That Luang Festival - a massive redistribution of wealth, a lesson in social services.
Relatively well-off Vientiane city folk flock to the country's most important stupa to give alms to monks on this 6 am cool season morning. Good luck and merit are culturally/religiously associated with this giving ritual. From silver alms bowls, fruit, candles, milk, sweets, rice, and other foodstuffs are placed with a prayer in the bowls of passing monks. A procession of giving.
Monks, young and old, returning in the backs of pickup trucks to their villages, bring bagfulls of these snacks. This is the welfare system. Those parts of society most in need - sickness stricken families, bankrupt businesses, disabled street dwellers - they go to monks and temples for help. When a family can't take care of a child - they are sent to become monks.
The culture and religion, therefore, has a built-in civil society, welfare providing, wealth redistributing system. And nicely colored robes.
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