Nawat Itsaragrisil, Miss Universe Thailand Host Committee chairman, cried during a press interview following a barrage of drama and controversy surrounding the Miss Universe 2025 pageant on November 5, 2025. (KHAOSOD Photo/Chvalit Panyong)
T he incident involving Thai organiser of the Miss Universe 2025 competition in Bangkok on Tuesday when Mr Nawat Itsaragrisil berated the Mexican beauty queen, Miss Universe Mexico 2025 Fatima Bosch, in front of all the contestants, calling for srcurity guards, demanding the room doors be closed, and threatening other beauty queens representative dozens of nations who stood up or walked out with disqualification from the competition, is an example of the vertical, authoritarian use of raw and crude power that many Thais have been made so familiar with since childhood, unfortunately.
It demonstrates that authoritarian power is not confined solely to the spheres of military dictatorship or electoral politics; it is pervasive across almost every dimension of Thai society. The use of raw power and threats begins in many families, in many schools and educational institutions, in workplaces, in military camps, in the existence and application of the lèse majesté law, and beyond.
The challenge of cultivating a culture of democracy and equality is an enormous one for Thai society. We must begin by adjusting our relationships with those whom society generally views as inferior—whether in terms of power, status, education, or class. Because as long as people habitually exercise this kind of raw, vertical power and see it as normal, instead of reporting to reasoning, respect and empathy, it will be difficult to expect Thai society to achieve equality and become truly democratic.
P.S. The clip of Nawat using this raw power affects not only his own reputation but also the reputation of Thailand. If we view this positively, it serves as a wake-up call about the failure to transform Thai culture into one that respects human equality, different reasoning, and democracy.
Power exercised from the top-down in a hierarchical, non-consultative, and often coercive manner, characteristic of authoritarian systems is unfortunately deep rooted in Thai culture still.
The Thai lèse majesté law, one of the world’s strictest, which carries severe penalties for defaming, insulting, or threatening the monarchy is but the tip of an iceberg.
The exercise of raw, entrenched power in Thai society, extending beyond the realms of politics and was made apparent under the glare of spotlights and Facebook live streaming on Tuesday at inside a luxury hotel in Bangkok at one of the world’s most watched stage called Miss Universe Pageant.
Cyber police detain Taiwanese suspect, along with five Thai nationals accused of operating bank “mule accounts” for an online gambling network, following coordinated raids in Bangkok and Chonburi on Nov. 5, 2025.
BANGKOK — Thailand’s Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) raided three locations linked to an online gambling network allegedly run by a Taiwanese suspect and five Thai accomplices, police said Thursday.
The operation, carried out on Nov. 5, targeted the website hrbx856, which authorities said had over 340,000 members and handled more than 100 million baht ($2.8 million) in monthly transactions. Police believe the site had been operating for over a year, offering illegal betting on lotteries, football, baccarat, and slot games.
Pol Lt. Gen. Surapol Prembutr, CCIB commissioner, said the network funneled money through a front company, The Luxury Store, registered in Bangkok’s Lat Phrao district under a Malaysian national. Although officially listed as an importer of luxury goods, the firm was allegedly used to launder gambling proceeds through multiple corporate and personal accounts.
Funds were first transferred to two companies managed by Taiwanese nationals before being passed to Thai “mule accounts” for cash withdrawals ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of baht, he said.
A Taiwanese man, identified by police as Su, 32, is questioned during a cyber police raid in Chonburi Province on Nov. 5, 2025.
Police obtained eight arrest warrants — one Malaysian, three Taiwanese, and four Thai suspects — and searched three sites in Bangkok and Chonburi province. The Malaysian suspect remains at large.
Investigators seized 700,000 baht ($21,500) in cash, 41 mobile phones, four computers, a laptop, 11 bank books, 10 ATM cards, and other electronic devices.
Among those arrested was Su, 32, a Taiwanese national accused of directing the Thai money mules from his residence in Chonburi. Five Thai suspects were also detained:
Chutamat, 33, arrested in Bangkok’s Sathorn district, accused of withdrawing cash.
Kasarin, 42, arrested in Samut Sakhon province, accused of opening mule accounts.
Wissanu, 21, of Chonburi; Mantanana, 23, of Loei; and Sunisa, 20, of Khon Kaen — all accused of operating mule accounts.
Chutamat and Kasarin face charges of organizing online gambling and money laundering, while the other four are charged with promoting or facilitating illegal gambling through electronic media.
New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani speaks during a news conference in the Queens borough of New York, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
NEW YORK (AP) — Zohran Mamdani wasted little time after becoming mayor-elect of New York City before addressing the man who threatened to not only defund the city — but also to arrest and deport him — if he won.
“Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up,” Mamdani, a Democrat, told the Republican president from the stage of his Brooklyn victory party.
He issued a direct challenge to the president. “If anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him,” he said.
The proclamation was an illustration of how both men have seized on one another as politically advantageous foils as Mamdani has risen from obscure state lawmaker to national Democratic star and as Trump has cast today’s Democratic Party as radical and out of touch with everyday voters.
Mamdani, who was born in Uganda and became a naturalized American citizen after graduating from college, went on to cast himself as the embodiment of the resistance against the president, who has pursued an aggressive, anti-immigrant agenda during his second term.
“New York will remain a city of immigrants, a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants and, as of tonight, led by an immigrant,” he said. “So hear me, President Trump, when I say this: To get to any of us, you will have to get through all of us.”
New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, center, speaks in front of the Unisphere alongside his transition team, from left, Elana Leopold, Melanie Hartzog, Maria Torres-Springer, Grace Bonilla, and Lina Khan, in the Queens borough of New York, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
Trump, who has spent months insulting Mamdani and warning that the city would be ruined if he won, seemed to be watching.
“…AND SO IT BEGINS!” he posted on social media as Mamdani spoke.
Mamdani, a democratic socialist who campaigned on a slate of far-left progressive policies and a cheery optimism that stands in stark contrast to Trump’s darker and more hardline tactics, is expected to continue to face the president’s persistent political bashing — along with a federal government that may try to thwart his agenda. It remains unclear however exactly how Trump plans to respond and if the courts will stop him.
The 34-year-old, Ugandan-born Mamdani is set to be New York’s youngest mayor in more than a century — and the first Muslim one — when he takes office on Jan. 1.
At a boisterous victory rally late Tuesday, Mamdani addressed supporters with a speech inspired by Jawaharlal Nehru’s iconic “Tryst with Destiny” address, delivered on the eve of India’s independence in 1947.
“Standing before you, I think of the words of Jawaharlal Nehru: ‘A moment comes, but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends and when the soul of a nation long suppressed finds utterance.’ Tonight, we have stepped out from the old into the new,” Mamdani said.
The title track of 2004 Bollywood blockbuster “Dhoom” played as Mamdani concluded his speech, flanked by his parents and wife Rama Duwaji.
Mamdani’s mother, Mira Nair, is an award-winning Indian filmmaker whose credits include “Monsoon Wedding,” “The Namesake” and “Mississippi Masala” and whose work has been nominated for an Academy Award. His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is an anthropology professor at Columbia University.
‘Mayor Trump’
New York has remained relatively unscathed by Trump’s administration, as he has targeted cities including Los Angeles and Washington, dispatching the National Guard. The current mayor, Eric Adams, enjoyed an unusual alliance with the Republican president, whose administration dropped a federal corruption case against the mayor so he could better assist with the president’s immigration agenda.
But Trump for months has threatened to slash federal funding to the city and mount an outright takeover if Mamdani won — threats that became a cornerstone of Mamdani’s rivals’ campaigns against him.
Meanwhile, Trump and others in his party gleefully seized on Mamdani’s most controversial policy proposals and past statements, including those criticizing the city’s police department, trying to cast Mamdani as dangerous — and representative of the Democratic Party at large.
“The Democrat Party has surrendered to radical socialist Zohran Mamdani and the far-left mob who are now running the show,” said National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson Mike Marinella in a statement Tuesday night. “They’ve proudly embraced defunding the police, abolishing ICE, taxing hard-working Americans to death, and replacing common sense with chaos. Every House Democrat is foolishly complicit in their party’s collapse, and voters will make them pay in 2026.”
Mamdani says he will try to ‘Trump-proof’ the city
In his first news conference as mayor-elect on Wednesday, Mamdani made it clear that the city’s most powerful former resident is one of the chief challenges he’ll face in his new job.
“New Yorkers are facing twin crises in this moment: an authoritarian administration and an affordability crisis,” he said. “And it will be my job to deliver on both.”
Mamdani spoke about “Trump-proofing” New York City, which he said involves “protecting those with the least from the consequences of a man with the most power in this country.”
But Mamdani said several times that he was willing to work with anyone, including Trump, if they can help New Yorkers. He said he has not heard from the White House or the president following his win.
Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, right, and his wife Rama Duwaji react to supporters during an election night watch party, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Echoes of Trump
Nearly a decade ago, Trump was the bold yet untested candidate who notched a remarkable political victory of his own after building a populist coalition, harnessing social media, commanding the media spotlight and promising a wave of change.
Those same qualities that propelled the Republican into the White House in 2016 have helped Mamdani rise to become the soon-to-be mayor of Trump’s hometown and the biggest city in the nation.
Mamdani on Wednesday offered an early glimpse into the way he’ll try to reflect those populist messages back against the president. He decried the high cost of groceries, something Trump raised as he campaigned for the White House last year, and said the president’s decision to stop administering federal food aid through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is “literally making it harder to afford those same groceries whose price he was decrying not that long ago.”
But rather than see Mamdani as a Democratic analogue for his own path to power, Trump has cast him as a prime foil and a reason he may seek to punish or overpower the city.
Though most presidents don’t devote time to tangling with local elected officials, Trump is not most presidents, and New York City holds special significance for him.
The Queens-born former reality star made his fame in Manhattan, where he became a TV star from his gilded penthouse and later launched his improbable presidential campaign after descending his golden escalator.
Trump has kept a particular focus on the city, trying to block its congestion pricing program, cancel construction on new tunnels under the Hudson River and insisting during his comeback presidential campaign last year on holding a mega-rally at Madison Square Garden despite his unpopularity in the city.
As the city prepared to pick its next mayor, Trump got unusually involved. He attacked him on social media, falsely labeling Mamdani a communist and eventually endorsing Cuomo.
And in the fall, intermediaries for the Trump administration approached Adams to try to persuade him to abandon his reelection campaign in an attempt to block Mamdani’s path to victory.
On the eve of the election, Trump said he would likely cut federal city funding if Mamdani won, writing on social media that “it is highly unlikely that I will be contributing Federal Funds, other than the very minimum as required.”
The White House and Office of Management and Budget did not respond to a message Wednesday about federal funds for the city Trump may seek to withhold.
But he had already sought to punish the city this year as part of a broader pattern of asserting power against Democratic elected officials who’ve criticized him, including suspending funding for some infrastructure projects during the government shutdown and trying to slash grants aimed at addressing the costs of migrants.
The threats also resonated with some voters.
Amy Snyder, an art adviser who voted for Cuomo, said she feared Mamdani “would not be able to stand up to Trump.”
Ariel Kohane, a registered Republican who voted for Cuomo but has voted for Trump multiple times, said he expected the president would do everything in his power to prevent Mamdani from accomplishing his agenda — and hoped it would work.
“Trump will probably have to send in the National Guard and ICE agents, too,” Kohane said.
Wacef Chowdhury, a volunteer for the Mamdani campaign, said he fully anticipated Trump would attempt to punish the city in retaliation for the democratic socialist’s victory.
“We know he’s going to try, but we’re ready,” said Chowdhury, who works in finance. “We fought back the establishment, and we’re going to do the same to the president.”
Police arrest Russian and French men on Koh Phangan for alleged cocaine possession. (Tourist Police Division 3/Handout)
KOH PHANGAN — Police on Koh Phangan have arrested three foreign nationals in separate cases involving drug possession and immigration violations, authorities said Wednesday.
At midday on November 5, officers raided a rented house in Moo 1 after residents reported suspected drug activity. Police, disguised as joggers, conducted surveillance before moving in.
Inside, two men — identified only as Roman, 26, a Russian national, and Hugo, 28, from France — were found sitting at a table with white powder later confirmed to be cocaine. Both attempted to flee but were detained.
Police arrest Russian and French men on Koh Phangan for alleged cocaine possession. (Tourist Police Division 3/Handout)
Police seized 3.14 grams of cocaine and an ecstasy test kit. Roman was charged with possession of cocaine, while Hugo was charged with use of the drug. The men and evidence were taken to Koh Phangan Police Station for legal proceedings.
In a separate incident, immigration police arrested Yegor, 34, a Ukrainian national, near Phantip Market in Ban Thong Sala for overstaying his visa by 326 days.
Immigration officers detain Ukrainian man on Koh Phangan for overstaying his visa on November 4, 2025. (Koh Phangan Immigration Police/Handout)
Officials said Yegor entered Thailand via Satun province in October 2024 and last extended his stay until December 13 that year. He admitted to remaining in the country illegally and faces prosecution under Thailand’s immigration law.
Authorities said investigations are ongoing to identify the source of the drugs found in the first case.
A British woman teaches a tantra yoga class at a venue on Koh Phangan before her arrest for working without a proper permit, according to Thai authorities. (Photo courtesy of Tourist Police)
KOH PHAGNAN — A 40-year-old British woman has been arrested on Koh Phangan for allegedly teaching tantra yoga without a valid work permit, Thai authorities said Wednesday.
Tourist police identified the suspect only as Maria, who was detained at Ethos restaurant in Koh Phangan district on charges of working outside the scope of her authorized employment.
According to police, Maria held a work permit listing her as a customer relations manager for Genesis Commercial Co., Ltd., a property management firm. However, she was allegedly teaching tantra yoga classes at the restaurant, an activity not covered under her permit.
Authorities launched an investigation after receiving a Facebook complaint showing promotional posts under the name “Maria Sky” in the “Koh Phangan Conscious Community (For Real Edition)” group. The posts advertised tantra yoga sessions held every Tuesday from 4:30 to 6 p.m. for 400 baht per person.
Police said they found Maria leading a class with foreign participants, demonstrating postures and guiding meditation. Officers seized evidence including class tickets, flyers for “tantra massage for couples,” a notebook detailing lessons on sacred sexuality, and promotional posters featuring her image.
Maria reportedly admitted to teaching the classes and sharing proceeds with Ethos restaurant. Authorities said the activity violated Thailand’s Emergency Decree on the Management of Foreign Workers’ Employment.
Investigators also reviewed promotional materials describing advanced “tantra yoga–sacred sexuality” courses that required male-female pairs and contained explicit content. Officials said the arrest was part of efforts to curb activities that could harm Thailand’s tourism image and social norms.
Maria was taken to Koh Phangan Police Station for legal proceedings.
When the exhaustion of work and daily routines starts to wear you down, many people turn to travel as a way to heal the heart and recharge both body and mind. Traveling offers a chance to create new experiences and discover inspiration in unexpected places.
One such destination is Tha Pla, a hidden gem in Uttaradit Province, where visitors can immerse themselves in the rhythm of local life, explore distinctive community products, and take in breathtaking natural scenery that’s impossible to resist.
Today, Tha Pla is fully prepared to welcome travelers with a wide range of agritourism activities. At Ban Tha Rua Kao, also known as the Fishermen’s Village, visitors can experience authentic rural living through cozy lakeside homestays.
The village sits on the edge of a vast reservoir, complete with a pier used for fish transport. From here, you can embark on scenic raft cruises that glide across the Sirikit Dam Reservoir, offering panoramic views of the calm waters surrounded by forested mountains.
Be sure to stop by the lively local fish market, where villagers can sell fresh and dried fish from the lake. And don’t miss the Hat Kaitoi Community Enterprise, famous for its cashew nuts-considered the true “JEWEL” of Tha Pla. That Grown in the rocky highlands, cashews are small, firm, naturally sweet, and packed with nutrients, making them a delicious and healthy local delicacy.
Another must-see attraction is the Skywalk at Huai Nam Ri, a breathtaking landmark built over the reservoir under the Royal Initiative Project. The structure extends more than 700 meters into the valley, has allowed visitors to take in sweeping views of the reservoir and its surrounding mountains. It’s also one of the most beautiful spots to watch the morning sea of mist-a truly heartwarming experience.
Nearby, Sirikit Dam offers equally stunning views of sunrise and sunset, as well as the unique sight of the “two-colored river,” where two water currents meet. Visitors can also pay respects to the Phra Puttha Sirisattarat (Luangpho Chet Kasat) replica, then head to the Queen Sirikit Commemorative Bridge-a suspension bridge built across the Nan River to honor Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother’s 72nd birthday.
The bridge, linking Uttaradit and Nan provinces, is especially enchanting at night when it’s illuminated with decorative lights, creating a magical atmosphere for visitors to enjoy a different, yet equally beautiful, view.
Today, Tha Pla have, full of warmth and vitality, is the result of decades of perseverance. In the past, the area faced long-standing issues related to incomplete land allocation under the Lam Nam Nan Settlement Project. Some areas overlapped with state-owned land, such as national forest reserves, Lam Nam Nan National Park, Huai Nam Li Forest Park, and agricultural reform zones.
The people of Tha Pla fought tirelessly for their land rights for more than 50 years. Eventually, the government assigned the Office of the Land Policy Board (ONLB), together with other relevant agencies, to step in and resolve the problem through the “One Map” initiative-a comprehensive, integrated mapping system at a 1:4000 scale designed to clarify land boundaries and provide lasting stability and security for local communities.
Securing official land rights has transformed the lives of Tha Pla residents. With legal ownership of their homes and farmland, people now enjoy a better quality of life, sustainable livelihoods, and increased income through agriculture and tourism.
If you’re looking for your next travel destination, Please come and experience the charm of agritourism in Tha Pla-a place of simplicity, warmth, and natural beauty. Which, you can recharge your energy, lift your spirits, and unwind with relaxing local experiences. On your next getaway, make Tha Pla, Uttaradit Province, your destination for a heartwarming escape.
Police arrest Chinese national Zehu, 23, at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Samut Prakan province on Nov. 5, 2025, for allegedly creating fake corporate accounts linked to the Huione Pay scam network.
BANGKOK— Thai police have arrested a Chinese man and a Thai accountant accused of helping a cross-border scam syndicate set up “mule companies” to launder money from online investment frauds that caused more than 20 million baht ($614,630) in losses.
After a three-month investigation, officers from the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) apprehended 23-year-old Chinese national Zehu at Suvarnabhumi Airport’s arrival checkpoint in Samut Prakan province and Saipirun, 43, a Thai accountant, outside a business on Ratchadaphisek Road in Bangkok’s Huai Khwang district.
Both were wanted under arrest warrants issued August 15 on charges including public fraud by impersonation, membership in a criminal organization, computer crimes involving false data input, and money laundering.
Police question Chinese national Zehu, 23, at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Samut Prakan province on Nov. 5, 2025, for allegedly creating fake corporate accounts linked to the Huione Pay scam network.
Police said the arrests are linked to the Huione Pay network, a transnational scam ring that duped victims into investing in fraudulent applications. The scheme came to light after victims filed complaints about investment scams that collectively caused more than 20 million baht in damages.
The CCIB earlier detained three Myanmar nationals tied to the same network in Tak province’s Mae Sot district in July, seizing 46 million baht (1.4 million) in cash.
Investigators later traced the money flow to two companies registered with falsified information. According to police, Saipirun allegedly handled the incorporation paperwork and admitted during questioning that she was hired by Zehu to use Chinese nationals’ personal details to register fake firms and open corporate bank accounts.
Thai accountant, 43, is taken into custody outside a company on Ratchadaphisek Road in Bangkok’s Huai Khwang district on Nov. 5, 2025, for her alleged role in registering “mule companies” for the same scam syndicate.
She then sent account credentials and SIM cards used for one-time password verifications to Zehu, reportedly receiving 5,000 baht ($153) for each company.
Both suspects denied the charges, but police said digital evidence — including chat records — showed Zehu had sent personal data to Saipirun for use in setting up companies and bank accounts. Investigators found more than 10 such firms registered under the scheme, with their accounts later transferred to other Chinese members of the syndicate operating in Bangkok.
Police said the pair have been turned over to investigators for further legal proceedings.
Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited or CPF has been honored with two recognitions at the IAA Awards for Listed Companies 2025, organized by the Investment Analysts Association (IAA) and the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET). The company received the Best CEO Award in the Food and Beverage category and the Best Investor Relations (IR) Award, underscoring its commitment to sustainable business growth and contribution to strengthening Thailand’s capital market.
The Best CEO Award was presented to Mr. Prasit Boondoungprasert, Chief Executive Officer of CPF, by Dr. Ekniti Nitithanprapas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, together with Mr. Paiboon Nalinthrangkurn, President of the Investment Analysts Association. Meanwhile, the Best IR Award was presented to Mrs. Kobboon Srichai, Head of Corporate Affairs and Investor Relations Officer of CPF, at the Phayathai Grand Ballroom, Eastin Grand Hotel Phayathai.
The IAA Awards recognize outstanding executives and professionals from listed companies, based on votes from analysts and fund managers. The selection criteria emphasize visionary leadership and sustainable organizational growth, along with a strong focus on transparency and timely communication to consistently build trust among investors and analysts. The awards value the ability to clearly articulate business performance, strategic direction, risk management, and future outlook.
These honours also highlight the company’s openness to investor feedback and its continuous efforts to refine strategies that strengthen business resilience. The company’s proactive initiatives contribute to enhancing the efficiency and credibility of Thailand’s capital market, while reinforcing stakeholder confidence through transparent and responsible business practices.
Residents return to what remains of their homes after Typhoon Kalmaegi caused devastation in communities along the Mananga River in Talisay City, Cebu province, central Philippines, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacqueline Hernandez)
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Typhoon Kalmaegi has left at least 66 people dead with 26 others missing in the central Philippines, many in widespread flooding that trapped people on their roofs and swept away cars in a hard-hit province still recovering from a deadly earthquake, officials said Wednesday.
Among the dead were six people who were killed when a Philippine air force helicopter crashed in the southern province of Agusan del Sur on Tuesday. The crew was on its way to provide humanitarian help to provinces battered by Kalmaegi, the military said. It did not give the cause of the crash.
Kalmaegi blew away from western Palawan province into the South China Sea before noon Wednesday with sustained winds of up to 130 kph (81 mph) and gusts of up to 180 kph (112 mph), according to forecasters.
Central province hit hardest by the storm
Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV, deputy administrator of the Office of Civil Defense, and provincial officials said most of the deaths were reported in the central province of Cebu, which was pummeled by Kalmaegi on Tuesday, setting off flash floods and causing a river and other waterways to swell.
The resulting flooding engulfed residential communities, forcing startled residents to climb on their roofs, where they desperately pleaded to be rescued as the floodwaters rose, officials said.
The Philippine Red Cross received many calls from people needing rescue in Cebu from their roofs, its secretary-general Gwendolyn Pang said Tuesday.
Residents return to their damaged homes after Typhoon Kalmaegi caused devastation in communities along the Mananga River in Talisay City, Cebu province, central Philippines, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacqueline Hernandez)
At least 49 drowned in floods and others died as a result of landslides and falling debris in Cebu, where 13 of the 26 missing were reported, the Office of Civil Defense said on Wednesday.
“We did everything we can for the typhoon but, you know, there are really some unexpected things like flash floods,” Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro told The Associated Press by telephone.
Caloy Ramirez, a volunteer rescuer, said the massive flooding set off by the typhoon turned an upscale riverside residential community in Cebu city on Tuesday into an unrecognizable scene of tumbled SUVs and houses in disarray.
Residents said floodwater engulfing the first floors of their houses in just a few minutes, sending them scrambling to upper floors or roofs in panic.
“We always expect the worst and what I saw yesterday was the worst,” Ramirez told The AP. She described how the faces of desperate residents would light up when they realized they were being rescued.
Concerns grow over flood control projects
The problems may have been made worse by years of quarrying that caused clogging of nearby rivers, which overflowed, and substandard flood control projects in Cebu province, Baricuatro said.
Cebu, a bustling province of more than 2.4 million people, declared a state of calamity to allow authorities to disburse emergency funds more rapidly.
Cebu was still recovering from a 6.9 magnitude earthquake on Sept. 30 that left at least 79 people dead and displaced thousands when houses collapsed or were severely damaged.
Thousands of northern Cebu residents who were displaced by the earthquake were moved to sturdier evacuation shelters from flimsy tents before the typhoon struck, Baricuatro said. Northern towns devastated by the earthquake were mostly not hit by floods generated by Kalmaegi, she added.
Men look at damaged homes after Typhoon Kalmaegi caused devastation in communities along the Mananga River in Talisay City, Cebu province, central Philippines, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacqueline Hernandez)
Kalmaegi heads toward Vietnam and Thailand
Before Kalmaegi’s landfall, officials said more than 387,000 people had evacuated to safer ground in eastern and central Philippine provinces.
Ferries and fishing boats were prohibited from venturing out to increasingly rough seas, stranding more than 3,500 passengers and cargo truck drivers in nearly 100 seaports, the coast guard said. At least 186 domestic flights were canceled.
The Philippines is battered by about 20 typhoons and storms each year. The country also is often hit by earthquakes and has more than a dozen active volcanoes, making it one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries.
Central Vietnam, still reeling from days of record rain that triggered flash floods and landslides, was bracing for more pounding rain as Kalmaegi nears.
Fishing boats returned to shore while local authorities readied evacuation plans, secured shelters and stockpiled food, state media reported.
Forecasters estimate the storm will reach Vietnam’s coast Friday morning.
Meanwhile, Thailand’s weather agency issued an advisory for the northern, eastern and central parts of the country, warning that Kalmaegi would bring heavy rain Friday and into the weekend that could cause flash floods, landslides and river overflows.
From left: MUO President Raul Rocha Cantu, host committee chair Nawat Itsaragrisil, and Miss Universe Mexico Fatima Bosch amid the ongoing controversy.
BANGKOK — The Miss Universe Organization (MUO) said the 74th Miss Universe competition in Bangkok will proceed as planned following a walkout and escalating tensions between contestants and Nawat Itsaragrisil, chairman of the Miss Universe Thailand Host Committee and CEO of the Miss Grand International Organization (MGI).
In a statement issued hours after Miss Universe Mexico Fatima Bosch and several contestants left the Sashing Ceremony on Nov. 4, MUO reaffirmed its commitment to “work closely with the host community, MGI, and all local partners” to ensure the show continues.
President of Miss Universe Organization Raul Rocha Cantu delivers a statement on November 5, 2025, saying that Nawat Itsaragrisil’s role and participation in overseeing the competition will be “restricted” or “eliminated” entirely.
“All scheduled events and activities will continue in full cooperation with the host country and MGI,” MUO said, pledging to uphold its values of “diversity, empowerment, and inclusion.” The organization added that a high-level delegation led by Chief Executive Officer Mario Búcaro is traveling to Thailand to strengthen coordination with local organizers and authorities.
By Tuesday evening, tensions appeared to have eased. No contestants had withdrawn, and all joined a dinner cruise on the Chao Phraya River. Nawat later announced a new “let everyone do as they please” policy, giving contestants freedom to choose their participation in sponsor-related activities to avoid further conflict.
Miss Universe Mexico Fatima Bosch takes a photo with Miss Universe 2024 Victoria Kjær Thelvåg at the Official Sash Ceremony of The 74th Miss Universe on November 4, 2025.
MUO Restricts Nawat’s Role
Tensions reignited Wednesday when MUO President Raul Rocha Cantu released a video statement announcing that Nawat’s role in overseeing the pageant would be “restricted or eliminated entirely.”
“The decision came after he became the center of attention instead of the contestants, humiliating and insulting a defenseless woman,” Rocha said. “No one has the right to harm or intimidate a woman, much less one representing her nation on our stage.”
Rocha said the organization had taken legal and corporate measures in response to Nawat’s “malicious acts” and reiterated that MUO would not tolerate behavior undermining respect and dignity toward women.
The Mexican Embassy in Thailand also confirmed it is in contact with Bosch and her family and will continue to monitor the situation.
The moment Nawat Itsaragrisil, chairman of the Miss Universe Thailand Host Committee, argues with Miss Universe Mexico Fatima Bosch in front of 122 international contestants at Chatrium Hotel & Residence Riverside Bangkok. (Photo: Facebook/auttaross)
Nawat Dismisses MUO’s “Impossible” Move
In a local media interview, Nawat dismissed Rocha’s comments as impractical, saying MUO has no authority to limit his work. “We are the license holder. Everything must run according to business operations,” he said. “He posts first and asks questions later — that causes confusion among contestants.”
He suggested Thailand’s strong showing as host may have caused “jealousy” and insisted he would continue performing his duties. “Sometimes I lose control,” he said. “If I made mistakes, I apologize to Miss Mexico. I may have been too angry, but I had no intention to diminish her.”
Tense Exchange Sparks Walkout
Footage circulating online showed Nawat arguing with Bosch in front of contestants before she walked out, followed by Miss Universe 2024 Victoria Kjær Thelvåg and others. Bosch later posted that Nawat had called her “dumb,” writing, “If something costs you your dignity, you need to walk away.”
The Miss Universe Mexico organization condemned the incident as “unacceptable,” saying “no woman, under any circumstance, deserves to be insulted or humiliated.”
The 74th Miss Universe competition runs from Nov. 2–21 across Bangkok, Phuket, and Pattaya, with the final coronation scheduled for Nov. 21 at Impact Muang Thong Thani.
