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Published on November 18, 2007

According to Thanachai Theerapattanavong, chairman of the Magazine Association of Thailand, it's an exciting and ever-growing industry.

Thanachai is a man of ideas. His latest brainchild is the country's first-ever Magazine and Book Fair and it celebrates Thailand's burgeoning publishing industry and the birth of many new magazines in recent years. Themed "Because Books Are Life", the fair is set to run from Wednesday through November 25 at Siam Paragon's Royal Paragon Hall.

"The event is aimed at promoting the Thai magazine publishing industry as a way of lifting the standards of magazine production in our country," he says, adding that: "the TMAT is a new association of its kind, but it's primary objective is to encourage the Thais to spare time for reading good books. And the fair is one way of treating them to the world of magazines and books.

It's going to be the first big event for the TMAT, but Thanachai is glad that the concerned parties are keen on lending him a helping hand. The organisational aspects are being supported by the Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand led by Risual Aramcharoen, who brings to the fair her extensive experience in staging national book fairs.

The Mall Group is offering the prime venue, while Phornchai Wittayakhunsakul of Thai Paper, itself a major supplier of quality paper for leading Thai magazines, is one of the sponsors. What's more, Narongsak Meewassanasuk, GM of Soontorn Film, itself a trusted magazine colour separation company, will stage a demonstration on hi-tech magazine publishing techniques. Last but not least, Anusara Jitmitrapap, vice president of Thai Post, will set up a booth with special delivery and stamp services.

Thanachai, who is also chairman and CEO of Nation Multimedia Group, is optimistic that the fair will attract a huge turnout of magazine lovers with a string of cool activities and more than booths from leading magazine and book publishers.

To begin with, the "Book Barter" corner will be the forum at which book lovers can exchange rare or out-of-print books that they have read with others. As the festive season is just around the corner, the fair is bringing together collections of books to be given as perfect gifts. But the real highlight will be the "Father of the Land" exhibition that features a collection of photos of His Majesty the King from prominent magazine covers in the past.

"This is the first time that Thais will be an opportunity to see HM the King on the front covers of various magazines of yesteryear," he says.

Furthermore, readers will be able to rub shoulders with their favourite authors in meet-the-author sessions with leading lights in the literary realm. In the meantime, readers will also get a chance to grace the covers of leading magazine covers by visiting the Thailand Post booth. Here, visitors can have their pictures taken and printed as useable official stamps that look like the covers of best-selling magazines.

Members of the press who attended the TMAT's recent conference agreed that the fair will serve as the platform for future bigger events celebrating the health of Thailand's publishing industry.

Manote Tripathi

The Nation