Govt issues tax measures to encourage reading among Thai people

[webfact]

Govt issues tax measures to encourage reading among Thai people

 

   

BANGKOK, 24 May 2019 (NNT) - Although a survey conducted by the National Statistical Office in 2018 found that Thai people spend up to 66 minutes per day reading, a decline from 80 minutes a day in 2015, the current length of time is not equivalent to that in more developed countries. The government thinks that using a tax measure to encourage the buying of books will support the economics of the book industry and encourage Thai people to love reading.

 

Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Kreau-Ngam chaired a recent meeting of the committee on promoting a reading culture to create a learning society in Thailand. The government’s first initiative for the promotion of reading, was made under the tax measure to help agriculture, the community and human capital during the period December 15, 2018, - January 16, 2019. It was very well received by the people, especially the private sector that operates printing and e-book businesses. Information from the Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand points out that the measure has increased revenue from selling books and publications in chain bookstores, independent bookstores and publishers over the past three years (2015-2017) by 33.3 percent, from the normal sales figure in December of about 670 million baht to 873.19 million baht. The average sales volume of print media saw a sharp increase in just one month. It was also found that the general public wants the tax measure to be extended to continuously facilitate the purchase of books.

 

The second tax measure for the promotion of reading will be part of tax measures supporting the economy in mid-2019 under the Ministry of Finance. It was approved by the Cabinet on April 30, 2019. The measures consist of a tax initiative for the promotion of tourism throughout Thailand; a tax measure stimulating the purchase of education and sports products; a tax measure promoting reading etc. The tax measure for the promotion of reading allows income earners who are liable for personal income tax, excluding ordinary partnership or a group of non-juristic persons who buy all types of books and ebooks, to deduct such spending of not more than 15,000 baht from personal income for the 2019 tax year from January 1 to December 31, 2019. The maximum spending of 15,000 baht on books and eBooks, also includes the spending on books and publications under the shopping tax-break campaign from January 1st-16th, 2019 (first measure).

 

 

-- © Copyright nnt 2019-05-24

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[vadid]

Sorry, browsing Instagram and Facebook entries does not count as "reading".

[RotMahKid]

What's all this about? sorry I did not read it.

[worgeordie]

Manga, just look at the pictures,that's why when the Government

 issues leaflets,pamphlets and wants to get the message over,they

do them in comic form.

 

regarfds worgeordie

 

[user46546545]

ROFL- Thais reading a book?????? ????

[Ceruhe]

36 minutes ago, webfact said:

Although a survey conducted by the National Statistical Office in 2018 found that Thai people spend up to 66 minutes per day reading, a decline from 80 minutes a day in 2015,

The big LOL nevermind, how would they/anybody even be able to tell how much anybody reads for that matter? For all I can understand that's a random number pulled out of the rear, self resports are pretty much moot if that's where the number comes from.

[RotBenz8888]

28 minutes ago, webfact said:

The government thinks that using a tax measure to encourage the buying of books will support the economics of the book industry and encourage Thai people to love reading.

The first book they all should read is the one about the world outside Thailand, but it's probably not eligible for tax deduction....

[trainman34014]

They should try teaching them to read at SCHOOL !    I've got neighbours with teenagers who can barely read or write their own name.  Cartoon Books and Cartoons on TV are their main interest apart from internet junk.

[madmitch]

What a convoluted way of doing things. what percentage of Thais actually fill in a tax return? Why don't they just reduce the VAT on books to zero? (If it is already zero then please ignore my suggestion!)

[Nurseynutcase]

I could be wrong on this but I think vat is applied to printed matter.

 

I know of only two Thai people who regularly read books.

 

It doesn't seem to be in the Thai culture for reading books for fun, let alone to learn something about the world outside their own 'little bubble'.  But then again, if you are on a minimum wage the cost of books does become prohibitive.

 

Also has anyone noticed any public libraries in their area?  Would be interested to know.

[durian explorer]

The absence of (adequate) public libraries in Thailand, and in most of Southeast Asia as well, is truly unfortunate.

Quote

 

 

[soalbundy]

3 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

They should try teaching them to read at SCHOOL !    I've got neighbours with teenagers who can barely read or write their own name.  Cartoon Books and Cartoons on TV are their main interest apart from internet junk.

I thoroughly agree. I had to teach my then 14 year old stepdaughter to read Thai, when I protested at her school at how they could just let a 14 year old drift along who could barely read I was pushed off with "we have no time for the slow ones". At 21 she finished her degree at university.

My 11 year old son can read English fluently (because I taught him) but Thai is a different matter, he can read it after a fashion but is by no means fluent, he hates it. He has no idea of the laws governing the tones or how they come about with the use of the different letters, no idea about the three classes of letters, "why not," I asked in my innocence. "We aren't taught it" was the answer. Since the kids can all speak Thai they don't need to know the tone rules governed by the consonants and vowels, they just remember the words by heart.

He, like his two step sisters, hate reading, I have never seen a Thai read for pleasure, when I read a Thai book my step daughters ask why I do that to myself as if its some dreadful torture. 

[WeekendRaider]

one evening in 2003, on stopping at a private hospital to check a fever, I was ushered into a room where the doctor was reading a paperback novel.  and I remember being shocked somehow to see that, he only very reluctantly put the book down and began apologizing before even making eye contact with me.... he was so engrossed in his book.  but I couldn't understand why I was shocked.  I still remember it today like a special event that happened.

an hour later, on a long drive back to the university where I lived on campus and worked full time ..... ahem.... the thought of that doctor being so engrossed in a book hit me in the head.  an epiphany.  it was the first time I had seen anyone seriously reading a book. 

since then I have kept count.  not having an open book while eating "kahnomb".  not copying something in a book.  but reading it so that you are engrossed by what you are reading.

 

5 people.  in 16 years.  that and that Pasa Thai is uniquely phonetically written.  every vowel sound has a symbol.  no spaces between words just as we normally speak words.  etc.  can it be that simple to explain many things?  I think so.

 

[Cake Monster]

5 hours ago, vadid said:

Sorry, browsing Instagram and Facebook entries does not count as "reading".

" But Mister, I can read the pictures "

[ChrisY1]

Far too late for anyone over 12.....need to start at kindergarten!

[Con Peoples Fund]

3 hours ago, madmitch said:

What a convoluted way of doing things. what percentage of Thais actually fill in a tax return? Why don't they just reduce the VAT on books to zero? (If it is already zero then please ignore my suggestion!)

Not sure about VAT but what i do know for sure english books are so expensive here so maybe if its cheaper more people can afford to buy? Oh maybe they only want to encourage reading Thai book only( which is cheaper by heaps?

[ZeVonderBearz]

45 minutes ago, Con Peoples Fund said:

Not sure about VAT but what i do know for sure english books are so expensive here so maybe if its cheaper more people can afford to buy? Oh maybe they only want to encourage reading Thai book only( which is cheaper by heaps?

English books are for sure a ripoff here. Even the second hand book shop in CM owned by the farang is overpriced. Buying ebooks is the way to get around it unless you're one of the sentimental types who likes the physical touch of a book.

[legend49]

6 hours ago, IHTE said:

ROFL- Thais reading a book?????? ????

You notice they cant even read a passport at immigration at the airport, must study every page!

[legend49]

3 minutes ago, ZeVonderBearz said:

English books are for sure a ripoff here. Even the second hand book shop in CM owned by the farang is overpriced. Buying ebooks is the way to get around it unless you're one of the sentimental types who likes the physical touch of a book.

I download ebook, convert to PDF off to my printer; print and bind a well spent $5.

[zyphodb]

I think that there is a very simple answer to this reading question. Thai written language is so complicated that after deciphering a couple of sentences most Thais give up as it's far too tedious. Maybe writing it in a phonetic Latin alphabet might improve reading numbers but of course the country is far too nationalistic to do something like this, so reading numbers will never change unless everyone learns English and that's not gonna happen....

[connda]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

The government thinks that using a tax measure to encourage the buying of books will support the economics of the book industry and encourage Thai people to love reading.

More likely to encourage the purchases of Benzs and BMWs by those pocketing the tax revenues.

[connda]

41 minutes ago, zyphodb said:

I think that there is a very simple answer to this reading question. Thai written language is so complicated that after deciphering a couple of sentences most Thais give up as it's far too tedious. Maybe writing it in a phonetic Latin alphabet might improve reading numbers but of course the country is far too nationalistic to do something like this, so reading numbers will never change unless everyone learns English and that's not gonna happen....

Actually once you understand it <and it ain't that difficult> the reading makes more sense than English or other Latin based languages.  So -- gotta disagree with you.  The Thai language may stump you, but it doesn't stump anyone who has learned it.  

[connda]

8 hours ago, vadid said:

Sorry, browsing Instagram and Facebook entries does not count as "reading".

Neither is reading Comic Books Graphic Novels.

[connda]

3 hours ago, soalbundy said:

I had to teach my then 14 year old stepdaughter to read Thai, when I protested at her school at how they could just let a 14 year old drift along who could barely read I was pushed off with "we have no time for the slow ones".

"We have no time for the slow ones" is probably the excuse for "our teachers are incapable of reading and writing proper Thai no less English."  That's probably closer to the truth.

[Orton Rd]

Several teachers in our family, including a head and one who just did a masters degree, never seen any books in any of their homes apart from School exercise books and kids books for marking.

[Denim]

5 hours ago, durian explorer said:

The absence of (adequate) public libraries in Thailand, and in most of Southeast Asia as well, is truly unfortunate.

 

Now that you mention it there is one in our Amper . I have passed it hundreds of times and wondered what is inside. Always looks deserted but I must remember to investigate next time I pass.

 

When I first met my wife there was no such thing as smartphones and we had no television. I bought her a book so that when we were in bed she would have something else to do.

It was a translation of the well known novel ' The Human Comedy ' She loved it and could not put it down. Often re reads it when we are on the road. Bought her other books but none have made such an impression on her. 

I recommend this book to anyone wanting to get a Thai into reading.

Funny but pithy and thought provoking but easy to read.

[d2b2]

This, of course, comes well after the voting of the new constitution. Now there is a document that should been read by all Thais before voting. It would have been a great document to encourage all Thais to read. I wonder how many actually did.