Miss Mexico wins Miss Universe 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand

Fátima Bosch, Miss Mexico, 25, won the 74th Miss Universe crown in Bangkok, Thailand on Nov. 21.

This marked the end of the pageant that was overshadowed by controversy, resignations and accusations of mismanagement.

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Strong showing by Asian contestants

Asia had a good showing this year as among the top 12 finalists were Miss China, Miss Thailand, and Miss Philippines.

Miss Thailand and Miss Philippines subsequently made it to the top five.

Miss Thailand emerged second place.

Miss Palestine was in the top 30.

Miss Venezuela, Miss Philippines and Miss Cote d'Ivoire rounded up the top five.

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.

One of them accused organisers of rigging the competition.

The Miss Universe Organisation rejected the judge's claims of a rigged competition.

It was explained that the judge 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.

Background of cultural clash

Miss Universe, founded in the United States, is one of the longest-running beauty pageants.

BBC reported that the controversies underscore the cultural and strategic differences between the pageant's Thai and Mexican owners, according to analysts.

The pageant events are being organised by Thai media mogul Nawat and have shifted towards social media and away from broadcast television.

Nawat holds the licence to host the pageant this year, while the organisation is run out of Mexico by Rocha.

North, Central and South American queens dominated the contest previously.

In recent years, Southeast Asian contestants have become more prominent.

This shift could be seen as a result of leadership changes.

Thai transgender media mogul Anne Jakrajutatip had acquired the pageant from U.S. entertainment company Endeavor in 2022.

She made sweeping changes by allowing transgender women, married women and women with children to participate.

The age cap for contestants was also scrapped.

Jakrajutatip brought in Rocha from Mexico as business partner and got Nawat to organise the 2025 pageant.

She then resigned as CEO subsequently.

As a result, the leadership of the pageant is split between leaders in Thailand and Mexico.

Jakrajutatip, being a transwoman, might not have gone down well with some Latin American fans who subscribe to macho culture and feel that a pageant about women is being owned by a transwoman, according to analysts.

Moreover, geographical differences also exposed the cultural divide.

While the Thai leadership tried to introduce e-commerce sales on social media for this Miss Universe pageant, the concept might not have sat well with Latin Americans who still think of beauty queens as glamorous celebrities.

A Miss Universe reality show was even staged for that audience.

The winner, a Dominican, was crowned Miss Universe Latina, and competed in the main pageant in Bangkok and finished in the top 30.

All media via Miss Universe 2025