Quantity Of Paperback Books To Get Printed

[brahmburgers]

Need some off-set printing done, several thousand copies, color cover. Doesn't have to be high quality, moderate will suffice.

I'm a small publisher in northernmost Thailand. I've tried various printers here, but am still looking for the 'right match'. I realize that nearly everything in Thailand has to involve BKK - and I'm not opposed to using a BKK printer, as long as it's Thai prices and not farang prices. Any recommendations appreciated. Include tel# and/or email. If you can't write it directly in the forum, please contact my Thaivisa box.

[rafval]

Need some off-set printing done, several thousand copies, color cover. Doesn't have to be high quality, moderate will suffice.

I'm a small publisher in northernmost Thailand. I've tried various printers here, but am still looking for the 'right match'. I realize that nearly everything in Thailand has to involve BKK - and I'm not opposed to using a BKK printer, as long as it's Thai prices and not farang prices. Any recommendations appreciated. Include tel# and/or email. If you can't write it directly in the forum, please contact my Thaivisa box.

Did you have any success finding a good printer in BKK? Anyone have any recommendations?

[WilliamJarvis]

not sure if it is still the case, but Bangkok Phil's, of Ajarn fame, brother-in-law is a printer. As I understand it, they do mostly cards, but it might be worth a try.

*and I honestly don't know if it is, so please don't read this as a recommendation*

[Changian]

Have a look at printbooks.in.th - I had a single copy of a pdf e-book printed by them recently. Good service, and good quality printing and cover.

[jhs]

Hi. I run that web site. Thanks for the kind words, Changian.

To brahmburgers, the short answer is that my site is probably not what you need. I am a software programmer by trade. For years, my colleagues and I would get books printed at the local shops. The quality is amazing, provided there are no misunderstandings and you don't let the print shop make any decisions for you. One day, I told a friend, "there should be a web site where you just submit a PDF file and the book comes in the mail." He said, "Make it!" and so I did just that.

Having said that, the site I run is more geared towards book consumers, not so much book producers. I do the same thing that any local university print shop can do -- I just use software and elbow-grease to make it convenient and error-free. (In Thailand? Image that!) That has two ramifications for brahmburgers or people in his situation:

1. Your typical print shop offers digital printing, not offset printing. Digital printing is basically a high-end laser printer -- no muss, no fuss. That is perfect if you want just one copy, or perhaps a couple dozen; but it's inappropriate for a thousand. And color pages are right out, due to the cost of toner.
   
2. The paper used is not acid-free. Therefore the pages will begin to yellow in 10-20 years. So computer books, manuals, references, etc. are ideal.
   

For your information, here are all the web sites I've seen while searching along these lines. Unfortunately, I have zero experience with these sites.

By far the biggest advertiser on the web is http://www.phongwarin.com/ -- I see their ads next to some of mine all the time. What that means, I couldn't say.

Next is a site that I had seen a few times before: http://www.papermatethailand.com/. The site is completely in Thai and I expect you will need a Thai representative whom you know to work with them. However, they are one of the few people I have found in Thailand to mention "print on demand."

Finally, a friend of a friend runs this site: http://www.printquotesdirect.com/ -- it is for North America only, but perhaps you will find it helpful anyway. Apparently, this site has hundreds of back-end print shops who all bid on jobs that people submit online. The result is quality work at the lowest cost, and I understand the guy does a robust business, with many satisfied customers.

Hope that helps. Good luck!