In the heart of Southeast Asia, where the Mekong River meanders through rugged mountains and verdant plains, the nation of Laos nurtures a uniquely Lao tradition – the lottery. More than just numbers and symbols, the state lottery combines an aura of luck with cultural spectacle to create an intriguing interplay of chance and fate. The recent results of the lottery draw, for example, incorporated the lucky animal numbers 20 (crab), 21 (weaver bird), and 11 (dog). Each of these creatures carries its own cultural significance, which stirred up a wave of hope amongst the hopeful participants.
While the lottery offers an exciting avenue for potential financial gains, it is important to remember that it is a form of gambling. As such, the thrill of winning must be tempered with a sense of responsibility, mindful that the scales of fortune could tilt either way.
Lotteries first came to prominence in France in the 18th century, raising funds for religious congregations and helping fund about 15 churches in Paris alone. The success of the lottery, however, soon spawned a struggle between the monarchy and the Church for control.
Laos has an official state lottery, operated by the Ministry of Finance and overseen by the ministry’s deputy finance minister, Sila Viengkeo. He told RFA’s Lao Service on Aug. 17 that the government is working to reduce the number of draws from two to one per week and improve transparency. The office of the prime minister recently sent a directive asking the Ministry of Finance to work with the ministry of public security to better manage the lottery system.
To install the app, head to Google Play and search for Laos Lottery. Once the listing appears, tap on the install button. A window will appear with a list of permissions that the app needs, which you should accept. The app will then be downloaded onto your device, with a progress bar indicating the status of the download.
