Best Book Shops?

[richb2004]

I am moving to Thailand in a few months and am doing some pre move research. I have found many bookshops selling Western books, but have never really found one that satisfies my needs. Where are the best ones, or is it possible to have books sent through the Internet? I us AMAZON in the UK, but think it may be more difficult to obtain books in Thailand. I have shipped a box of books already, but I see myself struggling after they are read.

[p1p]

Where will you be based and what kind of book are you after?

There are a very good selection of second-hand bookshops in both Bangkok and Chiang Mai. (I can not speak for other areas.)

Amazon, in my experience, tends to cost as much in shipping as the purchase price, and I object to paying so much.

New books are available from many independant and chain stores around the country. The variety and quality of choice varying a great deal.

[OldAsiaHand]

Singapore has a large number of huge and absolutely first-rate English-language bookstores, but Bangkok is quite another matter all together. There are really only three choices here, and they all offer a small and limited range (at least by world standards).

The best by far is Kinokuniya, the Thai branch of a large Japanese chain. Kino has only two stores in Bangkok, one at the Emporium and one at whatever they are calling the World Trade Centre these days (although the latter branch is primarily Japanese-language). Kino at the Emporium is the closest thing here to a real world English-langugae bookstore with a moderately deep selection of both fiction and non-fiction, although they are oddly heavy on large format picture books and light on contemporary fiction. Most of their current stuff is sourced from US publishers.

The next best choice is the American-owned Bookazine chain with a dozen or so locations all over the country, primarily in tourist areas, although I warn you that Bookazine is really not much more than a glorified newsstand. They have a very good and reasonably deep selection of current massmarket paperbacks, quite a few tourist books and large-format picture books, but almost nothing in the way of serious ficition or nonfiction.

The lousiest by far but probably most visible choice is the Asia Books chain, the locally owned entry in the English-language book business in Thailand. They have about ten high-profile locations around Bangkok, mostly in big shopping malls, although none at all outside of Bangkok. Most of their stock is sourced from UK publishers and their stores on the whole are junky, crowded, and unappealing messes. If you dig around, you can find a fair selection of current massmarket paperbacks from the UK, but you won't enjoy doing it. And if you need help in locating something, good luck in trying to communicate with the dim-witted and frequently non-English speaking staff. Other than the security guards self-importantly strutting about and looking you over with undisguished suspicion, no one will show the slightest interest.

My advice is to bring a six months supply of books and then make a run to Singapore. Actually, you wouldn't even have to leave the airport there to find a great bookstore. Right in the Singapore Airlines terminal at Changi is one of the best and most pleasant English-language bookstores in Asia.

Good luck.

[Boon Mee]

The best book shop(s) by far are up in Chaing Mai....Gecko Books off Thaipae Road. They have everything from light reading to research material. Check 'em out.

[taxout]

Elite Used Books on Sukhumvit is a moderate-sized and fairly-priced used bookshop. It's not far from the Emporium, on the other side of Sukhumvit.

Merman Books in Silom Center is a much smaller used bookshop, but has a more interesting selection, particularly on Asian subjects.

For new books, try the bookstore in the technical school to the rear of Siam Square.

[DeDanan]

I hate to disagree with OldAsiaHand ( I love his insights) but apart from meeting my GF, I love to go book shopping in Thailand, (Ok Ok half day in Pontip Plaza for software is high on my list) for me bookazine and asia books are first class. Way a head of any bookshop I have been to in Europe. Staff are courteous will help you look and when you find they will wrap it for you.

European experience: staff are too busy with SMS to their friends to help you!!!

I just cant wait to get to Singapore... i think i will have a big excess luggage bill !!!

Have a Happy...

DeDanan

[stumonster]

I go to chutukjuk weekend market for my secondhand books. It does take a bit of time to sort through the piles of books but I have been very happy with some of the books I have discovered there.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I hate to disagree with OldAsiaHand ( I love his insights) but apart from meeting my GF, I love to go book shopping in Thailand, (Ok Ok half day in Pontip Plaza for software is high on my list) for me bookazine and asia books are first class. Way a head of any bookshop I have been to in Europe. Staff are courteous will help you look and when you find they will wrap it for you.

European experience: staff are too busy with SMS to their friends to help you!!!

I just cant wait to get to Singapore... i think i will have a big excess luggage bill !!!

Have a Happy...

DeDanan

I am with you DeDanan. The best range and source of academic tomes in my area's of interest, is Asia Books, in my view. The store between Soi's 17 and 19 Sukhumvit suits me well. I find the staff attentive and obliging. There are some great bookshops in Singapore I agree.

[richb2004]

I'll be living in the Rayong area. The last time I shopped in Pataya (1998), which isn't to far away, I found a couple of shops selling English books, but with a very limited selection, maybe there are more there now. I tend to read history and popular science as well as less mainstream novels. Thanks for the help. I will certainly check out all the recommended shops.

[Aranya]

In addition to the above mentionned stores (I like both Kinokuniya and AsiaBooks), there is also a little bookstore located at Sukhumvit soi 53 called Book@53. It's a walkable distance from the main Sukhumvit road, on the left side. Not a huuuuuuuuuge variety but fun to browse. You could give it a try. Having books sent from abroad will end up being really costly. Unless you don't mind that.

[hUsh]

I found this second hand bookshop between Sukhumvit soi 26-28 (I think the name is Dana-- pls. correct me if I'm wrong). Its pretty nice and very organized bookshop. They have a lot of fiction books and foreign-language books.

They also have a little cafe in the bookshop.

Its worth checking out!

[OldAsiaHand]

I just cant wait to get to Singapore... i think i will have a big excess luggage bill !!!

The main Kinokuniya store in Singapore is on Orchard Road and just a couple of hundred meters down from it across Scotts Road you will find a Borders. Both are the aircraft-carrier variety of bookstores. Absolutely amazing selections in every subject area spread over seemingly endless floor space together with an in-house restaurant. You can easily lose yourself in either place for a day or two.

Although I truly appreciate your very kind characterization of my posts in general, I really do have to stand by my comments on Asia Books. It's just plain crummy, at least it is compared to US bookstores. If the bookstores you visit in Europe are even worse than Asia Books, you have my deepest sympathy.

Anyway, Bangkok is more of a newsstand market and compared to the US or Singapore our few bookstores, Asia Books as well as all the others, are both small and unimpressive. Current books in hardcover editions are virtually impossible to find anywhere. All you can really get is massmarket paperbacks (and magazines), so anything you can buy here has already been widely available out in the real world for months if not for years.

[samran]

the university bookshop at Chulalongkorn uni (in Siam Square) isn't too bad if you are looking for academic books.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

the university bookshop at Chulalongkorn uni (in Siam Square) isn't too bad if you are looking for academic books.

The Chula' bookshop has a very good selection of books Samran. I use that store quite a bit.

[srowndedbyh2o]

Many years ago when I was staying in Thailand there was some sort of Women’s club that would sell used books over at AUA in Bangkok one day a week. I think it was Wednesdays. It was years ago, so I don’t know if they are still doing it. The selection was only fair, but always changing, as I believe all the books were donated. I found it fun to browse, as you never knew what you might find. The prices were certainly very reasonable.

[KohChang120]

Try booksthailand.com - they've got a good selection and deliver anywhere in Thailand!

[Thakkar]

Bangkok

Dasa Book cafe (dasabookcafedotcom) and some others around Phrom Phong skytrain station.

Pattaya:

Chaiyapreuk Road in Jomtien near Cheena Guesthouse

Blue sky books at Ban Phe, opposite koh samet island an hour from Pattaya

Pattaya Beach Books Soi Buakhow

North Star Library Tel: 38-716755

Thais for Life - soi yensabi

Canterbury Tales in Soi Chaiyapoon off Soi Buakhow

Chiangmai

Backstreet Books, 2/8 Chang Moi Kao Road (off Tha Phae), Chiang Mai, tel: (053) 874-143. Located next door to Gecko Used Books.

GPS Coordinates: N18°47.321’ E098°59.637’

Gecko Used Books, 2/6 Chang Moi Kao Road (off Tha Phae), Chiang Mai, tel: (053) 874-066. Located next door to Backstreet Books.

GPS: N18°47.307’ E098°59.628’

Shaman Bookstore, Kotchasan Soi 1, Chiang Mai, tel: (053) 235-652. This is the second shop to the right, as you enter the Soi.

GPS: N18°47.198’ E098°59.627’

The Lost Bookstore at Ratchamanka (Off Moon Muang) opp soi 1

[anonymouse]

I'll be living in the Rayong area. The last time I shopped in Pataya (1998), which isn't to far away, I found a couple of shops selling English books, but with a very limited selection, maybe there are more there now. I tend to read history and popular science as well as less mainstream novels. Thanks for the help. I will certainly check out all the recommended shops.

Gecko books who are forum sponsors have an online service - you can search on their website and arrange for books to be sent to you.

They have a huge stock of books with around 5 shops in Chiang Mai.

[Jingthing]

Haven't been to JJ Market, but Pattaya's used book shops have much lower PRICES than CM and Bangkok.

[JohnLeech]

I'll be living in the Rayong area. The last time I shopped in Pataya (1998), which isn't to far away, I found a couple of shops selling English books, but with a very limited selection, maybe there are more there now.

Things have changed in 12 years! In addition to the 2nd hand bookshops listed, plus some others such as the original branch of Pattaya Beach Books in Tops Supermarket (Pattaya Klang/2nd Road), there are at least four Bookazines and two large B2Ss with a considerable range of English books.

[Jingthing]

Yeah, Pattaya is a reader's paradise indeed. Who knew?

[prometheus]

Try kindle or whatever ebook stores there are (a few restrictions but should not be too much of trouble)

[Ulysses G.]

IMHO, Kinokuniya in Bangkok is world class book store and there are few that are better anywhere. There are bigger stores in other countries, but they often fill the shelves with unpopular, remaindered books (selling for full price) that are mostly a waste of space and just meant to impress because of shear numbers . Kinokuniya is mostly just the cream of the crop and is still large enough to spend many hours looking around.

[xen]

I would endose Kinokuniya Books as well. I often browse the one in Emporium as they have one of the best selections in what i look for in Design, Graphics, Art and Archicture around. Also they have an excellent section on Childrens and teenagers books too.

I am under the impression that Bookazine and Asia Books have the same parent company but i find in both of them it depends on the branch that you go to how good they are. The Asia books in Sukhumvit road has been there for as long as i can remember but is now outshone by newer branches .

I would also recomend getting the Bookazine Membership card to claim a discount . Everylittle savings helps even if it means an extra book.

[bonobo]

I like the feel of a real book, but I have to say that I have been happy with my Kindle.  I tend to get in panic mode when my book supply starts to get to zero, and it is very nice that I can go online and download a book.

Not every Kindleized book is available.  I tried to order Bones of the Hills on Amazon, but was told it was not available in Thailand.  So someone here gave me a link, and I downloaded it for free.  I ran it through a free conversion program, and wala, I had it on my Kindle.  (I normally pay for everything. but since they would not sell it to me, I had no compunction about reading it for free.)

The Kindle is handy and fairly easy to read.  It doesn't take the place of a real paper book, but in certain circumstances, it is a good alternative.

[phetaroi]

I agree that the best is Kinokuniya. The one at Emporium was my personal favorite because I liked the selection and the way they displayed fiction. The one at Paragon is probably the most complete, although I don't like their setup as much. The one at Central World is somewhere in the middle. Personally I disagree with Bookazine. After going a couple of times I never went again. I think the problem with Asia Books is that in two decades they haven't changed much and are being passed by by Kinokuniya.

Edited September 25, 2010 by phetaroi

[Eff1n2ret]

As suggested in a couple of posts, the OP should buy an E-book reader before he leaves the UK. Then he can find what he wants on the internet and forget about bookshops - (unless he wants to go browsing just for the pleasure of it). I was impressed by the Sony E-Reader when I looked at it, but not impressed by Waterstones' marketing of e-books or their pricing policy, as for many publications the e-book cost nearly as much as a paperback. In the end I bought the BeBook, shipped from Holland to the UK within 3 days. It will read any format and is very user-friendly. I have a library of several dozen books which I shipped out from the UK, but most of my reading is now with the BeBook.

P.S. I have bought a book from Amazon, shipped from the US to Thailand. It was delivered pretty quickly, didn't appear to be any issues with Customs, etc.

Edited September 25, 2010 by Eff1n2ret

[caf]

I live in Chiangmai and frequent both the usual bookstores and market stalls for used books

There are a number of bookstores with a number of different owners. Don't restrict yourself to just one.

As I say I use them all but one can get some good deals if you shop around the Thai markets.

Despite what is sometimes said most of the books are of good quality - often from house clearance sales -. So most books are in pristine condition, often one assumes only having had one owner.

Prices on markets can range from 25 baht to exceptionallty 100 baht ( they tend to price on size as the traders are not really aware of the English titles and their appeal )

Of course you have to go to where the markets are and they aren't in the centre of town; and you may find nothing of interest

But nothing ventured nothing gained. My collection is probably 80% market 20% bookstore. And I continue to source from both markets and shops

caf

[tig28]

I found this second hand bookshop between Sukhumvit soi 26-28 (I think the name is Dana-- pls. correct me if I'm wrong). Its pretty nice and very organized bookshop. They have a lot of fiction books and foreign-language books.

They also have a little cafe in the bookshop.

Its worth checking out!

Excellent second hand bookshop -- with on-line shopping -- very extensive range. Dasa Book Cafe.

http://www.dasabookcafe.com/

[mrtoad]

Birdland Books in Kanchanaburi - even has a bar at the front.