Thai PM launches govt's gift programme for newborn babies

BANGKOK: -- The government began to distribute "gift bags" to every newborn to mark the 53rd birthday of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn today.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra presided over the ceremony at Rajavithi Hospital in Bangkok to kick off the programme to boost babies' brainpower by giving away special kits for newborns.

Mr. Thaksin opened a seminar on "Gift bags for newborns: the first step in developing Thai babies' brainpower" attended by more than 600 executives and academics.

He gave the government's gift bags to mothers who had delivered babies at the hospital.

The one-year programme is aimed at developing children's cognitive and artistic abilities.

All babies born today through July 29 next year will receive gift bags made by the National Institute for Brain-based Learning.

Each bag contains a parenting handbook, children's storybooks, a lullaby CD or cassette, sense-stimulating toys and the like.

Thai women give birth to about 900,000 babies each year. There are two newborns a minute on average.

--TNA 2005-07-28

Yep,

Went to Bangkapok 1 (spelling?) hospital today with my wife for her check up and we received one of the packs for our daughter who was born 10 days ago. Nice thought really as we certainly weren't eligable for one and we were both quite surprised when the doctor handed one over as we had no idea at first what it was for.

forgive my scepticism - but who recieved the govt. contract to supply the "gift bags"? sounds like a nice little earner...