Following criticism from Filipino pageant enthusiasts, Nawat Itsaragrisil, the founder of Miss Grand International, made some revelations about the Philippine representative, Nikki de Moura.
Nikki failed to secure a place in the Top 20, with the qualifying candidates hailing from Myanmar, the United States, Puerto Rico, Nigeria, the Czech Republic, Indonesia, Honduras, Laos, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, India, Ukraine, Thailand, Peru, Angola, the Netherlands, Uzbekistan, France, Spain, and Vietnam. Luciana Fuster from Peru emerged victorious in the Miss Grand International 2023 competition, held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on October 25, 2023.
To date, no Filipino candidate has clinched the Miss Grand International title in the pageant’s eleven-year history. The highest achievement for the Philippines was the 1st runner-up position, which Nicole Cordoves secured in 2016, and Samantha Bernardo followed suit in 2020.
This has led some Filipino pageant enthusiasts to speculate that the pageant is somehow manipulated, even dubbing it a “cooking show” due to the influence of Nawat, a Thai millionaire, who serves as the founder of the pageant.
On October 29, 2023, Nawat shared what he referred to as the “real story” about Nikki’s conduct towards other candidates and the pageant’s staff in a TikTok video circulated by various pageant sites.
Nawat disclosed that shortly after the announcement of the Top 20, Nikki promptly left the backstage area.
Expressing his frustration, Nawat stated, “I’ll give you one million US dollars if your candidate chooses not to participate in numerous events, especially after failing to make it to the top 20. She quickly packed her things and left backstage, despite numerous individuals and security personnel trying to persuade her to stay. We invested a substantial amount of money, nearly a month’s worth of preparations, and extensive rehearsals to ensure a top-notch show. However, she demonstrated no regard for those around her. She chose to bypass the proceedings, and her behavior was far from courteous to everyone present. Arnold Vegafria, the director, intervened and took her away immediately.”
Arnold Vegafria serves as the “director” in question and is the national director of the Miss Grand International franchise in the Philippines.
In the world of pageantry, it is customary for contestants who didn’t make it to the winner’s circle to remain at the venue since they are often part of various segments until the ultimate winner is crowned.
Nawat further commented, “Have you tried to reach out to the world or to others? Yes, this is the actual story. Have you seen her on stage after making it to the Top 20? She did not make an appearance. I’ll give you 1 million US dollars; working with her is challenging. Cooperation with her on a daily basis until the end of the day is exceedingly difficult. She does as she pleases, disregards others, displays a lack of respect, and evades responsibility. We have dedicated extensive training for the show, and her participation is an integral part of it. The situation is highly complex. We incurred substantial financial losses, yet her actions displayed a complete disregard for all concerned, including Filipino fans. It raises the question of whether she truly embodies the qualities of a queen.”
Following the pageant, Nikki took to Instagram to share her thoughts. She asserted that she had given her all but was unsuccessful in raising the Philippine flag high.
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In her Instagram post’s caption, she stated, “I poured my heart and soul into representing the Philippines, and my heart aches with disappointment. But even in the face of this heartache, I choose gratitude. Life is a journey filled with ups and downs, and I’m determined to make the most of every moment. I understand I may still be young, but I will continue to work hard, learn, and grow because I believe that disappointment is only a stepping stone to future success. This is not the end; it is just the beginning of something greater, and I’m excited to see where life’s adventures will take me. Now, I stand before you, not as part of the Top 20, but as someone who gave her all. #MissGrandInternational2023.”
