Thailand, Vietnam Launch Book Drive

In a bid to encourage reading habits and connect people, two independent publishers have launched a reading drive in Thailand and Vietnam. The initiative involves traveling through regional provinces, offering discounted books to local communities.

The reading drive has already shown promising results, with one publisher reporting a successful sale to a non-reader. Tran Dai Thang, an artist and publisher involved in the initiative, recalled a conversation with two young people who had visited a pop-up cafe beside his traveling bookstore. One of them claimed to not be a reader, but Thang's persistence paid off, and the visitor eventually purchased a book for 10,000 dong, approximately US$0.40.

The discounted price was a significant reduction from the book's original price of 45,000 dong. For Thang, the sale was a small but significant victory, as it marked the beginning of a potential new reading habit for the buyer.

## Why it matters The reading drive aims to spark curiosity and connect local communities through the power of reading. By offering discounted books, the publishers hope to make reading more accessible and appealing to people who may not have considered it before. The initiative has the potential to foster a love of reading in communities that may not have had access to books otherwise.

The success of the reading drive will depend on its ability to reach and engage with local communities. With the support of independent publishers like Thang, the initiative is off to a promising start. As the publishers continue to travel through regional provinces, they hope to inspire a new generation of readers and create a lasting impact on the communities they visit.