Singer-turned-actress Nguyen Thuy Lam won Miss Universe Vietnam 2008 last night at Nha Trang’s Vinpearl Land resort.

The Vinpearl Land’s Event Hall was packed full and nearly exploded when Lam won the title that will propel her to represent Vietnam at the Miss Universe competition this July. long with a US$12,000 crown, she also won VND100 million ($6,060) and a $2,000 scholarship to study English. Lam, 21, is a popular singer who has also become known as a TV actress. She used to live in Germany and is fluent in both English and German. Lam and first runner up Vo Hoang Yen and second runner up Duong Truong Thien Ly outperformed 17 other women at the contest. Yen and Ly received awards worth VND180 million ($10,910) and VND125 million ($7,576), respectively. Yen, 20, won the top prize at the national Supermodel Contest 2008 in April. She is now a professional model in Ho Chi Minh City. Ly, 19, is a student at Saint Mary’s College in the US. “Tonight is the most unforgettable night of my life,” said Lam in her victory speech. “All of my counterparts are wonderful and I am proud of our efforts. “I would like to extend my gratitude to my family and all my Vietnamese friends, whose support gave me the confidence to be the winner tonight as well as the encouragement to fulfill my dreams at the international level,” said Lam.