VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s Inspectorate last weekend found the organizing board of Miss Vietnam 2008 violated the rules by requesting a reconsideration of Tran Thi Thuy Dung’s Miss Vietnam 2008 crown.

Miss Vietnam 2008 Tran Thi Thuy Dung

According to inspectors, the Tien Phong Newspaper and the organizing board of the pageant willingly changed rules on cultural standards of contestants to the Miss Vietnam 2008 pageant. This act violated Article 4 of the regulations on beauty contests issued on March 24, 2006 of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and violated Point A, Article 6 of scheme 306 dated October 5, 2007 on the Miss Vietnam 2008 pageant approved by the Ministry.

According to the regulations, contestants of the Miss Vietnam pageant must be at least high-school graduates but the organizers of the Miss Vietnam 2008 pageant announced to welcome contestants who only need to at least study high-school.

After the semi-final round, the organizing board didn’t send the copies of documents about contestants who entered the final round to the Performing Art Agency and this act violated Article 2, Decision 80/QD dated January 1, 2008 of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism that licensed the Miss Vietnam 2008 contest.

Inspectors also confirmed that Miss Vietnam 2008 Tran Thi Thuy Dung did not graduate high school, a prerequisite for pageant contestants.

Inspectors have proposed the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism fine the organizing board, in accordance with Decree 56, under which the maximum fine is VND10 million ($600).

Inspectors also requested the organizing board of Miss Vietnam 2008 pageant to reconsider the title of Miss Vietnam 2008 of Tran Thi Thuy Dung and proposed the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to not allow Tran Thi Thuy Dung to take part in the upcoming Miss World 2008 in South Africa.

Le Ngoc Cuong, Head of the Performance Art Agency, said that the first and second runners-up of Miss Vietnam 2008 will not be sent to South Africa.

Vietnam may find it difficult to field a candidate for Miss World 2008. The other choices now include Miss Vietnam Ethnics Nguyen Thi Hoang Nhung, the first runner-up of Miss Vietnam Universe 2008, Vo Hoang Yen and the second-runner up Duong Truong Thien Ly.

Nhung, a Tay ethnic girl, 22, is now a student of the Hanoi Culture University. Vo Hoang Yen, 1.79m, is a supermodel but is thought to be better suited to the catwalk, not a beauty contest. Thien Ly has a very beautiful face but is just 1.67m tall.

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Son Ha