Bangkok is World Book Capital 2013
UNESCO named Bangkok World Book Capital 2013 and, for Thais, that’s a huge honor. Not usually known as a nationality that reads particularly much, in recent years Thais have been buying books in record numbers. Bangkok becoming World Book Capital 2013 is only going to encourage that even more.
As part of Bangkok’s year of being World Book Capital, of course, there are book-related events being organized all over the city and one of them is this upcoming weekend — April 19th-22nd at one of my favorite Bangkok malls, Central World Plaza.
Central World Book Sale
To help celebrate the year of books, Central World has put together a book sale with books particularly targeting children and teenagers in both Thai and English, in the hopes this will encourage them to read more.
If you have kids and love to get bargains on books, you must visit Central World Plaza this weekend and check out their sale as, along with the usual good deals at Asia Books and the Kinokuniya bookstore, you’ll also find a slew of book stalls spread throughout the mall.
To find the book stalls, enter the mall at the large (and beautiful) Sky Walk as this is where the first book booths will be located. Then head to either the Eden Zone or the First Floor, as there are more book booths and sale books here as well.
You just might want to get there early, however, as that’s what I intend to do and I might have just bought up everything if you lag a little behind.
The history of books in Thailand
By the way, just a couple of bits of information about the Bangkok World Book Capital 2013 and Thailand and its history of books……
The theme for this year’s book capital is “Bangkok, Read for Life”, as that’s what the committee who is in charge of organizing the year’s events hope it will persuade Thais to do.
As far as Thailand and its history with books, the first printing shop was set up in Thailand in the late 1600s, so Thais have had access to printed materials for more than 400 years.
A French priest was the person who introduced printing to Thailand but it wasn’t long before Thailand’s most famous Ayutthaya king, King Narai, also set up a printing press in one of the royal palaces. A later Thai king, King Mongkut, set up Thailand’s first commercial print shop while he was still a prince.
Thailand has been printing ever since.
You can find out more about Bangkok World Book Capital 2013 at the website set up for the purpose, along with all the special events that are happening in Bangkok throughout the year to celebrate.
And don’t forget — Central World Book Sale this weekend. Don’t miss it!
As for other places to buy books once the Central World Book Sale is over, read the best bookstores in Bangkok, Thailand to find out where to shop.
