That is in line with the Bank of Thailand's announcement yesterday that the private consumption index in June showed only a hair of growth from the same period last year.

Given political turmoil, high interest rates and lofty oil prices, it is not surprising that most consumers have tightened their belts and prepared for the worst. And now, while high-end consumers can afford a Bt1-million wristwatch, those in the lower and middle-income brackets are thinking harder about how to best spend their fixed salaries.

Amid this situation, advertisers have cut their advertising expenditures, uncertain if their efforts will really generate more sales.

Noppadon Tansalarak, chairman of the association of billboard producers, said that 20-30 per cent of billboards along main streets in Bangkok and peripheral provinces were empty in the first half of this year. This is compared to 15 per cent in the same period last year.

But like everything, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

And shedding the light now is the election scheduled for October 15. The election, many observers say, will restore confidence among consumers and investors. And indirectly, it is expected to boost advertising revenue.

Noppadon said that recently political parties have been contacting billboard operators, to buy space.

The good news is, according to Chalit Limpanavej of Assumption University, political parties are expected to cough up as much as Bt1 billion for advertising during the run-up to the election.

Soon, wherever we travel from now until October 15, we will more often encounter the mug of Thaksin Shinawatra, leader of Thai Rak Thai Party. And as the Democrat Party, hoping to forge a comeback, aims to make its party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva the next prime minister, we will certainly see his wide grin more often as we make our rounds around town.

Indeed, even without elections, we can't avoid seeing some politicians during our travels. Take Chuwit Kamolvisit, a member of the Chat Thai Party. Chuwit has never disappeared from the public scene. Even without the election, a photo of him still adorns one Bangkok billboard. There seems to be no agenda behind the ad. It's just a picture of him with his arms wide open waiting to give somebody, maybe you, a big bear hug. On top are the words, "I love you".

Billboard operators are hoping that more politicians want to be like Chuwit. He is ready to spend money to promote himself, even when an election is not looming.

achara_d@nationgroup.com.