Thais spend more time reading

[webfact]

Thais spend more time reading



BANGKOK: -- The National Statistical Office said Thai people spent 37 minutes on reading in one day.

The latest finding conducted from the population of over six years old in 2013 revealed that reading time has increased 13% from the last survey two years ago to 81.8%.

If taken into consideration the reading of the people in the country, Bangkok recorded the highest reading of 94.6%, followed by central and southern regions.

The reading time was 37 minutes a day or two minutes higher than the last survey.

On the survey of sources of reading, it was revealed that books and journals remain the top source, though it was 0.1% lower than the last survey.

However Internet remained the second source and increased 6% from last survey, followed by tablets and smart phones which also rose 0.3% and 1.8% respectively.

The largest group of readers is children, followed by youths and adults.

Home remains the place where the people have chosen to read, followed by private business places (coffee houses, restaurants), working places and educational places.

It was strange to find that educational places are less attractive for reading than private business places because private business places have better environmental atmosphere for reading.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/thais-spend-time-reading/


-- Thai PBS 2014-10-17

[Fred Flinstone]

Next the areas below 80% can't vote.

Edited October 17, 2014 by Fred Flinstone

[iReason]

Yeah.

Comic books...

[DJConan]

This must be a joke. I have introduced Thais to the book store (apparently, they don't frequent them) and offered to buy some/any books and the reaction was like I was going to pull their teeth. Lead a horse to the pond...but this headline is complete BS.

[givenall]

Looks kind a high. Most of people I see reading comic books with a lot of pics.

oh yeah reading messages on the phone don't count

Edited October 17, 2014 by givenall

[Jeremy50]

This must be a joke. I have introduced Thais to the book store (apparently, they don't frequent them) and offered to buy some/any books and the reaction was like I was going to pull their teeth. Lead a horse to the pond...but this headline is complete BS.

Read it again,it means people are reading web pages on their phone, not reading books. I can't remember the last time I saw a Thai reading a novel. Even at school. A teacher once saw Germinal by Zola on my desk and asked to borrow it. I few days later he came back and asked me if I had something which was more 'fun'.

[Costas2008]

"It was strange to find that educational places are less attractive for reading than private business places because private business places have better environmental atmosphere for reading."

In other words, people are not working but they read books during their working hours.

Charming...................

[Lingba]

another yay for comic books with pictures

[thailiketoo]

This must be a joke. I have introduced Thais to the book store (apparently, they don't frequent them) and offered to buy some/any books and the reaction was like I was going to pull their teeth. Lead a horse to the pond...but this headline is complete BS.

How many bookstores in Thailand? Do you think they sell any books?

http://www.thaiwebsites.com/bookstores.asp

[alanferdi]

Hmm Interesting!!!!

168 hours in a week divide that by 3 =56 hours. that spreads over a week / 8 hours for sleeping, 8hours for working 8hours for personal (Grooming, Reading, movies, etc) If the statistics show .35mins reading per day. I mean reading a book or Newspaper, not the cartoons or text messages on a phone. They would be conscious of the world around them. which is roughly / 4 hours a week, which is rougly 16 hours a month. That is not a record! So no pat on the shoulder, rather a warning to educationist that what you are teaching is not sinking in or habits of playing with the phone on text messages is stunting ones growth in vocabulary and makes the socially unable to integrate!

Sorry to dampen the hype.... but some attention should be made on the educational level.

[Guest]

Relevant.. and lovely example how to fire kids imagination.

Source: http://themetapicture.com/this-man-opens-a-book/

[upena]

Last year we were told that the adult Thai reads seven lines per year - not pages or books - lines. Only ones who read somewhat are children - around 5 books per year.

[Neurath]

"The latest finding conducted from the population of over six years old in 2013 revealed that reading time has increased 13% from the last survey two years ago to 81.8%"

Just means they're reading more slowly.

[hansgruber]

Someone tell them Facebook isn't really an actual book.

Sent from my LG-D858

[HeijoshinCool]

It was strange to find that educational places are less attractive for reading than private business places because private business places have better environmental atmosphere for reading.

Why read something educational and enlightening at school, when you can get paid to read Facebook at work?

Pure BS.

[Prbkk]

Books are still too expensive for young Thais. It is common to see them sitting on the floor of bookstores reading. Most of the stores wrap the books in plastic to discourage the habit. However it is good to see the proliferation of good bookstores. They wouldn't be in business if the customers were not buying ( and at Kinokuniya at least 75%of the customers are Thai).

God forbid that these dreadful bloody e-reader, kindle things replace books

[fxe1200]

This must be a joke. I have introduced Thais to the book store (apparently, they don't frequent them) and offered to buy some/any books and the reaction was like I was going to pull their teeth. Lead a horse to the pond...but this headline is complete BS.

Read it again,it means people are reading web pages on their phone, not reading books. I can't remember the last time I saw a Thai reading a novel. Even at school. A teacher once saw Germinal by Zola on my desk and asked to borrow it. I few days later he came back and asked me if I had something which was more 'fun'.

...give him Nana.

[coobah666]

I thought porn was all pictures.

[Jonmarleesco]

So another 23 years and it'll be up to an hour a day. Meanwhile, if the internet, tablets and 'smart'phones are being counted, so, presumably are cartoon strips.

[A1Str8]

They just made it up.

[Misterwhisper]

The only time my maid involves herself with reading material is when she collects my old newspapers so she can sell them by the kilo.

But on the other hand, it was just last week that I saw a local reading an actual book (not a comic) on the Skytrain. She must've belonged to those 81.8% who allegedly do read on a daily. The other 50 people in the car - many of whom played silly games on their smartphones or checked their FB messages - must've belonged to those 18.2% who don't.

Edited October 17, 2014 by Misterwhisper

[phil2407]

My thai English students can't even write their name in English without checking their notebooks and 80% still get it wrong

[arthurwait]

My thai English students can't even write their name in English without checking their notebooks and 80% still get it wrong

You are their teacher.

[joebrown]

It's all very well to read, but understanding what is read is more important. Sadly, those Thais who read but don't understand rarely ask for help. To do so would be a 'loss of face', which is something to be avoided at all costs. As a result educational standards never improve.

[phil2407]

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink

[thailiketoo]

The only time my maid involves herself with reading material is when she collects my old newspapers so she can sell them by the kilo.

But on the other hand, it was just last week that I saw a local reading an actual book (not a comic) on the Skytrain. She must've belonged to those 81.8% who allegedly do read on a daily. The other 50 people in the car - many of whom played silly games on their smartphones or checked their FB messages - must've belonged to those 18.2% who don't.

I can't read in a moving vehicle as it makes me nauseous. Maybe you were lucky they weren't reading.

[Jeremy50]

This must be a joke. I have introduced Thais to the book store (apparently, they don't frequent them) and offered to buy some/any books and the reaction was like I was going to pull their teeth. Lead a horse to the pond...but this headline is complete BS.

Read it again,it means people are reading web pages on their phone, not reading books. I can't remember the last time I saw a Thai reading a novel. Even at school. A teacher once saw Germinal by Zola on my desk and asked to borrow it. I few days later he came back and asked me if I had something which was more 'fun'.

...give him Nana.

.........what a naughty girl she was. I nearly gave him de Sade's Justine.

[jaltsc]

"...reading time has increased 13% from the last survey "

What an ingenious was to hide that they are reading 13% slower than before.

[Anon999]

This must be a joke. I have introduced Thais to the book store (apparently, they don't frequent them) and offered to buy some/any books and the reaction was like I was going to pull their teeth. Lead a horse to the pond...but this headline is complete BS.

You must live in an odd place as whenever I go into a bookshop there are usually only Thais reading and looking for books.

[ChrisY1]

My thai English students can't even write their name in English without checking their notebooks and 80% still get it wrong

The old saying...."if the pupil hasn't learn't....the teacher hasn't taught"