In March 2025, a former Miss Universe judge alleged that Jakrajutatip had attempted to meddle with the results of the 2023 pageant.
Denise White, one of the judges for the November 2023 Miss Universe competition, told Business Insider that Jakrajutatip tried to pressure Paula Shugart to favor Miss Thailand in the pageant, wanting the contestant to make the top five. At the time, Shugart was the president of Miss Universe.
“She said, ‘I can’t believe Anne is telling me that, no matter what, we have to make sure Thailand is in the top five,'” White said, recalling her conversation with Shugart. White added that Shugart refused to comply with Jakrajutatip’s request and Thailand’s contestant was selected as the first runner-up on her own accord.
“There is nothing I have seen in Denise’s comments that I would refute,” Shugart said when Business Insider reached out for comment at the time.
Shugart resigned on the eve of the pageant’s final competition, ending her 23-year tenure.
Jakrajutatip didn’t respond to a request for comment at the time and never publicly addressed the allegation.
