Promoting Reading Habit among Thai People

(26/02/2013)

The Office of the Non-Formal and Informal Education, under the Ministry of Education, has launched the "Smart Book Home" project to instill in Thai people a love for reading, especially those living in rural and remote areas. The project calls for the establishment of community libraries, or community learning centers, in all villages nationwide. The objective is to provide opportunities for local people to have greater access to lifelong education through reading. According to the Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister, Mr. Phongthep Thapkanjana, the project is in response to the Cabinet resolution on 5 August 2009 that included the promotion of reading in the national agenda. The Cabinet also designated 2 April, the birthday of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, the Love of Reading Day. The period between 2009 and 2018 was also designated the Decade of Reading. There are currently about 80,000 villages in Thailand. Under the Smart Book Home project, a target has been set to establish a total of 41,800 smart book homes in 2013. Out of this number, 1,800 will be established in the three southern border provinces of Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat, and four districts of Songkhla (Chana, Thepha, Na Thawi, and Saba Yoi). A smart book home, or community library, must be located in a place people would consider the “center” of the village, such as a coffee shop, the residence of a community leader, a multi-purpose building, the village cooperative, or a pavilion in the middle of the village. There will be volunteers living in the village to help promote reading. Mr. Phongthep said that the Government would provide financial support for each community library to buy books, newspapers, and magazines, so that local residents could have updated news and information. Book donations from the public are also welcome. The center would also hold activities to promote reading in order to broaden the knowledge of Thai people. He said that the Ministry of Education planned to expand the project to cover another 40,000 villages by 2014. Although modern information technology in the forms of smart phones and iPads or tablets is available, Mr. Phongthep said that books remain important for acquiring knowledge. Meanwhile, the Secretary-General of the Office of the Non-Formal and Informal Education, Mr. Prasert Boonruang, pointed out that the Smart Book Home project would stimulate interest in reading among the Thai people in preparation for the soon-to-be ASEAN Community. More knowledge would enable the people to adjust to the changing situation and help develop the country. He said that after the project covers the whole country, it is expected that the Thai per capital reading rate of five books at present will increase to 20 books per year in 2015 when ASEAN Community is in place. Looking at per capita reading in other ASEAN countries, Viet Nam is at 60 books, Singapore 45 books, and Malaysia 40 books.