Either you get the reference or you don't, the message is still the same. “ບໍ່” (pronounced bor) means no in Lao. This illustration is a parody of an anti-alcohol propaganda poster originally from the mid 20th century Soviet Union with the word Het! Russian for no!
I was inspired by an observation from living in Laos, the drinking culture that I experienced. If you know anything about the drinking culture in Laos, you are unlikely (1 out of 10) to find a Lao person refusing a drink. I reimagined what a Lao anti-alcohol propaganda poster would look like. I imagine a scene at a Lao wedding, where people are going around serving shots or beer. Forcefully encouraging each other by saying “ໝົດ! ໝົດ! ໝົດ!” (Mod! Mod! Mod! - Bottoms up!). A person at the wedding, interrupted in the middle of their meal, sticky rice in hand, who has had enough, puts up his hand and says bor!
On a serious note, in Laos there is a lot of drinking and driving here. And let's be honest, there are barely any reinforcements to prevent driving under the influence. With drinking and driving there are road accidents, especially during the festive months like Lao New Years and wedding seasons. All this peer pressure to drink can sometimes get out of hand and can cause someone to get hurt or even lose their life. I hope this illustration is a reminder that it’s OK to say ບໍ່!