A survey has revealed that Thais spend an average of 66 minutes reading each day, a substantial increase from the previous survey, the National Statistical Office (NSO) says.
Read the following story from the Bangkok Post to learn more about the findings.
Photos courtesy of Bangkok Post
Thais spend an average of 66 minutes reading each day, the National Statistical Office (NSO) reported on March 30. The latest survey conducted among 55,920 households nationwide between May and June last year revealed that reading time had increased by 29 minutes compared to the previous survey in 2013.
DEVICE DATA
The survey was jointly conducted by NSO and Thailand Knowledge Park (TK Park), an educational complex operated by the government's Office of Management and Development and Knowledge.
Wattanachai Winichakul, head of the academic department at TK Park, said the result was good news and contradicted previous figures, which he disputes, that Thais read only about eight lines a year. The survey was aimed at learning more about Thais’ reading habits. Time spent reading electronic devices was also counted.
NSO's director Pattama Amornsirisomboon said the survey found teenagers read the most (94 minutes a day), followed by people between the ages of six to 12, adults and the elderly, respectively.
BANGKOK BOOKWORMS
Pattama said the survey found newspapers, Internet and email are the top three sources of reading. Most people read at home, followed by workplaces, coffee houses and restaurants, and schools and universities. Bangkok recorded the highest level of reading time, followed by the North and the Northeast, she said.
Charun Hormtienthong, president of the Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand, said the e-book market remains small, with 90% of people reading printed books and only 9.49% reading e-books. The survey found 97% of Bangkok households read books. Charun expects book sales at the National Book Fair this year to reach 600 million baht.
EXERCISES
Read the story and decide whether the following statements are true or false.
1. Charun Hormtienthong is the director of NSO. ………….
2. The latest survey was conducted between March and May last year. ………….
3. NSO stands for the National Statistical Organisation. ………….
4. Charun Hormtienthong said the e-book market remains small. ………….
ANSWERS
EXERCISES
1. False.
2. False.
3. False.
4. True.
Vocabulary
complex (n): a group of buildings of a similar type together in one place
contradict (v): to be so different from each other that one of them must be wrong
