who has a controversial reputation, and is being conducted under the management of Mexican businessman Raul Rocha. Historically dominated by North and South American contestants, the pageant has seen growing support and fandom in Southeast Asia, particularly in Thailand and the Philippines.
The situation escalated during a pre-pageant event where Nawat reprimanded Bosch for not posting promotional content. Following her objection and subsequent exit, the Miss Universe Organization condemned his behavior as “malicious.” Nawat later apologized, asserting that his comments were misunderstood, while a delegation of executives was sent to manage the situation.
A week later, two judges resigned, claiming the selection process was tampered with. Miss Jamaica also faced an on-stage mishap, resulting in her being taken to the hospital after a fall during the preliminaries.
As the pageant navigates its leadership transition, previous CEO Anne Jakrajutatip stepped down, replaced by Mario Bucaro. Jakrajutatip had aimed to make the competition more inclusive, allowing transgender and married women to participate. However, declining audience numbers have raised questions about the future direction of Miss Universe, especially as it adapts to the evolving media landscape where former contestants are gaining fame on platforms like TikTok.
Despite criticism surrounding the objectification of women, former pageant winners continue to leverage their platforms for charitable efforts. Ongoing debates about the relevancy and representation of such contests underline the necessity of ensuring empowerment remains at the core of their mission.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgmxmxljg8mo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss