Sorry to write in English because my computer is not able to write Lao.
I think in those days, Lao people do not know what is Bank? Where to save their money, If old people have a lot of money they will keep it in the jar under the ground, have you heard about this story, Hai Ngern Hai Kham?
One reason is that Laos use to faced a lot of war which we have to move very often and gold is moveable and can be sold when we need - this is applied to my family because we used to live in XK province and moving is part of our family lives. And the last reason is that Lao people believe gold is the best material for human, it does not matter if you live or die. As we can see when someone dies the family will put gold into the mouth as this is believed that the death person can use this gold for exchange to escape from the hell (Na Loke)?? And also the death person with the gold will reborn with wealth.
Sorry to in English because I don't Lao script @ work.
I would like to response to Siam love Lao. I think you wrote good thing about lao and thai we have cheer the same language and ancestor. But point I want to make to you is thai people are always self-fishness. you look down on Laos as your slave because Siam defeated Chao Anouvong. I tell you now and then lao people never your slave and we are careless about you think. Lao people are poor, but never ask thai people for food and helps and thai people want to helps for youself after all, you complain like baby.
Why lao people like to shop in our neighbor countries? Cheap and save money is right answer but, if lao people are smart they shouldn't blow their Dollars away from Laos. Lao people like to have BIG FACE and SHOW OFF and same as Thai people like to go shopping in Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan Hong Kong and Singapore eventhought Bangkok shopping mall is the best shopping mall in the world.