Dang Thu Thao from the southern province of Bac Lieu was crowned Miss Vietnam 2012, beating 38 other contestants to the final round that took place in central city of Da Nang on August 25.

Thao, a 21-year-old student at Tay Do University in Can Tho city, won the title together a 300 million VND cash prize. The first and second runners-up were Duong Tu Anh, 19, and Do Hoang Anh, 18, both from Hanoi .

They were awarded 150 million VND and 100 million VND in cash prize, respectively. Besides, the organisers also awarded six other titles in other categories, including Miss Talent, Miss Beach, Miss Ao Dai (Vietnamese traditional dress) and Miss Beautiful Face.

The contest, which drew more than 1,000 contestants across the country, was co-organised by Tien Phong (the Vanguard newspaper) and Da Nang People’s Committee.-VNA