Reprinted with permission from Nokobal Pracheachun (People's Police), of Nov., 10.

Cambodia is now very easy, isn't she? The so-called banks are growing rapidly like mushrooms throughout the country.

Oh God! Because of my ambition to earn interest, I have sold my house, land and other possessions and keep my money

in the bank.

But then, of course, both the capital and interest nearly vanished finally. I almost hanged myself, but luckily

something forced me to change my mind and return to my old career-farming.

Later on, while planting rice in the field, a strange breeze hit my ears, whispering, "Please risk your fate.

. .a millionaire. . .Cambodia Pools lottery. . .U.S. $200,000. . .come on, boy!"

Oh dear, hearing this, my hair stood straight on end because I thought it would help me to regain my loss.

Working in the rice field all my life would never bring us such amounts of money, I thought, so why not sell this

rice field and take up this new career?

My God! Advertising notices are seen on every corner, and on TV and radio.

Maybe the state gets a lot of money from the lottery, which is why they permit this risky game.

While working in the police force some time ago, I was told to bust up numbers games as they thought it was a social

worm destroying society and that it only created robberies.

It makes my head ache to diagnose the situation which is a world different from before. So if you want to vanish

soon, come and join in the lottery game.

- Daem Tunauth (Palm Tree)

- Translated by Moeun Chhean Nariddh