First Female Self-Made Billionaire In Vietnam: Thanks To Her Bikini Airline

In a culture where men are thought as stronger in business, one Vietnamese woman emerged as a victor. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao established her bikini airline, which made her the first female self-made billionaire in Vietnam.

VietJet's Bikini-Clad Flight Attendants

Thao's VietJet is a low-budget airline that made headlines because of its bikini-clad flight attendants. It also has calendars and brochures featuring bikini-clad models. When an image from a trial photo shoot was leaked, the airline suffered from ridicule from social media users.

Yahoo reported that Thao views the bikini uniform as a way of empowering women. She admits that Vietnam is a very conservative country and highlighting women wearing only bikinis is not something abhorrent but gives women a sense of empowerment.

"You have the right to wear anything you like, either the bikini or the traditional ao dai," Thao said. The bikini uniform of the flight attendants on VietJet is a stark contrast to the long ao dai.

Thao's principle includes pushing for a positive change in the country. She also recognizes international integration that is happening in Vietnam, which must have been the reason why she modeled her business to deviate from the conservative Vietnamese culture.

Fines And Discrimination

The road to becoming Vietnam's first female self-made billionaire wasn't easy. Thao confronted a lot of challenges both from the media and from the Vietnamese government. In 2012, the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam fined VietJet for $1,000 after it hosted a show in flight. The airline also put a halt on its calendars since it was called "discriminatory."

Staying Strong

Bloomberg reported that the net worth of Thao exceeds $1 billion. She made her first million trading fax machines at 21. Her keen sense of business propelled her to the top of Vietnam's business echelons.

Thao's business model may not go well with conservative Vietnam, or even with many people out there. What's certain is that her business sense made her the first female self-made billionaire in Vietnam.