This is the second consecutive year that Vietnam will not send a contestant to the Miss Earth pageant, held in the Philippines in early November.

Truong Thi May.

Elite Vietnam’s executive manager Thuy Nga reported that they had finalized preparations for Truong Thi May to go to the Philippines for Miss Earth 2009.

Nga said that Elite Vietnam chose supermodel Huynh Thanh Tuyen but Tuyen declined because she was recently married. Truong Thi May was the alternate choice.

May’s photos were posted on the Miss Earth’s website and Elite Vietnam helped her to prepare for the pageant. May recently suffered a serious sprain when she fell down a flight of stairs. Elite hoped to locate another contestant, but time constraints would not allow adequate preparation.

Hoang Thanh Tuyen.

After four years of participation from 2004-2007, Vietnam was absent from Miss Earth in 2008 and will be absent again this year. Elite Vietnam confirmed that Vietnam will try to attend next year because the pageant is among the five biggest beauty pageants in the world.

Vietnam’s highest awards at Miss Earth thus far have been Miss Talent for Ha Anh in 2006 and Miss Fashion for Truc Diem in 2007.

PV