The Jungle Book Fest: A Book Fair in the Khao Yai Forest
December   2024

Late last year, a caravan of books set up shop on the lawn in front of the "Pen Lao Khao Yai" restaurant, marking the first book fair in the Khao Yai area. Despite its small scale, it was warmly welcomed by both local readers and tourists visiting during the winter festival.

 

Participating publishers included Gypzy, BookScape, SALT, YF Culture, Isopod, Plan for kids, Banana Bare Foot, Nanmee Book, Matichon Book, Sataporn Book, Seangdow, On Art, Bonsai, and Kombang.

 

In addition to discounted book sales, this compact event also featured activities for young readers. The Maikidไฟ group provided fun games, such as ball mazes and beanbag tosses, along with a booth selling secondhand books at low prices, with proceeds going towards future children's activities.

 

In the same area, there were prize-winning games and a dinosaur excavation simulation sandpit from the Korat Fossil Museum, showcasing fossilized wood, ancient elephants, and dinosaurs from Nakhon Ratchasima Province.

 

The lawn was adorned with book trees and book mobiles, creating a pleasant atmosphere for strolling and discovering good reads.

 

The fair ran for a full month, open only on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, yet it was bustling with activity. This demonstrated that books are not truly in decline, as some might say; rather, it's a matter of bringing books to the readers.