Miss Grand International: The Secret "Circus" Behind a Series of Shocking Scandals?

Launched in 2013 in Thailand under the leadership of Mr. Nawat, Miss Grand International quickly emerged as a large-scale beauty pageant.

However, besides the glory, this contest is also associated with a series of scandals that have stirred up public opinion many times.

The drama continued when the reigning beauty queen Rachel Gupta suddenly announced that she would give up her crown just a few months after her coronation. She accused the organizers of breaching her contract, creating a toxic environment, and treating her disrespectfully. The incident sparked a wave of controversy, as Miss Grand had been involved in similar scandals many times. The audience criticized this as a " cooking show " or "beauty circus" because of the many tricks.

In the 12 years of the pageant, at least five beauty queens and runners-up have had their titles revoked. In 2015, Anea Garcia was stripped of her crown after five months of being crowned for failing to fulfill her duties. First runner-up Claire Elizabeth Parker was appointed to replace her but was also stripped of her title in 2019 for competing in Miss Universe Australia, violating the rules even though her term had ended. Similarly, fifth runner-up Yuvna Rinishta (2022) relinquished her title after just three days. In 2024, third runner-up Safiétou Kabengele was stripped of her crown for making negative comments about the reigning beauty queen.

The Miss Grand 2024 finals continued to cause a stir when Myanmar's representative - Thae Su Nyein - cried on stage after being named 2nd runner-up. The national director angrily removed the sash, threw the crown and announced that he would return the title. Thae Su Nyein then livestreamed saying that she was not recognized properly. The national director also accused Mr. Nawat of asking for 25,000 USD to "buy the prize", but he refused and announced his resignation.

Mr. Nawat held a press conference to deny the accusations of "selling the prize", declaring himself "the sixth richest person in the Thai entertainment industry". He said that the Myanmar representative was delusional, only had appearance but lacked ability. Miss Grand officially revoked the title of 2nd runner-up.

Not stopping there, after only 3 days in Cambodia, Miss Grand International 2024 was stripped of its hosting rights, and the entire program was urgently moved to Thailand. The organizers said Cambodia did not meet the standards. The incident caused the Cambodian country director to react strongly, accusing the organization of disrespect and Mr. Nawat of being arbitrary and constantly changing the requirements.

The conflict started when the contestants were received in a simple manner with plastic boats, plastic chairs and a simple meal. Many beauties looked tired and worried. Mr. Nawat publicly criticized Cambodia for its poor organization: no contestants were received at the airport, the sash handover ceremony was simple, and contestants had to find their own way.

Immediately after bringing the contestants back to Thailand, the Cambodian representative Sotheary Bee announced that they would withdraw from the competition because they "represented the country, not the individual". At the same time, a total of 4 contestants including representatives from Costa Rica, Ukraine, Hong Kong and Cambodia withdrew due to overloaded schedules and poor health.

The most serious case was that of Ukraine's representative Kateryna Bilyk. She accused of being forced to work while she had a fever, having her passport confiscated, and not being allowed to move freely. She announced that she would sue the Miss Grand organizers for labor exploitation. Mr. Nawat denied this, saying that she violated the terms of the agreement, but Kateryna affirmed that she would pursue legal action to the end.

Miss Grand has been increasingly criticized for its commercialization. Beauty queens have to livestream to sell products, while the contest abuses voting to determine the winners of categories. From Top 20, Top 10, National Costume to even dinner with the president all depend on votes.

Miss Universe 2011 once openly criticized Miss Grand as a "circus" that only focuses on profit, no longer a playground to honor true beauty. The continuous scandals have increasingly questioned the true value of the contest.

Despite still attracting attention every season, Miss Grand International is gradually losing the trust of the audience due to consecutive scandals. From suspicions of "selling prizes", stripping crowns to forcing contestants to sell products, the contest is increasingly making the public skeptical about the true value of a beauty pageant. If it does not change its operation and reposition its image, Miss Grand is at risk of becoming a symbol of scandal instead of a place to honor beauty and talent in the true sense.

The reigning Miss Grand returns home after the scandal of being ignored by the runner-up, the airport "falls" Minh Lan16:58:56 17/12/2024Recently, Miss Grand International 2024 returned home after 2 months of coronation. At the airport, many fans came to share the joy with the new Miss, making Gupta emotional.