Books beat screens

The popularity of the 30th Book Expo Thailand, being held at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center until this upcoming Sunday, defies th...

The popularity of the 30th Book Expo Thailand, being held at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center until this upcoming Sunday, defies the notion that Thai people are not fond of reading.

During the recent long weekend, more than 130,000 people attended the fair each day. The organiser of the event, the Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand (PUBAT), stated that each attendant spends 600-1,000 baht buying books, reading gadgets, and materials to promote learning. PUBAT expects the sales volume at the fair to reach 460 million baht, marking a 5% increase from last year.

The book industry appears to be moving in the opposite direction to the country's economy. While many sectors are in the doldrums, the book industry continues to grow. Revenue from book sales -- print, digital, and copyrights -- is forecast at 20 billion baht this year, up from 18 billion baht last year.

In terms of reading habits, the average time each Thai spends reading is 113 minutes per day, according to the survey conducted last year by PUBAT and the Faculty of Psychology at Chulalongkorn University. In 2015, the time was just 61 minutes a day.

The health of the book industry is the outcome of continuous investment and policy support from successive governments, which have followed South Korea's lead in utilising the book industry and content as a creative economy and soft power.

Over the past decade, increased funding and policy support have been allocated to promote book events and the industry, facilitating the sale of content and copyrights.

But do all these encouraging developments and figures represent the overall literacy rate of Thai citizens? And if so, why are Thai students' overall performance on the Pisa Test and their reading ability not impressive at all? Do students in rural areas or parents in low-income communities have access to good reading materials and libraries?

It must be said that the school library budget and reading are not favourite subjects of our lawmakers. Most of the education ministry's procurement covers building large-scale infrastructure, such as stadiums, and purchasing computers and tablets.

Meanwhile, the current policy of the Ministry of Education is more worrying. Last month, Suthep Kaengsanthia, the ministry's permanent secretary, announced the Ministry of Education and state schools will focus on promoting digital and online reading. The policy will utilise digital short-form content, including TikTok clips and YouTube reels under four minutes, to promote learning and reading.

It is undeniable that mobile phones and online platforms are becoming the primary medium for readers; however, this does not render physical books and school libraries obsolete.

For schools, especially young students, libraries and physical books are relevant and increasingly important. Physical books can help young students develop cognitive skills and mental focus, whereas digital devices and mobile phones have the opposite effect. A library offering engaging activities like storytelling and art can foster creativity and social skills.

That said, the Ministry of Education must invest more in funding policies to nourish a reading culture, especially in low-income communities and rural schools. That requires more than four-minute TikTok clips and YouTube reels.

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).