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Thai audience boos & chants 'cooking show' after Miss Mexico wins Miss Universe competition
A former judge also alleged that the pageant's result was rigged.
November 22, 2025, 01:13 PM
Numerous boos erupted from the audience after Miss Mexico won the 74th Miss Universe Crown in Nonthaburi, Thailand on Nov. 21.
Fátima Bosch Fernández of Mexico was named Miss Universe after a pageant marked with controversy, judges' resignations and allegations of mismanagement.
Miss Thailand Praveener Singh, 29, was crowned the first runner-up, followed by Miss Venezuela Stephany Adriana Abasali Nasser, 25.
After Bosch's coronation in the Impact Challenger Hall on Nov. 21, boos could be heard from the crowd at the venue.
Participants were heard chanting "cooking show", a slang which implies that the result was "pre-cooked" or determined in adavance, The Nation Thailand reported.
Other videos on social media showed fans booing the Miss Universe judges and the Mexican contingent while they were leaving the venue.
Controversial 2025 event
Bosch had earlier in November walked out of a pageant event after an official, director of the Thailand pageant, Nawat Itsaragrasil, lectured her in front of contestants for not posting promotional content.
She was joined by other contestants in her walkout.
Those who supported her were threatened with disqualification.
The Miss Universe Organisation condemned Nawat's behaviour as "malicious".
Businessman Raul Rocha, speaking by video from Mexico, told his Thai business partner to just "stop".
Nawat later apologised and claimed that some of his words were misheard.
A delegation of international executives were then sent to take over running the competition.
A week later, two judges resigned.
Accusations and resignations
One of them, Lebanese-French musician Omar Harfouch, accused organisers of rigging the competition.
The Miss Universe Organisation rejected Harfouch's claims of a rigged competition.
It was explained that Harfouch could have been referring to the Beyond the Crown programme, which is a "social impact initiative" that operates independently from the main Miss Universe competition, and has a separate selection committee.
However, Harfouch doubled down on his remarks on Instagram following Bosch's win.
Harfouch claimed that he had announced on HBO 24 hours before the final, that Bosch would win the Miss Universe crown.
Harfouch alleged that the win was rigged because Miss Universe Organisation co-owner Rocha has business ties with Bosch’s father.
He said the full details would be exposed in a HBO documentary scheduled to be aired in May 2026.
Victory celebrated in Mexico
In Mexico, Bosch's victory was celebrated by Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum, who applauded Bosch as an example for women.
“I like that she spoke up when she felt that was an injustice and that is an example,” Sheinbaum said referring to Bosch's actions at the walkout in Thailand, as quoted by ABC News.
“That thing they said about being prettier when you’re quiet has been left behind. Women are prettier when we speak and we participate.”
When Bosch was announced as the winner, elated Mexican supporters had cheered, screamed and waved national flags, AP News reported.
Thousands in Bosch's home state of Tabasco in southeast Mexico, who watched the competition from a baseball stadium, partied into the night.
Related
Top image from Miss Universe/Facebook, sarinkp.official/TikTok & saran_ranse/TikTok
