Street Wise: Hosting Asean Summit was money well spent

Yet, as government officials have said, it is worth the investment, particularly after Thailand's image was so severely tarnished by the recent scenes of political protests, big and small, beamed around the world.

The international community has learned that Thailand is peaceful despite the protests.

Indeed, reflecting the (somewhat) more peaceful atmosphere, Thailand has attracted a number of international meetings. This month, the 29th FAO Regional Conference for the Asia Pacific is to be held here, and the Unitas Malacologica will host the 2010 World Congress of Malacology - remarkably, the association's first congress outside Europe.

To become a global centre of meetings and conferences has been a dream of Thailand's, but it may need to work harder to realise it. It might also want to take a cue from a major rival, like Switzerland.

Home to 32 international organisations, Switzerland is visited by important groups and figures all year round. Among the organisations are the United Nations Office at Geneva, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research and the World Trade Organisation. Among the United Nations agencies based there are the World Intellectual Property Organisation, the International Telecommunication Union and the World Meteorological Organisation.

About 250 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have their seats in Geneva. These include the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation and many others.

In 1920, 200 international diplomats and civil servants were working in Geneva. The figure has risen to approximately 40,000, not including some 2,400 employees of NGOs.

And wherever people work together, meetings follow.

In Geneva alone, in 2004, 98 conferences were organised, bringing in more than 20,000 delegates, who booked 46,000 hotel room nights.

Yes, with the red shirts and yellow shirts still barking at each other and at the government of the day, it is more difficult at the moment to draw these organisations to Thailand. But it might not be too hard to convince multinational companies - who are willing to take bigger risks - to establish their regional headquarters in Thailand.

It would be nice to rub shoulders with more foreigners on our streets - particularly when Bangkok is so quiet.