NOS News•
25-year-old Mexican Fatima Bosch has been crowned Miss Universe in Thailand. The award was the final part of a tumultuous event. Earlier this month, Bosch was at the center of a riot surrounding the Thai organizer of the election.
At a promotional meeting with all candidates at the beginning of this month, organizer Nawat Itsaragrisil lashed out at the Mexican. He told the audience that Bosch refused to conduct promotional activities for host country Thailand. When she retorted, he became irritated: “I didn’t ask you to talk, please be polite. I’m still talking. Listen! Why are you getting up to talk to me?”
Bosch continued to protest against his derogatory tone and after an altercation she left the room, followed by several other participants who wanted to express their solidarity with her.
Images of the confrontation:
Riot at Miss Universe Thailand: ‘You have to listen to me!’
The incident was met with rebuke from his co-organizer, Mexican businessman Raul Rocha. He apologized himself, but that did not quell the commotion surrounding the event.
This week, Lebanese-French composer Omar Harfouch withdrew from the jury, out of dissatisfaction with the way the organization had selected candidates for the final round of the beauty pageant. Former French footballer Claude Makélélé also resigned as a jury member, saying he was due to “personal circumstances”.
74th winner
Bosch of all people won the title last night in Bangkok. She received the corresponding crown from her predecessor, the Danish Victoria Kjaer Theilvig. Second place went to Thailand’s Veena Praveenar Singh, third was Stephany Abasali from Venezuela.
Bosch is the 74th winner of the Miss Universe pageant. It is an American initiative, but in recent years the event has come into Mexican and Thai hands.
