Arrest Warrant Issued for Miss Universe Pageant Co-Owner in Thailand

Cops in Thailand are looking for Jakapong "Anne" Jakrajutatip -- a co-owner of the Miss Universe pageant -- after she failed to show up to a civil court hearing ... according to multiple reports.

The Independent and France 24 state the Bangkok South Civil Court issued the warrant after Jakrajutatip didn't show up for a verdict in a $930,000 lawsuit, which was supposed to be read out Tuesday.

Jakrajutatip was charged with fraud back in 2023 after plastic surgeon Raweewat Maschamadol sued her and her company JKN Global Group Public Co. Ltd. for allegedly defrauding him while selling corporate bonds.

France 24 shared a court statement on Tuesday, which claims Jakrajutatip convinced Maschamadol to invest while knowing "her inability to return the money within the appointed time." Jakrajutatip's been deemed a flight risk, according to The Independent.

While this lawsuit isn't connected to the Miss Universe pageant proceedings directly, Jakrajutatip's legal case is just the latest in a string of bad press for the event ... including the heated confrontation between Miss Mexico and a pageant official which was caught on camera earlier this month.

Remember ... Miss Universe Thailand's director, Nawat Itsaragrisil, found himself in hot water after he called Miss Mexico Fatima Bosch a "dummy" -- prompting her and several other contestants to walk out of the room. Miss Universe Organization President Raul Rocha Cantu later released a statement blasting Itsaragrisil for the comment.