The organization of Miss Grand Samut Sakhon hosted the coronation night on 27th June 2021 at the Mirin Theater in the Huai Khwang district of Bangkok where Pornchanok Srikaeo was crowned as the new queen and earned the opportunity to represent Samut Sakhon at Miss Grand Thailand 2021.

Now, close sources have stated that a complaint has been filed against the organizers of Miss Grand Samut Sakhon after reports of 22 people, including 13 of its candidates, being infected with COVID-19 were revealed. The coronation night was broadcast live on Miss Grand Thailand’s official Facebook page and the authorities have claimed that no one followed the Covid-19 protocols, hence resulting in various people getting infected with the virus.

In the live video, contestants and hosts were without face masks, though some guests wore face shields on stage. Attendees also did not appear to practice physical distancing, especially when the virus is spreading like a wildfire. Miss Grand Samut Sakhon 2021 Pornchanok Srikaeo and founder of Miss Grand Thailand and Miss Grand International, Mr. Nawat Itsaragrisil, were among those who tested positive for the virus after the event.

According to reports, a complaint against the organizers was filed with local police by the Huai Kwang district office. Although the organizers secured permission from the district office to conduct the coronation, they failed to follow all the required protocols and due to these, organizers and participants are being investigated and could face criminal charges.

Adding to the reports of not following the safety protocols, one of the candidates left a comment stating that they were told to remove their masks and participate in activities without social distancing. The unnamed candidate also said that organizers did not inform participants of positive cases among them and that they would have been fined a large sum if they pulled out.

Late last week, the government announced a curfew across Bangkok and nine other hotspot provinces, which comes into effect on Monday, barring people from venturing out between 9 pm and 4 am. Thailand has registered a total of 336,371 cases and 2,711 fatalities. Most of the infections have occurred since April. The country is fast running out of hospital beds and the government is facing heat over a slow vaccine roll-out and limited testing.