The opening days of the 74th Miss Universe pageant in Bangkok, Thailand, were supposed to be a dazzling celebration of beauty, empowerment, and global sisterhood.
Instead, the highly-anticipated sashing ceremony on Tuesday, 4 November 2025, descended into open warfare, exposing a deep and bitter power struggle within the organisation's leadership.
In a sequence of events that sent shockwaves across the pageant world, contestants from Latin American countries, led by Miss Mexico, staged a dramatic walkout in protest against the behaviour of Thai executive Nawat Itsaragrisil.
Amidst the chaos, where the reigning Miss Universe herself abandoned the hall, one frontrunner's poise stood out: Miss Universe Philippines 2025, Ahtisa Manalo.
By choosing to remain calmly in her seat, Manalo earned widespread praise for her disciplined professionalism, capturing the hearts of fans who lauded her for prioritising her country's fifth crown bid above the escalating political fray.
Backstage Battle: The Confrontation That Sparked The Miss Universe Walkout
The unprecedented walkout was the climax of an ongoing, simmering feud between the main Miss Universe Organisation (MUO) and the host committee, headed by Nawat Itsaragrisil.
Nawat, a controversial figure who also founded the rival Miss Grand International pageant, had recently acquired shares in the MUO and serves as its Vice President for Asia and Oceania.
The tension spilled over during a livestreamed event, intended to be a simple sashing ceremony, at the contestants' hotel residence in Bangkok.
Before the event could properly begin, Nawat seized the microphone to publicly defend the Miss Universe Thailand (MUT) promotional activities that the MUO had previously branded as 'not officially sanctioned.'
Nawat then moved on to addressing other grievances, including candidates not participating in local promotional shoots and sponsors linked to online casinos—which are illegal in Thailand. He put the candidates on the spot, asking them to raise their hand if they disagreed with MUT's promotional ideas.
When the room remained silent, Nawat reportedly escalated the tension by singling out Miss Mexico, Fatima Bosch.
Nawat accused Bosch of being 'ordered by her national director not to post anything about Thailand,' forcing the Mexican queen to stand and explain herself publicly. When Bosch tried to clarify her position, the exchange deteriorated rapidly.
Nawat reportedly claimed that Mexico's national director had been expelled from the country and told Bosch, 'It's not polite, it's not good... if you follow orders from your national director, you are dumb.'
When Bosch, understandably angered, stood up again for clarification, Nawat shouted her down, repeatedly insisting he was still talking. 'I'm still talking to everybody, why are you standing up to talk to me?' Nawat demanded.
Miss Mexico, who stood her ground, responded with a powerful statement, 'Because I have a voice...', before Nawat abruptly cut her off, retorting, 'Yes you have a voice but you have to respect.'
Bosch fired back with the crucial point, 'But you are not respecting me as [a] woman,' prompting Nawat to call on security to escort her outside. The sight of the contestant being forced out of the room was met with 'audible gasps and groans' from the other candidates.
@editsbyun1versal NAWAT CALLS MISS MEXICO ‘DUMB’ AFTER A PROBLEM WITH THE ORGANISATION of MISS UNIVERSE….. Miss Universe Mexico 2025, Fatima Bosch and the Reigning Miss Universe, Victoria Kjær Theilvig walked out of this venue as a result of this. Watch more of the 2025 Miss Universe Pageant here at @editsbyuniversal. Reviewing Updates, sneak peaks and more here on this account! MMissUniverse2025774thMissUniverseMMissUniverseHelloUniverseHelloThailand #MissUniverseInThailand
♬ original sound - 𝕃𝕪𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕤 - 𝕃𝕪𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕤
Reigning Miss Universe, Victoria Kjær Theilvig, immediately exited the room in solidarity, telling the media outside, 'We have respect for everyone but this is not how things should be handled, to trash another girl is beyond disrespectful.'
In a powerful display of 'sisterhood' and 'women empowerment,' several candidates, predominantly from Latin countries, followed Victoria and Fatima out of the hall.
Nawat, to maintain order, shouted over the microphone, 'Sit down. If anyone wants to continue the contest, sit down. If you step out, the rest of the girls will continue.'
Despite the threat of disqualification, the walkout continued. Fatima Bosch later told the media, 'If it takes away your dignity, you need to go.'
Ahtisa Manalo: Why Miss Philippines Stays Put And Wins Hearts
Amidst the furious walkout and the international outcry over the incident, Miss Universe Philippines 2025, Ahtisa Manalo, remained in the hall.
Reports confirmed that while the delegates from the Latin countries and the reigning Miss Universe walked out, Manalo, alongside representatives from Thailand, South Africa, Indonesia, and France, among others, was one of the contestants who 'stayed in the hall.'
For Filipino fans, the decision was seen not as a betrayal of solidarity, but as a calculated and disciplined move to protect her highly-anticipated campaign.
Manalo is under immense pressure to secure the country's fifth Miss Universe title—a crown last won by her Binibining Pilipinas batchmate, Catriona Gray, in 2018, which was also coincidentally hosted in Thailand. Her choice to remain professional during a high-stakes, politically charged conflict demonstrated a focus that immediately garnered public admiration.
Even before the controversy, Manalo had been commanding attention for her poise and dedication. For a dinner event held on the same evening, she dazzled in a 'cherry red dress,' continuing to maintain a picture-perfect campaign trail.
The pageant's official social media accounts have also been highlighting her visibility, featuring her in a reel where she struck a 'mega pose' alongside other delegates, set to the hit OPM song 'POUGIE' by Mark Beats.
This meticulous attention to detail is evident in her preparation; Manalo arrived in Bangkok with a staggering ten suitcases, each carefully labelled with its intended use.
Pageant fans are particularly excited for her national costume, a creation by renowned designer Mak Tumang, the same artist behind Catriona Gray's iconic 'lava gown.'
Manalo confirmed the buzz, saying, 'It's a national costume that hasn't been seen in a while in the Miss Universe stage' and that she is 'really, really excited 'cause it's a good representation of the Philippine culture and also my own personality.'
By keeping her focus firmly on the competition and avoiding entanglement in the internal organisational politics, Ahtisa Manalo has cemented her image as a resilient and professionally-minded candidate, transforming a global pageant controversy into a personal victory that has indeed captured the hearts of her supporters.
The coronation night is scheduled for 21 November 2025, where all eyes will be watching to see if her disciplined approach pays off.
