Miss Universe Thailand organiser Nawat Itsaragrisil apologized in tears after a backlash over his remarks to Mexico’s contestant, Fatima Bosch.
During a livestreamed event, he allegedly called Bosch “dumbhead” for not following promotional guidelines, prompting her and several contestants, including the reigning Miss Universe, to walk out.
The Miss Universe Organization condemned his conduct as “public aggression.”
Speaking at a news conference in Bangkok, Nawat denied using the insult, saying he was misheard, and offered a tearful apology to contestants and viewers.
