Why Don't They Read?

[robbiecia]

Where most of us are from.....we do it all the time, be it a newspaper, magazine or paperback.

But here, during my daily travels........on the train, bus or boat i never see Thais having a good read, and if i do.......it is always some kind of comic book with lots of pictures.

Now i know that they must read, as there is no shortage of book shops in the city, but,

Do Thais really view reading in public as anti-social??

Over to you

[Pierrot]

The few thai people I know who really read books, read books ... in english.

On the other hand, if you can read thai (I don't, my wife translate) , pantip.com is a much richer source of information about everything that is going on in Thailand than TV !

[girlx]

for a lot of thais books are just too expensive. i used to buy my thai friends on the islands books and they gobbled them up.

[Jingthing]

I think reading books, especially serious books, indicates you are a serious (boring, not sanuk) person and this is not highly valued in mass Thai culture. Flame me if you want, but this is obvious to me.

[h90]

The few thai people I know who really read books, read books ... in english.

On the other hand, if you can read thai (I don't, my wife translate) , pantip.com is a much richer source of information about everything that is going on in Thailand than TV !

:D

pantip.com is for sure a quality thing.....

Maybe recommend her "The Manager" instead.

[RY12]

imho, people who read are dull. I can't stand it, I have to do enough of it at work and I just don't find it to be that compelling of a medium to convey human emotion. Sure, I read articles and such and can spend hours in an encyclopedia if I get excited about something (like Thai history or language), but reading 'novels' or paperbacks during my freetime has no appeal, it's just work. One reason Thais might not due it is that they're never taught how to do it very well- my gf is a slow reader and sometimes enunciates (though she's an Isaaner reading Thai), and the older members of her family can't read at all.

[Jingthing]

imho, people who read are dull.

Thats an interesting comment to me. To me reading is one of life's great adventures and if you choose the right books, stimulation that can be better than sex. But is is all internal.

To watch a person read is dull. The person is staring at some dead trees. Kind of like meditation. You just sit there. Its kind of a contradiction, the most still things can be the most mind blowing, if you are attuned to them.

[RY12]

imho, people who read are dull.

Thats an interesting comment to me. To me reading is one of life's great adventures and if you choose the right books, stimulation that can be better than sex. But is is all internal.

To watch a person read is dull. The person is staring at some dead trees. Kind of like meditation. You just sit there. Its kind of a contradiction, the most still things can be the most mind blowing, if you are attuned to them.

I just don't have the patience for it, plus my back or neck will start hurting and there's always the problem of always having to hold the pages open. certainly some short pieces can be moving, i'm thinking of buddhist readings, but it's just hard for me to get excited about long stories, i'm more of a hands-on person.

[joe552]

For me, reading is a way into another world, and I've been an avid reader since I discovered Enid Blyton back in the early 1960s! But it's a solitary occupation, one I indulge when I want to be alone. I can't read around other people, on a bus, in an airport, or wherever. But my time reading is ME time. I don't know any. Thais well enough to comment on why they don't read

[Jingthing]

Ry, I didn't mean that your feelings need defending. They are a better fit in this culture than mine, but I don't really care about that. I just thought it interesting that reading does indeed LOOK dull.

[johna]

Enviromment, most falangs grew up with books at our elbows, new and second hand book shops every where, good public library's. A very healthy publishing industry.

Most falangs, especially those in their late 50's and older acquired the habit of reading as children. Television back then was not that great and has not shown much improvement.

The area where I live has no book shops within 20Km of me and the local public library is pretty new with limited choice.

The local twice weekly open market has stalls selling DVDs CDs and plastic toys but no used book stall, that would be surprising to see in a UK market

Thais in this area have little extra cash to spare on books.

[Wrong Turn]

Where most of us are from.....we do it all the time, be it a newspaper, magazine or paperback.

But here, during my daily travels........on the train, bus or boat i never see Thais having a good read, and if i do.......it is always some kind of comic book with lots of pictures.

Now i know that they must read, as there is no shortage of book shops in the city, but,

Do Thais really view reading in public as anti-social??

Over to you

I think a lot of it is cultural. Have you asked locals who there favorite authors are? No answer. Cartoons are popular. As one poster stated, many Thais I've met that like to read do read in English.

To each their own.

[Farma]

Take a walk in the book shops and you’ll see plenty of books being read. As others have said the cost of books is one factor, the internet with Diaryis blog type websites is cheaper.

My house is full of novels in Thai and English that the wife has bought and read over the years, mostly while traveling so it isn’t true to say it’s viewed as anti social.

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

I read a fair bit, 2 or 3 novels a week typically but my wife is constantly reading goes through at least 5 a week. But I don't mind rereading a good book a year or a few later. So we keep the good ones, have a library of over 2,000 and growing.

It certainly helps pass the time as the telly is mostly c-rap and TV gets a bit boring after a while. Hard to immagin no books.

[PhilHarries]

I can't read Thai and I'm no academic but most times I see a Thai reading it appears that they have to concentrate intensely on the piece they are reading. I don't know whether that is a widespread thing but even the university educated Thais I know apear to struggle to read a passage. Most of us westerners when we read books etc in our own language probably only actually read every third or fourth word and mentally fill in the gaps. From the little I know about the language Thai doesn't lend itself to this method so reading is less relaxing to the average Thai.

Maybe I'm wrong, if so please feel free to correct me.

But even in the UK it is not common to see people reading books in public even on trains and buses. Newspapers and magazines are a common read especially on the morning trains but not books. A few do read books on the way home in the evening but the problem is you can't freely choose your break point.

[bendix]

Another ridiculous post generalising everyone based on - presumably - a handful of people the OP knows.

I know plenty of Thais who read extensively and are much better read than many farang acquaintances. My wife is currently reading Anna Karenina in Thai translation. She enjoys it, but says she preferred Madame Bovary and Jane Eyre.

[teacup]

Sometimes I like to read, sometimes I don’t like to read.

I think reading or reading the “right books/ literatures” is being waaay overrated in their importance to our intellectual mind. Plus many books out there nowdays, many of them are crappy anyway….often they seem to be interesting coz due to promotion pushings, that’s all.

Some people learn/enjoy from books,…..some people learn/enjoy from other sensory like observation, seeing, or touching etcs,…..while others learn/enjoy from their life experiences.

SO- what is the difference? We are all learning one thing or another from at least one or more from our 5 senses.

Just like me, I have found bowling, sailing, or golfing to be quite boring while others think of them as exciting, entertaining, or highly intellectual at some points.

Does reading make you smarter or more worldly about things in life than others who haven’t come across or care much about reading materials?

And I don't care if other people don't want to read. It's none of my business. And/or do I have to understand why others make their choices? It’s not like if you don’t take part in reading, you can’t find happiness in life!

Oh well I can go on and on…..

Just me

oh I’m a thai btw

Edited September 17, 2008 by teacup

[thaihome]

Another ridiculous post generalising everyone based on - presumably - a handful of people the OP knows.

I know plenty of Thais who read extensively and are much better read than many farang acquaintances. My wife is currently reading Anna Karenina in Thai translation. She enjoys it, but says she preferred Madame Bovary and Jane Eyre.

Agree with you here just as much as I disagree wtih your post in Project Manager thread.

TH

[vegas]

Smart people read. Dim ones do not. I am currently in the middle of 5 books so I must be the former.

[girlx]

I think reading or reading the “right books/ literatures” is being waaay overrated in their importance to our intellectual mind.

i disagree completely. reading is much like travelling in that it exposes you to new ideas and perceptions, expands your vocaulary, and stimulates your imagination.

i think people who don't like to read (or travel) are somehow devoid of intellectual curiousity.

[teacup]

I think reading or reading the “right books/ literatures” is being waaay overrated in their importance to our intellectual mind.

i disagree completely. reading is much like travelling in that it exposes you to new ideas and perceptions, expands your vocaulary, and stimulates your imagination.

i think people who don't like to read (or travel) are somehow devoid of intellectual curiousity.

Wow that is quite some generalizing on your part, isn’t it?

-It's a bad thing if you don't like to read.

-If you don’t read, you are or will be stupid

-Reading comic books makes you stupid, implying - so it's has to be the right kind of books

So are you saying that people who don’t like to read are inert intellectually?

Don’t you think that there are other activities that can stimulate the brains and curiosity of all things out there too?

May be some people have found reading cornflake box and instruction manuals are just about enough for them already.

And seems to me there is too much looking down on people who do not like reading, Me think

Edited September 17, 2008 by teacup

[robbiecia]

Another ridiculous post generalising everyone based on - presumably - a handful of people the OP knows.

I know plenty of Thais who read extensively and are much better read than many farang acquaintances. My wife is currently reading Anna Karenina in Thai translation. She enjoys it, but says she preferred Madame Bovary and Jane Eyre.

Who is generalising here Bendix????????????

It's not about who i know.........but what i see around me

[bonobo]

First of all, I am an avid reader, so perhpas my views are colored by that. And I have to admit, that I look upon readers as haivng perhaps a little more intellectual curiousity than non-readers, but I also realize my opinion on that is probably biased.

In Thailand, I may not see as many people reading in public as I might see in other countries, but look in any Asia Bookstore, and it is packed with Thais. So business is probably good.

What i do notice is that while all my THai friends read, only one reads novels. Everyone else reads self-help, business, or religious books. And while my friends can read as quickly as anyone else, they seem to really take their time with their books. On a recent US trip, I went through one non-fiction and four or five novels. During the same time, my Thai partner went through one Buddhism-related book. At least on the airplane, he read for the same amount of time as I did, but he seemed to devour every morsel on the book while I flew through mine.

I don't pretend to know the reading habits of all Thais, but my observations are based on a close connection with a handful of well-educated friends.

[Briggsy]

Virtually all differences in traits between Thais and Westerners can be traced back to these two key differences in culture.

Firstly laziness, a lack of work ethic, attention deficit, playfulness - call it what you will.

Secondly the patron-client society structure.

Reading is too much like hard work for your average Thai.

You can exempt a large proportion of Sino-Thais who have their own different culture and also the intelligentsia who do not conform to national traits of the average individual.

[Steve2UK]

First of all, I am an avid reader, so perhpas my views are colored by that. And I have to admit, that I look upon readers as haivng perhaps a little more intellectual curiousity than non-readers, but I also realize my opinion on that is probably biased.

In Thailand, I may not see as many people reading in public as I might see in other countries, but look in any Asia Bookstore, and it is packed with Thais. So business is probably good.

What i do notice is that while all my THai friends read, only one reads novels. Everyone else reads self-help, business, or religious books. And while my friends can read as quickly as anyone else, they seem to really take their time with their books. On a recent US trip, I went through one non-fiction and four or five novels. During the same time, my Thai partner went through one Buddhism-related book. At least on the airplane, he read for the same amount of time as I did, but he seemed to devour every morsel on the book while I flew through mine.

I don't pretend to know the reading habits of all Thais, but my observations are based on a close connection with a handful of well-educated friends.

Just to lighten the tone - the highlighted section reminds me of one of my favourite Woody Allen lines:

I took a speed-reading course and I read "War and Peace" in five minutes........ it's about Russia.

More seriously, I'm a book junkie and shipped my "library" of some 5,000+ books over when I moved here. Most Thai - but also most farang - that see them are baffled. I can see their point........

[bendix]

Firstly laziness, a lack of work ethic, attention deficit, playfulness - call it what you will.

Are you talking about Thais or farang?

[Andrew Hicks]

I think reading or reading the “right books/ literatures” is being waaay overrated in their importance to our intellectual mind.

i disagree completely. reading is much like travelling in that it exposes you to new ideas and perceptions, expands your vocaulary, and stimulates your imagination.

i think people who don't like to read (or travel) are somehow devoid of intellectual curiousity.

I'm enjoying reading this discussion!

So Thais don't read for pleasure then? True or false?

On the Skytrain you do see some reading and if you go to the annual book fair at the Queen Sirikit Convention Center you can hardly move for the thousands of people looking for books at the hundreds of trade stands. Very impressive and encouraging.

But! There is research on this and the wild generalisation that Thais don't read much is true. The Vietnamese whose economy has developed later than here read ten times more than the Thais.

Yes, you are conditioned to read because there were books in the house when you were growing up. But it has to start somewhere. Why therefore have the Vietnamese overtaken the Thais as avid readers? I have no idea.

Now does it matter? If an individual misses out that's up to them... their choice.

But reading, and I include the internet, is also the source of all knowlege. Does it matter if a nation of individuals regard reading as work, prefer a hammock and tv soaps and so remain relatively ignorant.

Thailand has been trying to promote reading and they are right to do so, but it'll take time.

All parents should read stories to their children.

A new populist policy for the new PM... a Trillion Books perhaps.

[garro]

I love books and could not imagine life without them. I know that many Thais also enjoy reading. In a recent class my students discussed their favorite place in the world and the majority of them selected the local bookstore.

I think that people tend to judge Thais as a whole on a specific group of Thais that they meet on holiday. I do agree with the earlier comment that some poorer Thais do see reading as being too serious. The same way as poor westerners might see going to university as only being for snobs.

I have also found non-readers to be a bit shallow but they probably find me equally dull as I have no interest in football .

Edited September 17, 2008 by garro

[Dakhar]

My Thai wife is a graduate from Tx A&M and honestly, she hates to read. Often times she hands me items to read and then I summarize it for her. Her excuse.... she hates to read.

The only thing she reads are those comic books....

I like to read, and I have met a few Thais that also like to read (two so far, in 3 years)

Edited September 17, 2008 by Dakhar

[Pierrot]

For (truly) bilingual people.

Have you ever read the same book in, let say English, French or German, and then in Thai? Do you think Thai language, which is actually very basic, is able to express the same feelings and subtleties as English, German or French?