Thailand, Vietnam Publishers Take Books on Road in Reading Drive

A visitor who told publisher and artist Tran Dai Thang that he did not read books eventually bought a title for 10,000 dong (US$0.40), after Thang continued their conversation at a pop-up cafe beside his travelling bookstore.

The book had originally been priced at 45,000 dong, making the purchase heavily discounted.

A conversation before a sale

Thang noticed two young people who had picked up their drinks at the cafe and were about to leave.

He called them over and began speaking with them.

When one of them said they did not read books, Thang kept the conversation going rather than ending the interaction there.

He eventually persuaded the visitor to buy a book.

For Thang, however, the small sale was less important than the fact that someone who had said they did not read had chosen to pick up a book.

“Who knows, it might be the start of a new habit,” he said.

Taking books beyond established readers

The encounter reflects the purpose of a reading drive involving two independent publishers travelling through regional provinces in Thailand and Vietnam.

The publishers are offering discounted titles as part of an effort to spark curiosity and connect local communities.

The initiative therefore focuses not only on selling books, but also on creating opportunities for people who may not consider themselves readers to engage with them.

Thang’s interaction shows how a brief conversation and a low-priced book can become an opening for that engagement.

Source: South China Morning Post