HE TOOK a look at a photo.

And that was enough for American Carrick Stomp, 25, to fly halfway around the world to ask the woman in the picture to be his wife.

The systems engineer flew to Singapore from Florida last month to choose a Vietnamese bride from matchmaking agency Vietnam Brides International, located in Orchard Plaza.

The agency was at the centre of a controversy in June this year, when a US human rights group protested against Diners Club offering its cardholders an interest-free instalment plan to pay for a Vietnamese bride.

The plan was eventually withdrawn.

Mr Stomp had seen a photo of Miss Vo Thi Thu, 23, on the agency's website and decided she was the one.

He is among a growing number of foreign men who turn up at matchmaking agencies in Singapore to find a Vietnamese bride.

The owner of Vietnam Brides International, MrMark Lin, said when he first started his business in 2003, almost all his clients were locals.

In 2004, he had a customer from the UK, and in 2007, he had three Taiwanese customers.

But this year alone, Mr Lin had three Taiwanese customers, as well as three customers from Italy, the US and France.

Family values

In an e-mail interview with The New Paper, Mr Stomp revealed that while he was studying computing at Florida International University in 2006, a Korean classmate had told him there were matchmaking agencies in Singapore that specialised in Vietnamese brides.

'I was interested in the emphasis on family and marriage that Vietnamese culture has. These are important to me,' he said.

Mr Stomp said he had two Caucasian girlfriends before. He had also dated two women of Latin American descent. All the relationships did not work out.

He said that most of the girls he dated did not share his values concerning love, family, marriage and commitment like a Vietnamese bride would.

So in March, Mr Stomp looked up the websites of matchmaking agencies worldwide, including South Korea and Taiwan.

He came across Vietnam Brides International's website and browsed its online bridal portfolio before coming here.

Mr Stomp said: 'As soon as I saw Thu's picture, I knew she was the right girl for me. Her smile was pure and innocent.'

Mr Stomp, who has Asian, Caucasian and Afro-American ancestry, said his parents had no issues with him finding a foreign bride.

He e-mailed Mr Lin, who arranged for him to meet Miss Thu when he arrived in Singapore early last month.

Knowing that communication would be a challenge, Miss Thu carried a small notebook that she used to write English words.

Mr Stomp said: 'We talked using short and easy-to-understand phrases.'

Sand gets in his eyes

Once, while shopping in Orchard Road with Miss Thu, sand got into Mr Stomp's eyes. She told him to go to a nearby washroom to wash his face.

After that incident, Mr Stomp said he was sure she was the one for him.

He said: 'She's very nice and sensitive. I'm so lucky to have met her.'

The New Paper spoke to Miss Thu separately in the agency's office.

She said in halting English: 'He's good to me and I know he's sincere about settling down.'

During the interview, an Italian man in his 50s arrived at the agency to choose a bride.

He declined to be interviewed, but Mr Lin said he lives in Thailand and was keen to remarry after a divorce several years ago.

Five girls who were in the agency office sat themselves around a table, hoping to be chosen. Within 10 minutes, the man chose MissHoang Thi Thanh Mai, 27, to be his wife.

Miss Mai said: 'Since this Italian man likes me and I'm comfortable with him, how long we know each other isn't a problem.'

The Internet has helped market Singapore's Vietnamese matchmaking agencies to an international audience.

Said Mr Lin: 'Many Singaporeans speak English, so we're better positioned to attend to overseas customers.

'There are Vietnamese matchmaking agencies in South Korea and Taiwan, but people there hardly speak English so it's hard for an American or a European to find a bride there.'

Mr Loi Eng Tuang, who runs South Phoenix Marriage Centre, said he had an Australian client last year.

Mr Francis Toh, owner of First Overseas International Matchmaker, said he had clients from US and China who learnt about his agency through the Internet.

When he opened shop in 2003, most of his clients were locals. After he launched his website in 2007, he had enquiries from foreigners, many of them from China.

This year, he has had three clients from China, one from US and one from India.

He said: 'With the Internet, potential clients can see how the girls look like so they won't make a wasted trip here.'

This article was first published in The New Paper