The final round of Miss Vietnam 2008 started on August 19 in the ancient town of Hoi An. Thirty contestants who were selected out of 2,500 will take part in different competitions including costume, swim suit and question and answer rounds over the next two weeks.

Those who perform the best in these competitions will be decided when Miss Vietnam 2008 is crowned on August 31. The crowning ceremony will be held on a floating stage on the Hoai River and it will be broadcast live on VTV1, organisers said. Television audiences can vote for their favourite contestants on the internet.

Other than wearing the prized crown, contestants also have a chance to be named Miss Photogenic, Miss Friendly, Miss Ocean and Miss Earth of Vietnam.

Miss Vietnam 2008 will be awarded 150 million VND (9,500 USD), a trip to Europe and free flights with Pacific Airlines for two years. Two runners up will be awarded 80 million and 60 million VND, respectively.

This year’s Miss Vietnam will be the first to wear a special crown made to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Miss Vietnam Pageant.

The 300 million VND crown for this year’s winner is made of worth of gold by the SJC Jewel Company, and will be the official crown for Miss Vietnam from now on.

The first Miss Vietnam Pageant after the country’s reunification in 1975 was held in 1988 by the Tien Phong newspaper. Its success has resulted in a biennial event to pick Miss Vietnam, as well as similar competitions at escalating scales, such as Miss Vietnam World in 2007 and Miss Universe 2008 last month.

“That beauty pageants have attracted many fans is evidence that Vietnamese people are interested in this new cultural event,” said the editor-in-chief of Tien Phong, Duong Xuan Nam. “The success of beauty contests both locally and internationally in Vietnam has helped put Vietnamese beauties on the world’s beauties map.”

(Source: VNA)