In Laos, people buy small birds (sparrows) in cages from merchants to set them free, and make their wishes for good things for themselves and their families. In Lao tradition, it is considered to bring good fortune and health to those who free caged birds.

It depends.

The birds may have been locked up for a while and they've forgotten where their home is, or they may have been captured in a different town and bought into the city, so they can't find their way back home. Birds can easily make new friends out in the wild.

I feel sorry for the birds because many of them die in that little cage, from the heat, stress, or lack of food and water. Only a few make their way out alive.

I've lost my temper many times when a merchant asks me to set some birds free, for good luck. I often respond back to them in a angry tone that "you morons are the ones with bad karma. If I set them free, you will go to catch more back anyway."

You want to help the birds go free, but it's a never ending cycle. The merchants always capture them.

Admin Saovaluck wrote on 8^th May, 2011 at 11:38pm:


Can you translate that tirade for me? I'd like to assimilate that into my vocabulary.

It sounds very apt, considering these birds are trained to navigate their way back to the aviaries. Back into 'prison'.

Yes you can!

You've been taken for a fly.

How much does this co$t?

Has it payed dividends for you yet, nang? How has your karma been?

I never done it before. Maybe I should free couple of bird when I visited Laos for good luck.


Admin Saovaluck wrote on 15^th May, 2011 at 4:30am:

Charity work, donation. Some say ride elephant, but I don't know for sure.


Larb Dip wrote on 16^th May, 2011 at 11:47pm:

llX wrote on 17^th May, 2011 at 1:26am:




Admin Saovaluck wrote on 17^th May, 2011 at 1:59am:


Does it even work? Anyone with an anecdote to share?