VietNamNet Bridge – Truc Diem is competing at the Miss International while Thai Ha is awaiting her license to the Miss Earth. Many models are silently practicing and waiting for a chance to advertise their names at beauty contests.
The flourishing of beauty pageants has become launching pads for many Vietnamese models. Four years after participating in the Miss Earth, Truc Diem currently joins the Miss International 2011 in China. Thai Ha, after the the Tourism Queen International 2009 in China, is now preparing for the Miss Earth 2011 in November.

“My top goal is being named in the world beauty map,” stated supermodel Thai Ha.

According to models, beauty titles bring about career opportunities and new social relations. Miss Vietnam 2006 Mai Phuong Thuy, who ranked 17th at the Miss World 2006, is a brilliant example. Thuy’s name has become very popular. She has been invited to a lot of events and signed many high-value advertising contracts. She has also become an ambassador of many social activities.

Other models like Vo Hoang Yen, Chung Thuc Quyen, Vo Hoang Diep, etc. have become celebrities after their names are linked with beauty titles.
The benefit from beauty titles has urged famous models to seek for higher titles. After being failing to get a license for the Miss Earth 2011, Golden Prize winner of the Vietnam Supermodel 2010 Ngoc Thach plans to compete at the upcoming Miss Vietnam pageant, to seek for a national beauty title to be eligible for international beauty contests in the future.

Ngoc Thach has quietly trained herself in the past two years. As a university student, she has hired English tutors and attends courses on communications and performing skills.

Model Phan Nhu Thao, who is Miss Ca Mau province, is also ambitious to conquer international beauty contests. In 2007, Thao entered the top 15 of Miss Vietnam World. Since then Thao has become a famous model and a popular actress in TV series. This year, she was one of the top five beauties at the Miss Vietnam Global in the USA. However, Thao is not satisfied with the title and said she’d to continue seeking international titles.

However, beauty titles are not always good. Model Ngoc Trinh was recently crowned at the Miss Vietnam Global 2011 but she was not welcomed home. Her title is said to be absurd.

Most recently, the Miss Asia Pacific 2011 in South Korea, with the participation of Vietnamese model Truong Tung Lan, turned out to be a scandal. The public is more anxious about the nature of “international beauty contests.”

The world “Miss” is used very easily in Vietnam. After participating in any beauty contest at home or abroad, models are immediately called “Miss.”

Giang My, who was crowned as Miss Hung Kings’ Temple in 1990 and is now a successful businesswoman and celebrity, said that beauty contests must be filtered and the title “Miss” should not be used rampantly, for any beauty contest.

Director of Elite Vietnam, former model Thuy Hanh, also said that the word “Miss” should be used for national beauty contests only.

According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s regulation, issued in 2009, only one national beauty pageant is organized in Vietnam annually and the winner of this contest is called “Miss.”

VNE