Since we are on the topic of the post office this week, I think it appropriate to do one more stamp post before moving on to another subject. First, before I begin, please support the post office. Go send a letter to someone. Don't feel like writing? Buy some stamps. Quarantined or self-isolated? Order some stamps online and have them sent to you by the USPS! Seriously, they even have dinosaur stamps right now.
Laos, or the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. Bordered by Thailand and Vietnam, there are huge cultural similarities between Laos and its' neighbors. In fact, Laotian and Thai are considered "mutually intelligible" languages, meaning that speakers of one language can understand the other. The origins of Laos can be traced back to the 14th century, however, historical evidence shows signs of tribes migrating to the area of Laos and Thailand as early as the 8th century. Occupied by the French for 60 years, Laos gained its' independence in 1953.
During the Vietnam War, Laos was an integral part of the military presence. Parts of Laos were invaded by North Vietnam, and the United States, in typical fashion, had the CIA train Laotian soldiers and paramilitary groups.
In order to prevent Vietnamese forces from destroying the Kingdom of Laos government, and since American forces would have been slaughtered if the Vietnamese gained access to the Ho Chi Minh Trail, the CIA dropped two million tons of bombs on Laos over a 9 year period. Laos, relative to the size of its' population, became the most heavily bombed country in history. The total tonnage was nearly equal to the amount of bombs the United States dropped on Europe and Asia in World War 2. To quote The New York Times, this was "nearly a ton for every person in Laos."
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| Never enough Elvis |
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| Elis Presley, Laotian superstar |
This counterfeit Laotian postage stamp, featuring world famous musician and performer Elvis Presley, is incredibly unique. In order to explain the singularity of this stamp, we have to break down the various parts of it.
As you can see, the price of this stamp is 5500 kip.
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| 5500 Laotian kip |
In 1999, this stamp would be equivalent to nearly $5 USD. For a country that was estimated to have nearly 40% of its population living in poverty, a $5 stamp seems out of place. Second, this stamp features Elvis Presley, and while his fame was certainly worldwide, Laotian stamps almost exclusively feature scenes in nature or historical Laos. Third, you can see the printing of "Elis Presley" in the lower left corner of the stamp.
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| The "V" is leaving the building |
Although French is used in Laos, and even on this very stamp (Postes Lao 1999), Elvis Presley's name was always printed using the English spelling, even on foreign advertisements.
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| Adhesive-free back |
Counterfeit postage stamps have been around for as long as real postage stamps. As a form of currency, they are often the target of forgers and criminals. Even opposing countries during wartime have counterfeited stamps, in order to take money out of the hands of rival governments. In 1999 and 2001, the Laos Postal Administration notified the Universal Postal Union that counterfeit postage stamps were being produced with figures of celebrities and athletes. These stamps included John Lennon, JFK, Muhammad Ali, Martin Luther King Jr., and many more.
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