The message in the box: innovate

But non-book items are also on offer, and highly recommended is a special scented book-shaped box by SCG Paper, the paper arm of the Siam Cement Group.

The paper box is outstanding in an age when there's a crying need for innovation to increase corporate competitiveness. The paper is folded by hand into a book shape, and inside are a silver bowl and a Thai fragrance traditionally used during the Songkran festival. Only 1,000 sets are available.

SCG Paper wants to give potential clients new ideas for paper packaging. The message in the box is that paper can be turned into anything they can dream of.

SCG Paper should be lauded for its continued efforts to add value to its product. Though decades old, the company never succumbs to rust.

Indeed, finding new business ideas is better than loudly protesting about foreign-exchange rates. Calling for outside assistance won't help if your business is hollow inside.

Not populist, just

After years of debate, what do populist policies mean to you?

To academics, they are policies promulgated by a government in a disguised effort to please voters, in order to ensure continued public support in the next elections.

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was heavily criticised for using populist policies, even though many previous governments also adopted a similar strategy. Take "Ngern Phan" (fund diversion) during the Kukrit era or the student-loan programme in the Chuan government.

Populist policies exist elsewhere in the world, even in Europe.

On Wednesday, British Finance Minister Gordon Brown announced a voter-friendly budget of big tax cuts, seen as cementing his bid to become prime minister later this year.

Tipped to replace Tony Blair as Britain's leader, Brown used his 2007-08 budget speech to slash income and corporate taxes. Beginning in April 2008, the income tax will be cut from 22 per cent to 20 per cent and corporate tax from 30 per cent to 28 per cent.

This is certainly an attempt to please both the business community and ordinary households.

What a surprise. Every politician wants to please everyone. Even the current Thai government, comprised of no professional politicians, dares not agitate voters by cancelling all those populist policies announced during the Thaksin era. They are still there, simply under new names.

achara_d@nationgroup.com