For the people of the small, landlocked Southeast Asian nation of Laos, winning a lottery jackpot is more than just financial luck. It’s a shared tradition, a source of hope and an opportunity to come together as a community.
Despite this sense of communal spirit, the lottery is not without its issues. Some Lao residents have accused lottery officials of rigging the system, manipulating numbers in order to avoid large pay-outs. The drawing, which takes place three times a week, often shows numbers that vanish from purchased tickets or that are considered unlucky. Those who follow the lottery closely also say that the lottery’s business interests are connected to members of the country’s ruling elite, and they do not know how much these businesses pay to run the lottery.
The latest controversy revolves around the number 67. The number is associated with the turtle, a symbol of bad luck in Laos. The digits also appear in the names of two former prime ministers, and some believe the lottery may be rigged to benefit those with close ties to the government. Others have questioned the weight of the lottery balls, saying that the heaviest ball will fall into the hole faster and the odds of winning are therefore lower.
To help address some of these concerns, the finance ministry has stepped in to conduct an investigation into the lottery. It has promised to make changes that will restore faith in the game, including reducing the number of drawings from three to one per week. “We are working hard to improve the transparency and accountability of the lottery,” said Vilasack Phommaluck, an official in the ministry who serves on the committee that oversees the lottery.
Another change the ministry is considering is cutting back on live broadcasts of the drawings to reduce the likelihood of shenanigans. But it is not clear whether the changes will be enough to regain the public’s trust in the lottery.
While the lottery is an important way for many Laos to make money, it is a gamble and can have serious consequences for those who lose. Those who win should be reminded that the thrill of winning must be balanced with a sense of responsibility. “People should remember that they are participating in a gambling activity and it is their own choice to play, not because of any influence from the government,” said a senior official with the finance ministry.
Dearest Sister is a smart, well-crafted Lao film that takes a supernatural premise and spins it into a compelling class critique, a psychological horror and an atmospheric suspense tale. It is a more impressive film than the Thai movies that get all the attention each year, and it deserves a wider audience.
