The times they are a-changin'

As you may have noticed the Advertising Eye underwent a few changes in subtitle and icon.
The reason is simple : I have moved from the UK (I won't lie, I already miss London) to Thailand. Bangkok to be more precise.
So the overdressed icon is gone in exchange for a less color-sensitive (red is not exactly the rage these days in Thailand) and more climate appropriate one.

I am in Bangkok for a bit less than two months now, doing an internship as an AD in the branding agency Creative In-House.

And being in Bangkok, it is difficult too ignore the more or less visible damages of the recent crisis.
The city went back to normal looking really fast. The street have literally been scrubbed by an army of volunteers the week-end after the end of the Red's Shirts occupation, Lumpini park is back to normal, all damaged plants have been replaced, but some traces remain, the more obvious being the burned dent in Central World, one of Bangkok biggest and most famous shopping center (well, it was still visible when I arrived last week, now it's hidden behind a big fence).
But the effects are not only material. Without even talking about longer term effects on political considerations, the fallout of the crisis in this normally peaceful country are still felt. It was a hard blow on the Thai economy, (in fact the first agency I was meant to do my internship with moved to Cambogia for the rest of the year, "just in case") and most of the big hotels in Bangkok are still almost empty. Even in the more Thai oriented-districts and on streets usually packed on friday night, half the club remain closed…

The thing is, Thailand usually very positive image as taken a serious blow (well, it still can't be worst than the one BP is going through).
In the "Nation" newspaper of last week, Branding professional Brenda Bence wonders if the country can recover from it.
Now I'm not an expert, but I do think it can, at the condition that nothing similar happens again. Tourism-wise, all positive associations with Thailand are still there, as well as the physical proofs, from the smiles to the heavenly beaches through all the cultural history, temples and various national parks. People forget easily (or don't pay attention to the news), and if everything stay calm the farangs should be back soon.
Regarding the foreign investors my guess is that it will probably be more difficult, but far from impossible: the country still have all the facilities and the trained manforce that were part of it's success. Thailand still has good long days ahead of being a shinny destination.