Former Miss Thailand Judge Apologizes 26 Years Later

Why did I know the details of contestant number 53's past so precisely? Nitiphum Nawarat discloses that Pol. Lt. Gen. Anutat Bunnak, the judge who crowned Panadda Wongphudee as Miss Thailand 2000, called 26 years later to apologize for not believing his report about the nail-in-the-heel incident. He had warned that selecting her might cause severe damage to the Thai pageant industry.

Amid renewed scrutiny of Panadda "Bum" Wongphudee's past, particularly the 26-year-old Miss Thailand controversy involving a nail in her high heel, Nitiphum — known on Facebook as Nitiphum Mingrujiralai or Pol. Lt. Col. Nitiphum Nawarat — posted on November 6, 2026, about the case. Pol. Lt. Gen. Anutat Bunnak, who judged Panadda Wongphudee as Miss Thailand 2000, called to apologize for the pageant events of that year.

"Some things stay silent for 26 years until a phone rings on November 6, 2026. The caller was Pol. Lt. Gen. Anutat Bunnak. As I recall our conversation, he called to apologize for one matter — the 2000 Miss Thailand pageant, which I had reported on before the judging committee made its decision."

"Before the judging that year, there were allegations that someone had placed a nail in the high heel of contestant number 53, Panadda Wongphudee. Pol. Lt. Gen. Anutat, a committee member, contacted me to ask if it was true. For people who had worked together, sometimes the request is that brief. How to find the answer is the responsibility of the person asked."

"The next day I called back: 'As far as I could verify, it was not a genuine incident.' That was my assessment at the time. Later, he asked to meet before the judging. I shared what I knew about contestant 53's background and expressed my concerns about the consequences. I'll keep the details of that conversation private."

"When the pageant ended, contestant 53 won the Miss Thailand title. Pol. Lt. Gen. Anutat called again. As I recall, he explained the key reason: this contestant spoke excellent English. I listened, but my opinion remained unchanged."

"Many may wonder why he contacted me for background checks. The answer lies in 1991–1994, when he held the rank of major and served as deputy assistant military attaché in the Soviet Union and later the Russian Federation. We worked together and exchanged information. When he needed background on a person or event, he would contact me. Such familiarity doesn't require re-explanation every time the phone rings."

Nitiphum explains why he knew Bum Panadda's details so well and his warning of severe consequences.

"Then 26 years passed. On November 6, 2026, the old story resurfaced in our conversation. According to my account, he apologized for not believing my report back then. Then he asked two questions: why I knew the contestant's past so precisely, and why I had warned that awarding her the title might severely damage the Thai pageant industry's credibility."

"That warning was my opinion at the time. As for subsequent events related to that warning, readers must judge from the facts of each case."

"I did not answer either question. Some answers, after 26 years, may..."