Thai Book Market Value Hits 20 Billion Baht Mark Amid Creative Revival
The Thai book market has surpassed 20 billion Baht in value, prompting the Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) to launch a major initiative to educate authors and publishers on leveraging copyright for commercial success in the digital age
- Thailand's book market value has surpassed 20 billion baht, fueled by a creative boom and a significant pivot to digital channels.
- The creative revival is characterized by the growing international popularity of Thai authors, whose works are being translated and adapted into multimedia formats like films, series, and games.
- In response to the market's growth, Thailand's Department of Intellectual Property is actively educating authors and publishers on copyright law to help them protect and monetize their work.
Thailand’s book industry is experiencing a significant boom, with its market value exceeding 20 billion baht, a direct result of a major pivot towards digital channels and a surge in creative output.
In response to this expansion, the Department of Intellectual Property (DIP), under the Ministry of Commerce, has stepped up efforts to ensure the sector understands how to protect and monetise its work.
Auramon Supthaweethum, Director-General of the DIP, confirmed that the department sent experts to the 30th National Book Fair to host a seminar on "Fundamentals of Copyright Law and Types of Copyright Contracts."
The seminar educated publishers, authors, and entrepreneurs on key issues, including the differences between copyright and industrial property (such as patents and trademarks), the duration of copyright protection, and best practices for avoiding infringement.
"The goal is to encourage personnel in the Thai book industry to apply this knowledge to develop their businesses and create added value, thus driving the country's book industry," Auramon explained.
The high attendance and active discussion—covering topics such as online protection, licensing, and legally translating foreign content—underscore the industry's acute awareness of the new opportunities presented by copyrights.
The Thai book industry has seen a strong resurgence following the adjustments made during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Technological advancements and the growth of online platforms have forced entrepreneurs to embrace digital channels to meet modern consumer demand.
This shift has coincided with a sharp increase in the popularity of Thai authors, both domestically and internationally. Rights to Thai works are now being purchased for translation into languages including Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and English.
Crucially, the works are increasingly being extended into lucrative multimedia formats like series, films, and games.
This creative surge led the market value to exceed 20 billion baht in 2025, with analysts expecting continuous growth.
The DIP views copyright as a significant engine for the creative economy, as it provides the mechanism to commercialise intellectual creations.
The department has pledged to continue supporting the sector by offering workshops—such as the one focusing on professional webtoon production—and contests, including the T-Toon Script Contest, where the winning work, Kame Lang Kam, was successfully developed into a novel, webtoon, and script for a potential series.
