Two Beauty Pageant Contestants Allege Coach Pocketed Entry Fees
Two beauty pageant contestants allege their coach in Pathum Thani pocketed thousands of baht in entry fees by charging them 6,000 baht while vendors donated services worth far less.
On July 21, two women in their mid-twenties, Surita and Falada (surnames withheld by request), came forward to reporters alleging they were defrauded by their pageant coach, Kasem. The women explained that they had competed in multiple Miss Grand pageants and met Kasem through Facebook, who then agreed to serve as their mentor for a Miss Grand competition held in Rangsit, Pathum Thani province on July 17-18. They transferred 6,000 baht to Kasem to cover costume rental and makeup expenses.
After the pageant ended, the contestants spoke directly with the costume owner and makeup and hair stylists involved. The costume owner revealed that Kasem had approached them claiming the contestants had limited funds, so the owner agreed to charge only 1,000 baht for the costume rental. Similarly, the makeup artist and hairstylist said Kasem made the same plea, prompting them to donate their services free of charge.
When the contestants discovered this discrepancy, they confronted Kasem about why he charged them 6,000 baht when the actual costs were far lower. Rather than explain, Kasem became defensive and criticized them for questioning the makeup artist, hairstylist, and costume owner. The two women stressed they were not seeking a refund but felt it was unfair to be charged more than the actual cost. They decided to go public as a cautionary tale for other young women entering pageants, urging contestants to select honest and trustworthy mentors who will not exploit their inexperience.
