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Bangkok’s biggest free book fair returns for 10 days

Book Expo Thailand 2026 hits Queen Sirikit Centre from October 23-November 1, with seven zones, an ‘Unread Messages’ theme and a record to beat

Tita Honghirunkham
Written by
Tita Honghirunkham
Feature Writer, Time Out Thailand
Queen Sirikit National Convention Center
Photograph: Queen Sirikit National Convention Center | Book Expo Thailand
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Thailand’s book world rarely does things quietly. The 31st National Book Fair – officially Book Expo Thailand 2026 – takes over Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre from October 23-November 1, with ten days of books, comics, manga, BL titles, children’s reads, second-hand finds and foreign-language editions.

The numbers from the previous edition set a fairly daunting benchmark. The 30th National Book Fair in March drew more than 1.5 million visitors over 11 days and generated more than B474 million in sales – both record figures for PUBAT, the Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand. More than seven in ten visitors were Gen Z, while horror and detective fiction were among the strongest-selling genres. So much for the image of book fairs as hushed affairs populated mainly by people browsing poetry .

This edition is slightly shorter at ten days, filling  Halls 5-7 on QSNCC’s LG floor. The familiar seven-zone format returns, covering general books and fiction, Wonder Y – the fair’s dedicated BL/yaoi section – Book Wonderland for comics and teen reads, children’s and educational books, second-hand titles and a foreign-language section for anyone looking to stock up on English or Japanese books .

This year’s theme is ‘Unread Messages’, playing on the idea that opening a book can feel like finally around to a message that has been waiting for you. PUBAT has carried the concept through its ‘you've got a new message’ campaign, including a competition to design the fair’s key visual.

Where: Halls 5-7, LG Floor, Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC)

When: October 23November 1 2026

Time: 10am-9pm daily

How to get there: MRT to Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre station, Exit 3

Admission: Free 

More info: thailandbookfair.com or @thaibookfair on Instagram for the full programme

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