Building a culture of reading

Building a culture of reading

The Book Passport project by the Ministry of Culture and Book Studies Foundation hopes to help independent bookstores boost sales and improve learning habits among the youth

SOCIAL & LIFESTYLE
Building a culture of reading

Like other businesses, Sirote Jiraprayoon's bookstores have been affected by the Covid-19 crisis. However, the veteran bookseller has taken this unique opportunity to strengthen his e-commerce business model. Over the past few years, he has learned how to utilise social media to build a community where readers can share their passion in a safe environment.

"When the country went into the lockdown, we had to close our shops temporarily. At that time, I expected Covid-19 to end within a few months so I cancelled my orders and asked international distributors to extend credit. I also switched from offline to online selling as it was a good solution at the time to help us weather the crisis. Revenues online might not be as much as in retail but it helped us survive," said Sirote, a former executive from Asiabooks, who runs The Booksmith in Chiang Mai and Papersmith by The Booksmith at Bangkok's Gaysorn Village, which are renowned for imported art and design books as well as magazines.

"In the first few months, people were working from home and looking for something to do during their leisure time, and reading art and design books provided inspiration. We had several new customers which helped us increase sales of Thai-language books, however, after the government lifted severe lockdown measures, people returned to their normal lives. But now, customers are once again starting to come back."

The Booksmith in Chiang Mai.

Due to the advent of the digital age, the number of indie bookstores has dramatically decreased from almost 1,000 to 100 in a decade as leading chains and publishers have expanded their base to e-commerce platforms by slashing prices. As a result, there is concern about how independent booksellers can survive in such a competitive environment.

To reinforce a bookstore culture in Thailand, the Ministry of Culture and the Book Studies Foundation have initiated a new project titled the Book Passport, which aims to build a network between booksellers and bookworms not only to boost book sales but also to instil a culture of reading among the youth.

"Indie bookshops are facing a crucial period as most publishers are offering up to 80% discounts to draw customers. In fact, they should distribute their products to bookstores and allow booksellers to create some special promotions. Nowadays, people are shifting to online platforms due to the ease of purchasing and availability of lucrative discounts," said Makut Onrudee, national artist in literature, who founded the Book Studies Foundation and Butterfly Book House.

"Bookshops have become like libraries where those who have no money come to read books and acquire knowledge. That's why Thailand should have small bookstores in local neighbourhoods since they play a significant role in the industry. If there are no bookshops where writers can sell their work, how can publishing houses survive? It's a cycle."

Featuring 51 independent bookshops, the new project is meant to encourage people to frequent bookstores. Those who spend at least 300 baht will get a Book Passport and a Covid-19 diary, allowing bibliophiles to not only travel to new locations but earn miles that they can use to win prizes on Facebook.

"Today, we have information available right at our fingertips but not everyone has access to the internet. Bookstores are important because they help prevent those who have little to no education become victims of false information. Bookstores only sell books that have been proofed by editors and passed rigorous checks," Makut said.

"It's a circle. If a writer is good, we will get a good book, good interpreter, good editor, good publishing house and the readers will become more intelligent. So, an increase in the number of bookstores will help convey knowledge to communities which in turn can help the country develop. For example, China has thousands of small and large bookstores around the country. Meanwhile in Japan, South Korea and France, we see bookstores scattered around neighbourhoods."

Booktopia.

Thais have often been criticised for their lack of reading, but Sirote says it is not true. Developing content to meet demand is the key to success. In 2018, the National Statistical Office (NSO) and Thailand Knowledge Park (TK Park) conducted the Reading Of Thai Population survey and found that Thais spend an average of 80 minutes reading each day, a 14-minute increase from the last survey in 2015. Moreover, 88% of the population aged between six and over 60 have read books and 75.4% have switched to reading electronically.

"We often talk about marketing strategy but don't pay attention to the standard of content. Promoting a reading culture should start at a young age and we need to have specialists help develop content and printing techniques," said Sirote, who has also joined the Book Passport project.

"English-language books are booming in Thailand. This might be a result of the increasing number of international schools."

In 2012, he set up Booksmith on Nimmanhaemin Road to provide a wide selection of English-language art and design, non-fiction books, and magazines from around the world, making it a popular hub for local architects and interior designers. Today, Booksmith has four new branches including Chiang Mai International Airport and Don Mueang International Airport to expand its reach both locally and internationally.

"Coming back to the origin of Booksmith, I recognised the demand for English-language books in Thailand and because of that, we've made a profit every year. We focus on rare book editions, children's books and non-fiction books," Sirote said.

"In 2016, I also launched the Papersmith by The Booksmith offering a series of imported independent magazines such as Apartamento, Okido and Curies. They're expensive but often sold out because architects and designers need to stay up-to-date with the latest trends. This shows how good content is a powerful magnet to draw readers' attention."

In 2018, Sirote was responsible for designing Bangkok Christian College's library and realised that bookstores and libraries are like a treasure trove of knowledge for people of all ages.

"I conducted research on what students want in their library and discovered that modern computers and exam tutoring books did not feature high on the list. High school students want books that can guide them to what they want to become in the future. For example, if someone dreams of being a chef, he or she wants books about the food industry and kitchen management rather than food recipes, which can be learned on YouTube. We should provide content that meets demand and not follow a librarian's model."

The Booksmith in Chiang Mai.

Located in the small town of Uthai Thani, writer Wirat Toareemitr has run Booktopia for 14 years and often uses Facebook to stay in touch with customers, especially during the Covid-19 crisis.

"Our shop was closed for nearly three months. However, we continued to offer special promotions on Facebook to earn an income. Focusing on a niche market, we've published our own limited edition novels, photo books and non-fiction books. The works in our store can identify our shop's character and the kind of customers that frequent it as well. In Uthai Thani, there are only two indie bookshops," said Wirat, aka Jamiya, one of the Book Passport members.

"Now, children can find just about anything on a mobile phone. However, parents should still encourage their children to read as it helps enhance imagination and creativity. Books can be passed down from generation to generation so that they can share their passion together. I've organised many fun activities to boost reading culture in the community. Now, I also plan to host a book fair."


Find out more details at facebook.com/BookPassportTH.

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