SC account wins clouded by talk of political help

<p>BANGKOK: SC Matchbox, which is part-owned by the family of Prime </p><p>Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, has won a portion of the national Energy </p><p>Policy Office (NEPO) account, worth 44 million baht (US$1 </p><p>million). </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Saatchi & Saatchi and WPP's Marketing Communications also won portions </p><p>of the NEPO account. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>However, the NEPO business and a string of other government account wins </p><p>in recent months has raised concern in the industry that the agency is </p><p>being given public briefs because of its political connections. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Other high-profile account wins include a reduced-fee healthcare </p><p>promotion and a village fund promotional campaign, both of which were </p><p>important elements of the PM's election campaign earlier this year. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>A NEPO source defended the deal, pointing out that SC Matchbox had won a </p><p>similar contract from the department last year under the previous </p><p>government. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The ad firm "has many years of experience working for government </p><p>projects", the source said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The agency became the focus of national attention when it was revealed </p><p>that it had produced posters for the health-care campaign which </p><p>contained an embarrassing error. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The English-language posters, printed for the Ministry of Public Health, </p><p>omitted the letter "l" from the word "public". </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The Nation newspaper reported that the gaffe might have been a </p><p>politically motivated bid to embarrass a cabinet member who was seeking </p><p>the top job in the Public Health Ministry. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>