Dang Thu Thao

Đặng Thu Thảo (born February 15, 1991 ) is a Vietnamese model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Vietnam 2012.

Biography Thảo is her parents' second child, with an elder brother. Her father is Dang Van Dat, who was a teacher before quitting due to illness, then later become a farmer at a fish farm. Her mother is Nguyen Hong Tho, who is a tailor. They own the Tan Dat fish farm in Ngan Dừa.

Initially after her parents' marriage, most of the family's income came from her father's salary for teaching, which was not high; her mother worked as a farmer and part-time tailor. They lived in a poor and remote area. The family later moved to Hồng Dân district for the fish business; there, it would be more convenient for their children to attend school. Their business initially faced difficulties, but became more stable in the course of time. In 2005, their house was demolished in the building of the district's administrative headquarters. The fish farm was then moved to Thong Nhat Ward, in Ngan Dừa.

After Thảo's high school graduation, her family could not afford the university's tuition. Thảo obtained her mother's permission to work for a year in order to earn tuition money. She learned makeup skills and met Dang Hung, a well-known makeup artist in Cần Thơ, who advised her to compete in beauty pageants; however, she opted to focus on working.

She moved to Cần Thơ to work as a cosmetic seller in a supermarket. The job required her to wear makeup every day, which caused her concern about her skin condition, so she quit to become a drink mixer. This job proved time-consuming, so she left it to focus on her education.

In 2012, Thảo was named Miss Mekong Delta. Later that year, she was crowned Miss Vietnam.

Thảo has been praised for her scandal-free life and for her activities in support of the community. She twice declined to represent Vietnam at the Miss World beauty pageant.