The comic-style booklet is the third and latest in the central bank's comic-book series.

The Bank of Thailand tried to change its old image of being a solemn, monolithic institution through a comic-style booklet called "Get to Know the Central Bank". The guardian of the monetary stability of the nation has now launched the third in the series, entitled "Know How to Save".

The easy style of writing and the comic presentation has managed to get the central bank connected with the layman, judging from the popularity of the first and second booklets.

"Get to Know the Central Bank" printed 175,000 copies. The second booklet, "Catch Inflation", printed 115,000 copies.

Atchana Waiquamdee, deputy governor of the Bank of Thailand, said the central bank hoped youngsters would be attracted to the easy-to-read style and understand that saving meant something different to just being frugal.

The publication of the booklets is a response to the deteriorating level of national savings. The savings proportion in the Gross Domestic Product declined from 35.6 per cent in 1995 to 31.6 per cent in 2004. In massive campaigns, department stores have been encouraging people to spend. Society has turned desperately towards consumerism as people splash out more and more on material vices such as new mobile phones, which have became a fashion item for juveniles.

The central bank therefore feels the need to instil in citizens from an early age the need to save.

As it's almost impossible to change the lifestyle of adolescents, the central bank has focused on children. The latest booklet was produced in an edutaintment style to ensure that youngsters would not put it down halfway through.

Perhaps the central bank should send copies to the economic ministers in the previous government, who loved to splurge the national budget. We don't have to read through to the last page to see the outcome of the excessive spending of those days.

Busdsk@nationgroup