Thu Mai - the first Vietnamese runner-up: Died due to illness, her personal life was extremely private

According to shared information, runner-up Thu Mai passed away on the morning of February 19 after being treated for many diseases and suffering from kidney failure. The funeral of the late beauty will take place at Hospital 354 Funeral Home (Ba Dinh District, Hanoi City), with the visitation from 1pm on February 23.

In the last years of her life, runner-up Thu Mai lived a private life and had a happy family with her husband and a daughter. She teaches piano to children at her home.

Thu Mai was born in 1970 and graduated from the piano department of the Military University of Culture and Arts. Runner-up Thu Mai is the daughter of musician Luong Ngoc Trac (real name Nguyen Que Ngach, later changed to Nguyen Que Trac) and stage actress, Meritorious Artist Thuy Chi.

Thu Mai was the first runner-up in the history of the Miss Vietnam contest when it was first held in 1988. That year's contest was held at the Youth Cultural House (Hanoi).

At that year's contest, the crowned beauty was Bui Bich Phuong, while Thu Mai was chosen as the only runner-up, there was no second runner-up.

Sharing with Tien Phong, Miss Tien Phong 1988 Bui Bich Phuong said she was still shocked when she received news that runner-up Nguyen Thu Mai passed away on the morning of February 19. She was silent and confused when she heard the news.

Miss Bui Bich Phuong said that after the first Miss Vietnam contest (then also known as Miss Tien Phong Newspaper Conference in 1988), the beauties in the Top 3 did not have too many opportunities to meet. One time, when she married Thanh Huong, the sisters also met.

"I used to go to Thu Mai's house on Phan Huy Chu street (Hanoi). I always saw her happy, bright, and open. Mai studied at the Piano Department, Military University of Culture and Arts. She has My lover's name was Cong. They later got married. Mr. Cong was very thoughtful and often picked her up. We admired her love very much," Bui Bich Phuong recounted.

When Tien Phong newspaper or Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee organized events and exchanges, she and runner-up Thu Mai had the opportunity to meet again.

"At that time, we were still very young, each of us had a different situation, everything was still ahead of us, so we rarely had the opportunity to meet each other. I went to Ms. Mai's wedding. The last time we saw each other was about 30 years ago. At that time, Tien Phong newspaper initiated a small charity group, gathering many beauty queens and beauties. At that time, Ms. Thu Mai had just given birth to her first child but also actively participated," Miss Bui Bich Phuong said.

In the memory of Miss Vietnam 1988, runner-up Thu Mai possesses a unique and attractive beauty. "Ms. Thu Mai is very beautiful, tall and tall. Her smile is charming and attractive thanks to her crooked teeth. The freckles on her cheeks are also very beautiful, her brown hair looks even more attractive and outstanding", Hoa Queen Bich Phuong recalls.

Runner-up Thu Mai's clear, captivating eyes and charming smile are the two beautiful features that Miss Bui Bich Phuong remembers most.

Miss Bich Phuong said that participating in the first beauty pageant after the country's unification organized by Tien Phong newspaper, runner-up Thu Mai was loved by many contestants because of her cheerful and sociable personality.

She once visited runner-up Thu Mai's house and was warmly and sincerely welcomed. Runner-up Thu Mai brings a warm feeling right from the first contact.

"It is said that a woman's gentleness conquers the world. Thu Mai is such a person. Everything about her has the typical elegance of Hanoi women. I haven't seen her for many years, but I don't I can't forget that beauty in her," Miss Bich Phuong confided.

Miss Bui Bich Phuong

She still remembers when participating in the contest, runner-up Thu Mai had a boyfriend who encouraged and took very good care of her. She said: "Mr. The Cong took care of and picked up Ms. Thu Mai extremely thoughtfully. Many of the women competing with him recognized his meticulousness and attention to every detail. We are happy for Ms. Mai because two People are as attached as a picture and a shadow, the two have the appearance of husband and wife, very compatible." After the competition, runner-up Thu Mai and her boyfriend got married. The two have a daughter.

The first beauty contest was organized by Tien Phong newspaper in 1988, taking place in just one day at the Youth Cultural House (Hanoi). Nearly 100 contestants registered to compete, the organizers decided to select over 40 finalists to participate in performing on stage.

At that time, participating in beauty pageants was so new, the organizers used grassroots Youth Union organizations in many provinces and cities across the country to encourage contestants to register for the contest.

The winner of the 1988 contest received a Mifa bicycle from socialist East Germany, the price equivalent to 4 taels of gold at that time, and a crown. The competition is held every 2 years.

Many famous beauties have been crowned from Miss Vietnam such as: Ha Kieu Anh (1992), Nguyen Thu Thuy (1994), Nguyen Thi Huyen (2004), Mai Phuong Thuy (2006), Dang Ngoc Han (2010), Dang Thu Thao (2012), Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen (2014), Do My Linh (2016), Tran Tieu Vy (2018), Do Thi Ha (2020), Huynh Thi Thanh Thuy (2022)...

Bui Bich Phuong - the first Miss Vietnam: Modest height but highly educated, how is she now after leaving showbiz? JLO16:26:37 23/11/2023As the first Miss Vietnam, Bui Bich Phuong is considered the most typical beauty queen, with the most lasting beauty in terms of body shape, personality, cultural behavior and also contributes a lot to society. After 35 years of coronation, she still maintains a beautiful image in the hearts of the public.