Bangkok World Book Capital

[johna]

I just visited the Bangkok Book fair in Queen Sirikit Convention Centre; thank god they did not charge an entry fee. It was not worth the trip, 90% of the books were in Thai and most of the English books were second hand. I was expecting a better turn out by the publishing industry.

Thailand can become the next World Book Capital but only if the rest of the world takes a crash course in the Thai language.

[jdinasia]

OMG! Imagine it! Books in Thai! In Thailand?! I'll be gobsmacked!

I went the first day and bought 7 books on Travel etc ... great deals ... yes they are all in Thai ... but then again I have taken the time and effort to actually bother to learn to read the native language!

The second time I went back I bought a few books for friends and some paperbacks in English for me. The eng language books were just an extra ... can do better in KSR or JJ ... or even at my fave bookstore Dasa Books on Suk.

[DavieA]

OMG! Imagine it! Books in Thai! In Thailand?! I'll be gobsmacked!

I wouldn't be so gobmsacked if it was the Thai book festival. But seeing as though it's a WORLD book festival, I'd be pretty disappointed.

[OldAsiaHand]

Of course you would be.

Just ignore the previous poster. He's a charter member of the TV I-am-more-Thai-than-thou crowd. Their chief interest in life seems to be trying to put down other posters with claims of moral superiority based on their (loudly proclaimed) competence in Thai.

Yawn.

[jdinasia]

lol ... nah I am just a guy that took a bit of time to LEARN ... why? because I LIVE here. Some folks are just living out some time here and planning on leaving soon. That's cool! More power to them! (Until they start whining about ... "I always pay more" etc etc etc

There were plenty of books in English there ... And amazingly an amazing number of books from all over the world translated into Thai.

Edited April 10, 2006 by jdinasia

[monochaser]

My gf goes to that Book thing everytime and loads up. She loves it! I don't bother going

[Donz]

ive been trying to learn Thai for about 6 months.

I still can only say 4 words, its a dam hard language for me to learn

[skylar]

But you're half Korean... surely this should make you less tone deaf than the average Aussie

[Donz]

But you're half Korean... surely this should make you less tone deaf than the average Aussie

They can understand when i talk, they say i speak really broken korean in a weird accent.

I have a real strong aussie accent.

[Thaising]

Went there last week with my children’s, the price on Thai book look reasonable, but not English book, which is high against what I brought in Singapore and Malaysia.

[jdinasia]

there was a discount on books in Eng off of AsiaBooks/Kino.. but not much ... plenty to choose from ... but the crowd was oerwhelming for me.

[johna]

lol ... nah I am just a guy that took a bit of time to LEARN ... why? because I LIVE here. Some folks are just living out some time here and planning on leaving soon. That's cool! More power to them! (Until they start whining about ... "I always pay more" etc etc etc

There were plenty of books in English there ... And amazingly an amazing number of books from all over the world translated into Thai.

It was billed as a WORLD BOOK FARE not a Thai Book Fare, Bangkok is trying to be named WORLD BOOK CAPITAL, with this type of advertising it was not unreasonable of me to expect more.

Why do you think that as you can speak Thai you are the only one whose opinion is worth anything?

I also learned Thai many years ago, so what ???

[flightcrew1]

Yes - learned this a couple of years ago and still went back last year. Most of the English books were old and better can be found at used book stores. That said my Thai friends were delighted and were able to find many books on the cheap. I will continue to shop Kinokunya at Paragon which is my new favorite bookstore in Thailand. It's not Borders in Singapore but it keeps me happy!

[ProfessorFart]

Kino is the best I've seen here. Its the only place I've found a good selection of Wodehouse and David Nobbs.

Old Asia Hand, could you stop hi-jacking threads with your inferiority complex ridden angst. Just because you have struggled to get to grips with life here doesn't mean everyone else has.

In my opinion jdinasia is to be applauded loudly for his/her efforts and attitude towards life here. You just sound more and more like a clueless bitter bar room loser.

[jdinasia]

lol ... nah I am just a guy that took a bit of time to LEARN ... why? because I LIVE here. Some folks are just living out some time here and planning on leaving soon. That's cool! More power to them! (Until they start whining about ... "I always pay more" etc etc etc

There were plenty of books in English there ... And amazingly an amazing number of books from all over the world translated into Thai.

It was billed as a WORLD BOOK FARE not a Thai Book Fare, Bangkok is trying to be named WORLD BOOK CAPITAL, with this type of advertising it was not unreasonable of me to expect more.

Why do you think that as you can speak Thai you are the only one whose opinion is worth anything?

I also learned Thai many years ago, so what ???

If you can READ Thai then what's the problem? Tons of books from all over the world that were there (in Thai). There were plenty in English too! How large would the bookfair had to have been to have the same # of books in English as in Thai? Then add Spanish and French and German and Hebrew and Arabic etc etc etc etc It did NOT bill the FAIR as the ENGLISH LANGUAGE WORLD BOKK FAIR and it did have books from all over the world represented!

[jdinasia]

I agree about Kino for new books ... and Dasa Book Cafe near Emporium for used books as being great. Beats the heat of hanging out at JJ and digging through the scads of books there.

Speaking of Books ... anyone know if the library at R.U. in BKK accepts used books in English? I need to clean out my bookshelves again. I donate my books in Thai to the school down the street but the Eng language books are way beyond their skill level.

[richb2004]

Where are the best second hand book shops in Bangkok? Are they spread out or is there one area with a few shops? Dasa book cafe sounds good, but I don't know where it is.

[jdinasia]

They have a website ... google baby google :-)

Largest quantity of cheap Eng language books are at JJ

[taxexile]

you dont need to google , dont know why he couldnt just tell you where the place is.

dasa is on sukhumvit road between soi 26 and 28 , thats on the emporium side about 200 meters past the emporium , phrom pong skytrain station ,

there is another good second hand bookshop on the other side of sukhumvit , near to villa supermarket , called elite bookshop , not as well organised and not much of a "browsing experience" when compared to dasa.

whilst you are in the area , you might as well go into the third secondhand bookshop in that area ,

go into soi 24 , and turn into the second little dead end sub soi on the left , just opposite the taxi stand for the emporium side entrance , and in the doorway to the first or second building on the left there is a sign for a bookshop , cant remember the name , its on the first floor and well stocked.

on the corner of soi 22 and sukhumvit , there is a second hand book stall , all books at 100b , limited choice , but lots of crime , thriller , crichton , grisham , deaver type stuff.

[jdinasia]

didn't have the website handy is why ... no harm in someone doing a bit of web work on their own either

Edited April 11, 2006 by jdinasia

[Ulysses G.]

whilst you are in the area , you might as well go into the third secondhand bookshop in that area ,

go into soi 24 , and turn into the second little dead end sub soi on the left , just opposite the taxi stand for the emporium side entrance , and in the doorway to the first or second building on the left there is a sign for a bookshop , cant remember the name , its on the first floor and well stocked.

That bookshop is out of business now, but there is a small one across the street called "Book".

Dasa is pretty good, but every time that I've ever been in it over a period of several years, I was the only customer.

I don't see how they can last with the rents in that area and paying for air-con.

[jdinasia]

I've seen dasa pretty busy ... they put their inventory online .. my friend buys 4k baht worth of books each trip (at least) so who knows

[ProfessorFart]

I usually do my browsing online in their database first, make a list of what I want, go in, hand my list over and wait. I'm usually in and out in 5 minutes.

[robitusson]

He's a charter member of the TV I-am-more-Thai-than-thou crowd. Their chief interest in life seems to be trying to put down other posters with claims of moral superiority based on their (loudly proclaimed) competence in Thai.

Yawn.

It's also good for your more-Thai-than-thouness if you live somewhere outside Bangkok, preferably in the middle of nowhere where you can be the only Farang. This gives your Thainess extra cred.

Edited April 12, 2006 by robitusson

[jdinasia]

wow! what about people that live in BKK on Suk ... that took the time to learn the language where we live?

[robitusson]

For the more-Thai-than-thou in Sukhumvit I would advise getting a big gold Buddha amulet to show "oneness" with the local culture. Also loudly speaking in Thai whenever Farang tourists are in earshot to be distinguishable. That should do it.

[jdinasia]

For the more-Thai-than-thou in Sukhumvit I would advise getting a big gold Buddha amulet to show "oneness" with the local culture. Also loudly speaking in Thai whenever Farang tourists are in earshot to be distinguishable. That should do it.

lol .... I do get around tourists every so often, but I rarely speak loudly in Thai. I do wear a Buddhist amulet as well ... it is ceramic .. was a gift and am happy to wear it.

Exactly what is your issue Robi?

[robitusson]

For the more-Thai-than-thou in Sukhumvit I would advise getting a big gold Buddha amulet to show "oneness" with the local culture. Also loudly speaking in Thai whenever Farang tourists are in earshot to be distinguishable. That should do it.

lol .... I do get around tourists every so often, but I rarely speak loudly in Thai. I do wear a Buddhist amulet as well ... it is ceramic .. was a gift and am happy to wear it.

Exactly what is your issue Robi?

I've got one too. Ultra cheapo. 70 Baht at a temple in Ko Samui.

No issue.

This crowd definitely exist though. I deliberately try to avoid these types. They're actually worse than backpackers who everyone seems to hate for some reason. We're all Farangs.

[jdinasia]

no issue? hmmmmm

[ProfessorFart]

Robi and Old Asia Hand's issues are that they don't have the bottle to venture off Sukhumwit Soi 4. They have massive jealousy problems with anyone who does, as experience away from Sukhumwit could undermine their barstool wisdom.