Books beat screens

The popularity of the 30th Book Expo Thailand, being held at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center until this upcoming Sunday, defies the notion that Thai people are not fond of reading.

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During the recent long weekend, more than 130,000 people attended the fair each day. The organiser of the event, the Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand (PUBAT), stated that each attendant spends 600-1,000 baht buying books, reading gadgets, and materials to promote learning. PUBAT expects the sales volume at the fair to reach 460 million baht, marking a 5% increase from last year.

The book industry appears to be moving in the opposite direction to the country's economy. While many sectors are in the doldrums, the book industry continues to grow. Revenue from book sales — print, digital, and copyrights — is forecast at 20 billion baht this year, up from 18 billion baht last year.