Mar 23 2011
Buying a book in Chiang Mai? Sounds straightforward but…
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I often get asked by visitors about bookstores in Chiang Mai, perhaps because a) it’s hard to choose from among the bewildering number of secondhand bookshops, b) it’s hard to find the decent new book shops or c) they’re looking for books in obscure, minority languages like French.
Books?!
Thailand is not like Vietnam or Cambodia, where you can get half-decent photocopied editions of popular novels for a few bucks. A secondhand novel in Thailand in reasonable condition is going to set you back around 250 or 350 baht and new, say 300 to 400 baht, so it’s not such a big difference. However the secondhand book shops will have a much wider choice than the regular Chiang Mai shops stocking foreign language books. If you’re looking for novels in European languages other than English you can skip this bit and go straight to the recommended secondhand stores because you ain’t going to find many new ones!
You can trade and exchange in the secondhand stores, but most of these stores are overstocked and unless you have a mint copy of the latest LP Laos, they’re going to be very fussy about what they take and very tight about what they give you for it. Swap your two tatty old paperbacks for a nicely plastic-wrapped Bill Bryson? You’ve got to be joking!
Now since the secondhand outlets are still getting most of their stock from trade, you’re less likely to find backpacker swaps of reference books or larger ‘coffee table’ type publications in those stores, so if that’s what you’re after then, unless you’re lucky, you’d be better trying new book stores.
Suriwong Book Centre -- not pretty but ...
In that category our recommendation is Suriwong Book Centre. Bit of walk but the best option in town. Good range of reference books and maps including German and French editions. (Also has a small but cheap novels selection.) They’re on Sri Donchai Rd — check their website above or our map here.
Some of Backstreet Books' massive collection
Among the myriad secondhand stores concentrated around Tha Pae, our personal faves are Backstreet Books, (first soi on the left going down Tha Pae Rd) and The Lost Book Shop at Ratchamanka 34/4. Both are run by the friendly Irish George, who knows his books and doesn’t slaughter you price-wise. There’s a very wide selection, including some in most European languages.
Happy reading!
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Tags: Bookshops, Ratchamanka, Suriwong, Tha Pae
You’ve got to be joking. A bookstore review with two bookstores? I like Irish George as well, but there are quite a few other bookstores.
New: Bookzone on Thapae Road has a huge selection of Thailand language and culture books from Lotus Press and Silkworm. There is also an Asia Books down in the Night Market.
Used: On the Road Books on Ratchawithi inside the moat. Also the very large Gecko Books which happens to be right next to Backstreet Books.
Now there are three times the original list of 2 bookstores.
Jeff – this is about one particular book store that we happen to like – it does NOT claim to be a review of every bookshop in Chiang Mai and is not in any way intended to be a comprehensive article about CM book stores!
Hi there- I’m another person here to ask you where I can find books in an obscure language:)
I might be going to Chiang Mai soon, and I’d like to ask if there’s any bookshops selling/specialising in second hand Japanese language manga (comics)?
Let’s not forget Bookshelf (99 Baht Books) located on Charoen Prathet Road, where all the mass market paperbacks are still only 99 Baht.
I had a pretty bad experience with the owner at Lost Book Shop. I tried to sell a couple books back and he gave me a super-low price, I (very politely) asked if that’s the best price I can get, and he became incredibly angry and practically threw the books back in my face. I had been a regular customer until that point and it was rather upsetting. Not going back there.