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