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Can you have a swimsuit competition in a land-locked country?

The Miss Laos 2009 pageant included a 9-course dinner along with all the Beer Lao and Scotch you could drink. The show began at 7 and went on until 11. There were about 1,000 people in attendance including a handful of falangs. It was televised live on one of the government controlled TV stations here.

The 24 contestants paraded in their colorful, beautiful, traditional Lao attire. JoJo had #4 pegged as a winner (she came in second), I put my money on #12 (third place). The winner, #1, became an instant millionaire, receiving a huge cardboard check for 50,000,000 kip ($6,000), plus a new car. She was thrilled, moved, tears flowed, cameras snapped, Burt Parks smiled from above.