(KPL) A 38-year old man, resident of Phonsavang Neua village, Kaysone Phomvihane district, Savannakhet province, found written on the underside of a Lao Beer bottle cap a Ford Ranger car award to the finder.

The Lao Brewery Company (LBC) organised a hand-over ceremony of this prize to the awardee, Mr Bounhieng Phorkaluad in Vientiane Capital on 26 August. LBC representatives and members of the Lao media were present at the event.
Mr Bounhieng is the second person to have won the Beerlao bottle cap prize and to receive a Ford Ranger car. Mr Bounyong Vannihon had won such a prize on 2 July this year.

“I never dreamed and thought of that I would get a Ford Ranger from finding a prize from such a special Beerlao bottle cap because thousands of people drink Beerlao daily throughout the country and why should it be that it is me who should be so lucky,” said Mr Bounhieng excitingly.

He told the Lao media at the hand-over ceremony that he was out with his friends to drink beer some time in August 2008 at Sengsavang restaurant and they had eight bottles of Beerlao. By chance he scratched a bottle cap and he found the words describing a Ford Ranger.

He is a farmer and at times he could not even scrape enough money to buy farm tools. He told the journalists that he would use his new car prudently to make money and so he would go for small business.

The Lao Brewery Company said the car prize was meant to reward its regular customers and to commemorate its 35th founding anniversary. The prizes are worth 3 billion kip.

Mr Kissana Vongsay, Manager Director of the LBC said “This year is our 35th founding anniversary so we want to offer prizes to reward all those who bought our products and to tell them that their purchases had helped us support various charitable activities.”