The debate surrounding the proliferation of gambling advertising is rife at the best of times, however, pillow-based marketing efforts have awoken turmoil at an unlikely venue in Thailand.
According to local reports, police were called after members of the Miss Universe Organisation (MOU) allegedly instructed several candidates to pose with a pillow featuring the logo of the Philippine-based online casino, Playtime.
This activity violates Thai law as gambling is illegal in the country, and police were seen confiscating the branded pillow and filming equipment, as well as questioning members of the MOU.
Miss Universe Thailand, the organisation hosting the event, was quick to distance itself from the promotion, clarifying that it was “carried out solely by the MOU”.
A dispute has since flared that has shifted the competition away from its usual congenial atmosphere, descending into a war of words between the CEO of Miss Universe Thailand, Nawat Itsaragrisil, and the MOU’s Co-founder, Raul Rocha Cantu.
Itsaragrisil has claimed that MOU has blocked him from conducting promotional activities with his own sponsors, while Cantu launched an attack on Itsaragrisil’s company, Miss Grand International (MGI), posting a screenshot on his Instagram of MGI’s declining stock price.
Tensions further heightened when several of the pageant’s competitors were filmed walking out of a meeting with Itsaragrisil after he was seen berating Miss Universe Mexico, Fatima Bosch, for working with the casino sponsor and refusing to take part in promotional activities organised by Miss Universe Thailand.
The incident caused such a stir that the Mexican Embassy in Thailand stepped in and released a statement offering its support to Bosch and her family.
The controversy comes at a time when Thailand’s leader, Anutin Charnvirakul, has repeatedly reiterated his anti-gambling stance.
Since replacing the previous Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who had sought to bring casinos to the country, Charnvirakul has consistently dismissed the chances of gambling legislation returning.
Most recently, the Prime Minister reassured China’s President, Xi Jinping, of his no-casino policy as Thailand seeks to reverse a decline in Chinese visitors to the country.
It is not yet known if any formal charges will be filed against MOU personnel related to the alleged Playtime promotion.
