Very Few Thais Read Books

Unfortunately applies to foreigners too

Libraries in Thailand

Thailand does not have as many libraries as other countries. There are some in Bangkok and all the country’s universities have faculty and general libraries. They may not have the most up to date reference books. All the books in the culture section of the Chiangmai university library are over 20 years old.

The books that you find in Thai homes, if you find any, will be comics, light reading, religious (Buddhist) texts and old school textbooks.

Keeping the populace well-educated is not a government aim

A previous government started a scheme where all primary school children had a computer tablet to assist in their studies and Thai children are as computer literate as their counterparts in other countries. Western children will on average though have read more books than the Thai. Being too serious is not part of a Thai’s make-up.

Debating or discussing is too like conflict in their minds. They do of course chat about issues but they seldom argue a point through as we might in the West. Talking about politics is nowhere near as popular as is made out. No need to be serious, is how one Thai put it.