Misses Vietnam and Thailand are Misses International Beauty 2009 and Global Beauty Queen 2009

Two beauty contests crowned their winners last night, August 1st, in a single pageant in Daqing, China.

Vietnam's Diep Hoang Thi Vu was crowned Miss International Beauty 2009 while Miss Thailand Vasana Wongbuntree was proclaimed Miss Global Beauty Queen 2009.

The two said pageants which are owned both by ERM World were supposed to have staged separately but an ethnic tensions between Chinese Muslims and Christians in Urumqi City forced Miss International Beauty 2009 to be transferred to Daqing City.

The pageant last night proclaimed two winners with the same set of runners-up.

Misses Vietnam's and Thailand's court include 1st Runner-up Miss Russia Botova Anna, 2nd Runner-up Taiwan Chen Ni-ya, 3rd Runner-up Miss Italy Calicchia Eliana Catherina and 4th Runner-up Miss Brazil Mariana Nues Bathke.

The rest of the fifteen semi-finalists were Misses Canada - Toronto, South Korea, Australia, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, Poland, Puerto Rico - Ponce, China - Daqing and China - Ningbo.

Other prizes:
1. Best National Costume - Miss Philippines
2. Miss Photogenic - Miss Thailand
3. Best Congeniality - Miss Indonesia
4. Best Skin and Catwalk - Miss China
5. Best Charity - Miss Singapore.

Specials thanks to Miss Joyce Ann Burton, Miss Philippines Universe 1985, who is always mentioning our site in her blog. Visit her blog to read her thoughts on pageantry by clicking HERE.

Miss Philippines Lopena Maria Elena Salas Wins Miss Talent at Miss International Beauty

Miss Philippines - Manila Lopena Maria Elena Salas was proclaimed the winner of Miss Talent at the ongoing Miss International Beauty 2009 in China. The contest was held on July 21st in Mudanjiang City in China.

First Runner-up was Miss Puerto Rico - Ponce Pacheco Montanez Darli Arni. Second Runner-up was Miss China - Beijing Ye Ze Jin.

If you have visited the official website of the pageant, you will notice that some countries have two representatives. This is because two pageants were merged into one. Here is an explanation from Critical Beauty.

"A new pageant called "Miss International Beauty" is supposed to be taking place from July 5 to 28 in Urumqui, the capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China's most western province. Urumqui witnessed deadly protests last weekend caused by ethnic tensions between the Uyghurs, who are predominantly Muslim, and members of China's Han majority. On July 10th, the coordinator of the pageant, Alex Liu of ERM World, sent a note to all national directors informing them that the Miss International Beauty 2009 Contest will be moved to Daqing city in northern China. Another pageant, Miss Global Beauty Queen 2009 (also produced by ERM World), will be held from July 16 to August 2nd also in Daqing city. Liu informed the national directors that both pageants will be reorganized as one: "Two winners (Miss International Beauty 2009 and Miss Global Beauty Queen 2009) will be selected on the 1st August 2009 and the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Runners ups will be the runner-ups of both contests."