A publicity shot of Nguyen Thai Ha who will represent Vietnam in the Miss Tourism Queen International 2009 pageant in China this month

Another of Vietnam’s top models takes on an international beauty pageant.

Ha will compete at the Miss Tourism Queen International beauty contest which begins Friday in Zhengzhou, China.

Ha said she was totally confident after being selected by top Vietnamese modeling agency Venus Company from its hundreds of models wishing to participate in the contest.

Ha is a popular model on both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City catwalks. After studying at Vietnam Dance College she became the second runner-up at the Miss Hanoi Contest 2005. In the Vietnam Supermodel 2009 in June, Ha was the fourth runner-up and also took home Best Performance Style.

Ha currently models for Venus Company and is known for her sultry bikini photo shoots.

With her near-perfect measurements – 90-61-93 and 1.76 meters tall – her eye-catching face and confident performances, 22- year-old Ha said she was thrilled to be picked to represent Vietnam, but that she had little time to prepare.

“I am very proud, and trying to get ready as quick as possible,” she said. “Besides undergoing health and figure training, I’m also studying society, culture and tourism so I can best answer the questions at the contest.”

Ha’s biggest challenge at the moment is paying the pageant’s expenses as Venus Co. pays half the cost. For the rest of the funds, she has to fend for herself.

At the contest, Ha will perform a folk dance in non quai thao (flat palm hat with fringes) and ao tu than (traditional Vietnamese four-panel traditional tunic). Ha says she wants to show the world a “real” Vietnamese woman.

“I think a pure and graceful Vietnamese woman will be an outstanding image, of which the center will be the ao dai, because it a symbol of our national spirit,” she said. “I am totally confident and trying my best… but maybe a little bit of luck will help.”

According to Thai Ha, designer Hoang Hai and ABC fashion line have designed her evening gowns and ao dai.

Vu Khac Tiep, southern regional director of Venus, says he thinks Ha can win big at the contest.

“Catwalk experience, fluent English and charming beauty will help her get the crown.”

Around the pageant

Miss Tourism Queen International is an annual Chinese-based international beauty contest established in 2004. In April 2008, the pageant set the record for the most participants in an international beauty contest with 113 women competing. The contestants are not just from countries and territories but also from famous tourist regions including Bali, Borneo and Hawaii.

Last year’s contest was won by Silvia Vanessa Cornejo Cerna of Peru.

Over 110 beauties from around the world will travel to China for this year’s event, where they will compete as tourism ambassadors for their respective countries.

The highest prize that a Vietnamese woman has won at the contest is Chung Thuc Quyen’s Queen of Mercy title in 2008. Six Vietnamese have competed in the last six years.

The crown to be given to the winner of this year’s event has been specially designed by Wisavej Watanasuk and sponsored by St. Ureka. Co. Ltd.

Reported by Thanh Khang