“Amid the national tragic period following the demise of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, local people flocked to the event to purchase books and publications that feature His Majesty the King’s biography and his royal duties, as well as literary works by the King,” Charan Homtienthong, president of the Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand, said yesterday.
Throughout his 70 years on the throne, Thailand’s revered King served as an inspiration for his people to keep doing good. Therefore, books about the King became precious collector’s items.
Book lovers, particularly families, also went to this show to shop for other kinds of books, including teen novels and non-fiction.
Despite facing difficult times due to the economic slowdown, more than 400 publishers exhibited their books at this annual event, occupying more than 21,000 square metres at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre in Bangkok.
Attendance this year was below the projection of 2 million.
According to a study the association conducted in July, readers aged 20-35 regularly frequented bookstores – about once a fortnight or more.
E-book sales were not growing as expected, as people still preferred to read and touch real books, Charan said.
This year, sales of books will reach about Bt12 billion, the association estimates.