The last quarter of the year is proving to be a significant one for Vietnam in terms of international pageantry, with two global competitions in that country and an international crown for a resident of the capital Ho Chi Minh (or Saigon).

It may appear unlikely for a communist country to take part in the trappings of international beauty contests, but that is what is happening in Vietnam at present.

In October, Vietnamese organizers mounted the Miss Cosmo competition, an international pageant aimed at rivaling the Miss Universe tilt. It gathered 56 delegates from around the world, and crowned Indonesia’s Ketut Permata Juliastrid as its pioneer queen.

The Philippines’ Ahtisa Manalo, who was first runner-up in the 2018 Miss International pageant, made it to the Top 10 of the new Vietnam-based pageant. Manalo, of Quezon province, said she decided to participate in Miss Cosmo when the opportunity to compete abroad arose with her second runner-up finish in the 2024 Miss Universe Philippines pageant.

Vietnam will again host a bevy of international beauties this month, with the second staging of the Miss Charm pageant.

The inaugural edition of the Miss Charm pageant was held in February 2023, with the Philippines’ Annabelle McDonnell finishing as first runner-up. This year, California-based reality TV personality Kayla Jean Carter will wear the Philippine sash.

But perhaps the biggest pageantry milestone for Vietnam this year is the coronation of Huynh Thi Thanh Thuy as the first Miss International winner to come from the Southeast Asian communist country.

Huynh, a model and student, edged out 71 other aspirants for the title at the 62nd staging of the Miss International pageant in Tokyo on Nov. 12. She inherited the crown from Andrea Rubio of the powerhouse country of Venezuela.

“I’m so happy. I hope that, and I believe that, my Vietnamese fans and my parents,and my friends will be proud, so much, of me. Thank you for all your support throughout the world,” Huynh said after her coronation at the Tokyo Dome City Hall.

She added: “I know that Vietnamese fans support me a lot. Everyone put their energy for me, and the motivation for me. I really love them. I prepared a lot, from my experience, my clothes, my skills–everything has to be perfect.”

According to Huynh, her most memorable pageant moment in Japan was seeing a Japanese woman holding the flag of Vietnam. “I was so proud and I wanted to cry. I really thank this woman who supports me a lot. And I love them,” she said.

As the newly-crowned Miss International, Huynh said, “I will bring the Japanese culture to Vietnam, and I will bring Vietnamese culture to Japan. It’s a cultural exchange, and I want to promote it.”

Actually, Vietnam is not a newbie in international pageantry, having scored milestones in the past: It hosted the 57th Miss Universe pageant in Nha Trang in 2008, and two editions of the Miss Earth pageant in 2010 and 2023.