Stage set for Bangkok's book fest

People of all ages are invited to "read for life" as Bangkok gears up to celebrate its winning the prestigious "World Book Capital 2013" award from Unesco.

The first big events are the 41st National Book Fair and 11th Bangkok International Book Fair from March 29-April 8 at the Queen Sirikit National Conven-tion Center.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will introduce its special award and reading promotion campaign at a three-day affair from April 21-23 at four venues in the capital, Pranee Sattayaprakob, director of BMA's Culture, Sports and Tourism Department, said yesterday.

The BMA's "Bangkok: World Book Capital 2013" exhibition at the book fairs would support the key concept of "Bangkok: Read for Life, Read for Love, Read for Knowledge, Love and Acknow-ledge", which leads to improvements in life and society in all aspects, she told the press.

The display would increase understanding of the World Book Capital contest and the importance of being selected as a book capital in terms of definition, rules, goals and project planning for reading promotion. It would preview the BMA's World Book Capital reading campaign before the formal launch in April.

An international seminar on reading would be held on April 21 at Centara Grand Hotel and also an exhibition to mark the 35th anniversary of the SEA Write Award at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre.

HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn will preside over the opening of the Bangkok World Book Capital exhibition at Siam Paragon on April 22.

Books will line the skywalk under the Skytrain from the centre to the shopping complex for pedestrians to pick up and peruse.

On April 23, 150 publishers will present books to monks and more than 10,000 young people will gather at Sanam Luang to encourage people in Bangkok to read more. About 30,000 postcards will be mailed from Sanam Luang to people encouraging them to read more books.

Worapan Lokitsataporn, president of the association, said about a million of the 100 million books produced by local and international publishers would be on view at the book fairs. Among them would be 2,000-3,000 new titles.

Some 950 booths from 420 local publishers and booksellers plus 24 booths from other countries, including Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea, would be spread over 20,000 square metres at the convention centre.

There will be a cartoon road and many interesting nooks, such as a panorama of His Majesty's photos, a show of the princess' translated works and an electronic media hall that will offer some free e-books and Thai fonts.

The Jewels of Asean space will feature good books from other Asean countries published in their local languages and English with help from publishers from Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Laos. A narrative on Asean and publications giving information about Asean in Thai will be also available there.