At the welcoming ceremony for the upcoming Miss Universe 2025 competition in Thailand, director Nawat Itsaragrisil issued a public apology for his earlier exchange with Miss Mexico, Fátima Bosch.

The confrontation, widely shared online, occurred the previous day during a pre-pageant event in Bangkok in which Itsaragrisil criticised Bosch for allegedly failing to participate in a promotional photo shoot for Thailand.

In the live encounter he reportedly called her “a dumb head” when she stood to speak.

In his apology on 5 November, Itsaragrisil said: “I’m under a lot of pressure.

I am a human.

Sometimes I cannot control.

I do not intend to harm anyone because I respect all of you… I’m so sorry it’s happened.” The director then bowed to contestants and added: “If anyone isn’t comfortable with what has happened, I am so sorry.” In a subsequent clarification he asserted that he did not call Bosch “dumb head” but rather used the word “damage” in the moment.

The incident had drawn strong reactions.

The Miss Universe organisation’s president, Raúl Rocha Cantú, publicly condemned Itsaragrisil’s behaviour as inconsistent with the pageant’s values of respect and dignity for women and imposed restrictions on his future role in the competition.

Bosch also issued a statement affirming her right to be heard and representing not just Mexico but “women of the world.”

While the pageant continues toward its final event on 21 November in Pak Kret, Thailand, the director’s apology appears aimed at restoring the event’s image, reassuring contestants and audiences ahead of the global competition.

console.log('Miss Universe 2025');