tgarrett100 Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 A friend in the U.S., a retired University Professor and a Confucian and Taoist scholar, has written a book soon to be published by a subsidiary of Simon Schuster dealing with the practical application to modern life of Confucianism and Taoism. It will be available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. He has asked me if there would be a market for such a book in Thailand and if so what a reasonable marketing approach would be. I told him that despite some possible interest in the subject (I recall that the 2010 movie “Confucius” starring Chow Yun Fat was popular here), I perceived very little interest from people who would buy an English language book on his subject. Just to validate my perception, however, would appreciate advice from anyone who might have a different opinion. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jadee Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 I agree with you that there would be comparatively little interest in Thailand for an English language book on that subject. Surely a reasonable marketing approach would be to release the book on Kindle and sell it on Amazon? Surely any potential customers in Thailand would be satisfied reading the book on their Kindles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merylhighground Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Is 'your friend' the same 'digital nomad' who was trying to plug his ebook on Amazon (at a discount too ) on the same subject here a few weeks ago? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tgarrett100 Posted March 31, 2016 Author Share Posted March 31, 2016 Is 'your friend' the same 'digital nomad' who was trying to plug his ebook on Amazon (at a discount too ) on the same subject here a few weeks ago? NO. Missed that post. Interesting though; will search for it. The comment about making it available in e-book format is right on. Already being done. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inbangkok Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 There is very little interests for books in general in Thailand, despite the language. The number one selling Thai book at the big stores right now is about how changing your mobile phone number will change your life. And if you have certain digits in your current phone number you will end up in debt, heartbroken, etc. I think this speaks wonders about Thai people and books...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TuskegeeBen Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 There is very little interests for books in general in Thailand, despite the language. The number one selling Thai book at the big stores right now is about how changing your mobile phone number will change your life. And if you have certain digits in your current phone number you will end up in debt, heartbroken, etc. I think this speaks wonders about Thai people and books...... Exactamundo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oxo1947 Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 (edited) There is very little interests for books in general in Thailand, despite the language. The number one selling Thai book at the big stores right now is about how changing your mobile phone number will change your life. And if you have certain digits in your current phone number you will end up in debt, heartbroken, etc. I think this speaks wonders about Thai people and books...... Exactamundo! Yes TuskegeeBen............aren't they a silly lot those Thai people....... while our all time best seller last year was..... "50 shades of Gray" --all about tying people up before you have sex with them.....plus other exciting stuff you can do to each other. . I am sorry I just get a little uptight about the superiority outlook that comes from many farangs here---go Google what is the most read item in all national newspapers in the UK.....want to have a guess......yes its the stars....I am Capricorn, what is going to happen to me & 20 other million Capricorn s today....do tell me.....you must know its a science. . People are people TuskegeeBen.....try to live by that & your life in any other culture..(& I have lived in a few ) will be so much more rewarding.....or .take the path of how much superior we are from the west.....lao te Khun....... Edited March 31, 2016 by oxo1947 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inbangkok Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 There is very little interests for books in general in Thailand, despite the language. The number one selling Thai book at the big stores right now is about how changing your mobile phone number will change your life. And if you have certain digits in your current phone number you will end up in debt, heartbroken, etc. I think this speaks wonders about Thai people and books......Exactamundo! Yes TuskegeeBen............aren't they a silly lot those Thai people....... while our all time best seller last year was..... "50 shades of Gray" --all about tying people up before you have sex with them.....plus other exciting stuff you can do to each other.. I am sorry I just get a little uptight about the superiority outlook that comes from many farangs here---go Google what is the most read item in all national newspapers in the UK.....want to have a guess......yes its the stars....I am Capricorn, what is going to happen to me & 20 other million Capricorn s today....do tell me.....you must know its a science. . People are people TuskegeeBen.....try to live by that & your life in any other culture..(& I have lived in a few ) will be so much more rewarding.....or .take the path of how much superior we are from the west.....lao te Khun....... Not a superiority outlook at all. It's just a fact that the average Thai doesn't read. They don't even read full novels in middle school or high school. They are pretty much set up for failure. I am also ashamed that the average American does not read much anymore either, however it is not comparable at all to Thais not reading and has nothing to do with this. Shit like 50 Shades and Twilight are worldwide phenomenons and cannot be said that only Westerners read them. They are indeed junk fiction but lots of people seem to like them for whatever reason. However, I am fairly confident a book about changing your mobile number for luck could only succeed in Thailand. You get upset with "superiority" attitudes..... Fair enough. I am upset when people like you constantly feel the need to rush and defend the indefensible regarding anything Thai. The Thai governments own statistics confirm that Thais don't read......they are among the worst readers in all of SE Asia. Simple fact! If you feel this is somehow a controversial issue and Thais need defending, well, that says a lot about you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TuskegeeBen Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 (edited) There is very little interests for books in general in Thailand, despite the language. The number one selling Thai book at the big stores right now is about how changing your mobile phone number will change your life. And if you have certain digits in your current phone number you will end up in debt, heartbroken, etc. I think this speaks wonders about Thai people and books...... Exactamundo! Yes TuskegeeBen............aren't they a silly lot those Thai people....... while our all time best seller last year was..... "50 shades of Gray" --all about tying people up before you have sex with them.....plus other exciting stuff you can do to each other. . I am sorry I just get a little uptight about the superiority outlook that comes from many farangs here---go Google what is the most read item in all national newspapers in the UK.....want to have a guess......yes its the stars....I am Capricorn, what is going to happen to me & 20 other million Capricorn s today....do tell me.....you must know its a science. . People are people TuskegeeBen.....try to live by that & your life in any other culture..(& I have lived in a few ) will be so much more rewarding.....or .take the path of how much superior we are from the west.....lao te Khun....... Whatever your reason for writing the sarcastic post, so be it. That's your cross to bare! Anyway, here's my style of sarcasm. Enjoy! "Talk is cheap! Superior people behave, in a superior manner. I did not come to Asia, as an arrogant American, expecting to teach English, or any other subject, for that matter. In fact, I arrived as a humble western student, in search of the ancient wisdom, forthcoming from a Thai people's culture, considerably older than my own. Indeed, I've learned considerably more about true human growth & "productive" development from the Thai people, than I've ever learned from my own, very ignorant, western parents, about the values of honesty, and ethical human behavior. Then again, my parents did not bow (give homage) to the graven image of Jesus, 20 times a day either, In fact again, several books have already been published (e.g.,Money_Number_One), encapsulating all the lessons I've learned about life, intellectually forthcoming from the most brilliant "Thervadist" Thai people, LLs." Edited April 1, 2016 by TuskegeeBen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TuskegeeBen Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 There is very little interests for books in general in Thailand, despite the language. The number one selling Thai book at the big stores right now is about how changing your mobile phone number will change your life. And if you have certain digits in your current phone number you will end up in debt, heartbroken, etc. I think this speaks wonders about Thai people and books......Exactamundo! Yes TuskegeeBen............aren't they a silly lot those Thai people....... while our all time best seller last year was..... "50 shades of Gray" --all about tying people up before you have sex with them.....plus other exciting stuff you can do to each other.. I am sorry I just get a little uptight about the superiority outlook that comes from many farangs here---go Google what is the most read item in all national newspapers in the UK.....want to have a guess......yes its the stars....I am Capricorn, what is going to happen to me & 20 other million Capricorn s today....do tell me.....you must know its a science. . People are people TuskegeeBen.....try to live by that & your life in any other culture..(& I have lived in a few ) will be so much more rewarding.....or .take the path of how much superior we are from the west.....lao te Khun....... Not a superiority outlook at all. It's just a fact that the average Thai doesn't read. They don't even read full novels in middle school or high school. They are pretty much set up for failure. I am also ashamed that the average American does not read much anymore either, however it is not comparable at all to Thais not reading and has nothing to do with this. Shit like 50 Shades and Twilight are worldwide phenomenons and cannot be said that only Westerners read them. They are indeed junk fiction but lots of people seem to like them for whatever reason. However, I am fairly confident a book about changing your mobile number for luck could only succeed in Thailand. You get upset with "superiority" attitudes..... Fair enough. I am upset when people like you constantly feel the need to rush and defend the indefensible regarding anything Thai. The Thai governments own statistics confirm that Thais don't read......they are among the worst readers in all of SE Asia. Simple fact! If you feel this is somehow a controversial issue and Thais need defending, well, that says a lot about you. Exactamundo! And ditto! I thank you, sir. Cheers, Your reply to post#7 is written with considerably better aplomb, and precise delivery, than I could have ever mustered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyL Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 I don't know much about the publishing and book distribution business in Thailand, but I do know there is a bookstore chain that specializes in English-language material -- Asia Books. They publish English language authors, in addition to selling titles from other authors. There is a selection of their English-language books about religion from their website: http://www.asiabooks.com/book/mind-and-religion.html?dir=asc&limit=60&order=created_at Here in Chiang Mai there are indeed many English speakers -- native English speakers, near native and Thai-people who read and study English books who are probably interested in the subject of the book of the OP's friends. Perhaps there is some way to contact the powers-that-be at Asia books about stocking it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritManToo Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 (edited) People are people TuskegeeBen.....try to live by that & your life in any other culture..(& I have lived in a few ) will be so much more rewarding.....or .take the path of how much superior we are from the west.....lao te Khun....... I don't know about that, Thai superstitions seem somehow dumber than WASP superstitions. Only ever seen Thais reading, school/college books, comics and religious texts. Edited April 2, 2016 by BritManToo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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