For such a metropolitan city, bookshops in Bangkok are a little thin on the ground.
That’s not to say that there aren’t any, but it’s difficult to stumble across them quite so easily as in London, New York or Paris, say.
Essentially, you need to know where you’re going when you’re looking for books in Bangkok, so we’ve compiled a list of the city’s English language bookshops, organised by neighbourhood.
- Bookshops in Sukhumvit
- Bookshops in Silom
- Bookshops in Central Bangkok
- Bookshops in the Old City
- Bookshops in Northern Bangkok
- Bookshops in Southern Bangkok
- Bookshops near Rama IX
- Bookshops on the Other Side of the River
Let us know in the comments if there’s any you think we should add to this list.
Bookshops in Sukhumvit
Dasa Book Cafe
Otherwise known as the “expat ghetto”, the Sukhumvit neighbourhood is probably home to the highest proportion of Westerners in Bangkok and, as such, the highest proportion of English language bookshops.
Kinokuniya
3rd Floor, Glass Quartier, EmQuartier, 689 Sukhumvit Road
Kinokuniya (or just “Kino” to its regulars) is Thailand’s largest bookstore chain and holds one of the most comprehensive stocks in the city.
They also sell CDs, magazines, stationery, crafts and hobby goods, as well as Thai, Chinese, Japanese and English language books.
Public transport: phrom Phong bts
Asia Books
Emporium, 622 Sukhumvit Road
EmQuartier, 689 Sukhumvit Road
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: PHROM PHONG BTS
Landmark Plaza, 2-4 Sukhumvit Road
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Nana BTS
221 Sukhumvit Soi 15
Terminal 21, Sukhumvit Soi 19
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: asok BTS/sukhumvit mrt
Although individual stores are much smaller than Kinokuniya’s, Asia Books has a huge number of branches throughout Bangkok and a similarly comprehensive stock.
They also sell lifestyle products and e-books online.
Dasa Books
714/4 Sukhumvit Road (between Sois 26 and 28)
Dasa is Bangkok’s best second hand bookshops, home to a staggering 18,000+ books! You can read an in-depth feature and interview with the owner on What’s On Sukhumvit.
Check out their continually updated database here.
public transport: phrom phong bts
Sun Books
Phrom Phong BTS, between Sukhumvit Soi 33 & 35
Sukhumvit Soi 39
Sun Books is another second hand book store with two small shops in Phrom Phong that buy and sell Japanese and English language books.
The English language selection is seemingly dominated by fiction and arranged somewhat haphazardly.
public transport: phrom phong bts
Li-Zenn
81 Sukhumvit Soi 26
Li-Zenn is predominantly an academic publisher with a small shop open only on weekends.
They specialise in art, architectures, history and philosophy.
public transport: phrom phong bts
3/6 Book
Sukhumvit Soi 24
Another second-hand bookshop that’s decidedly under the radar in Phrom Phong. Their stock is skewed towards non-fiction, and English and Japanese titles dominate.
Open from 1pm to 9pm daily.
public transport: phrom phong bts
Bookshops in Silom
By drburtoni (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Silom is another expat-heavy neighbourhood in Bangkok, but doesn’t have quite the same amount of bookshops on offer as Sukhumvit.
Check out alleys, galleries and night markets to pick up the odd book here and there.
Asia Books
Silom Complex, Silom Road
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Sala daeng BTS, silom mrt
Kathmandu Gallery
87 Pan Road
This art gallery also sells books on Thai art and culture.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Surasak bts
Bookshops in Central Bangkok
Kinokuniya
The districts of Pathum Wan and Lumpini are the centre of Bangkok’s shopping scene – covering the areas of Siam, Chit Lom and Phloen Chit.
The myriad of malls found within all carry the chain bookstores.
Kinokuniya
3rd Floor, Siam Paragon, 991 Rama I Road
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Siam BTS
6th Floor, Central World, Rajdamri Road
public transport: Chit Lom bts
Asia Books
CRC Tower, All Seasons Place, Wireless Road
Central Embassy, Lumpini
Park Ventures, 57 Wireless Road
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: phloen chit BTS
Central Chidlom, 1027 Phloen Chit Road
Central World, Rajdamri Road
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: CHIT LOM BTS
Chamchuri Square, Phaya Thai Road
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Sam Yan MRT
Chula University Book Centre
Between Chulalongkorn Sois 62 & 64
Although their website is in Thai, Chula’s large book store has a wide selection of English language titles for sale, mostly academic.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Siam bts
Bangkok Art & Culture Centre
Rama 1 Road
You can find books scattered throughout the gift shops of the BACC and specifically on the third floor in their Hardcover Art Book Shop. Thai art and culture are the major subjects covered.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: National stadium BTS
Bookshops in the Old City
Democracy Monument. By Hatoriz Kwansiripat (CC BY-NC 2.0)
Phra Nakhon — otherwise known as the Old City — is the cultural heart of Bangkok. Home to the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Giant Swing and, of course, backpacking Mecca, Khao San Road.
There are a few second hand and specialist bookshops in this part of the city, but there are also lots of mobile stands and unnamed holes-in-the-wall selling books too – a little exploration is needed to fully appreciate the area.
Shaman
71 Khao San Road
This is Khao San Road’s biggest second hand bookstore, treasured by those on the Southeast Asia backpacking trail. Fiction sits alongside tomes on religion, culture and meditation.
public transport: Phra Athit Pier (Chao phraya express boat)
Book Lover
60 Soi Rambuttri
Open Tuesday to Sunday with no sign on the door, but a distinct clean, all-white facade. They possess an excellent second-hand stock of Southeast Asia history and culture alongside fiction, travel, maps and other languages.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: PHRA ATHIT PIER (CHAO PHRAYA EXPRESS BOAT)
Bookazine
62 Khao San Road
Mostly international magazines and newspapers with a few fiction and travel books.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: PHRA ATHIT PIER (CHAO PHRAYA EXPRESS BOAT)
Moonlight Book Shop
46/1 Khao San Road
An alleyway stocked with second-hand books – mostly fiction and travel guides.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: PHRA ATHIT PIER (CHAO PHRAYA EXPRESS BOAT)
Ton’s Bookseller
327/5 Soi Rambuttri
A few politics, history and culture books alongside a large Thai-language selection.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: PHRA ATHIT PIER (CHAO PHRAYA EXPRESS BOAT)
Rim Khob Fa Books
78/1 Ratchadamoen Klang Road
General interest books are stocked alongside academic titles. Found on the Democracy Monument roundabout.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: None
Mahamakut Buddhist University Bookstore
248 Phra Sumen Road
Here you’ll find everything Buddhist: scriptures, history, academics, philosophy, meditation, biographies, manuals and more.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Phra athit pier (Chao phraya express boat)
Passport Bookshop
523 Prasumeru Road
Both second-hand and handmade books can be found in this brilliant bookshop, as well as both English language and Thai titles. There’s good stock in Asian studies, fiction, travel and language study.
There’s also a little cafe on site too.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: none
Suan Spirit
77-79 Fuang Nakhon Road
Although the website is in Thai, there are some English language titles available in this Chinatown bookshop. Tomes on politics and sociology are in situ and there’s also a cafe on site.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: tha thien pier (chao phraya express boat)
Bookshops in Northern Bangkok
Chatuchak Market. By Matthew Klein (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Northeast Bangkok, specifically the neighbourhoods of Ari, Chatuchak, Don Mueang and Chaeng Watthana, is more popular with Thais than expats so English language bookshops are somewhat thin on the ground.
Having said that, Asia Books seem to have quite a grip on this end of the city, while the book market of the mighty Chatuchak also has a few hidden gems.
Asia Books
La Villa Phaholyothin, 358 Phaholyothin Road
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Ari BTS
Central Chaengwatthana, Changwattana Road
public transport: none
Central Plaza Ladprao, Phahonyothin Road
public transport: phahon yothin mrt
Crystal Park, Praditmanutham Road, Lad Phrao
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: NONE
Future Park Rangsit, 94 Phahonyothin Road
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: NONE
Fashion Island, Ramintra Road, near Siam Park City
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: NONE
The Mall Ngamwongwan, 39-50 Ngam Wong Wan Road
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: NONE
Tome Raiders
Chatuchak Market
A second-hand bookshop buried in the labyrinth of JJ Market, open Wednesday to Sunday. Books start from just THB10!
Public transport: mo chit bts, chatuchak park mrt
Dilok Books
Chatuchak Market
The biggest second-hand bookshop in the market, open Wednesday to Sunday.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: MO CHIT BTS, CHATUCHAK PARK MRT
Number 18
Chatuchak Market
A second-hand bookshop stand selling magazines, art books and fiction, open Wednesday to Sunday. Books start from just THB10!
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: MO CHIT BTS, CHATUCHAK PARK MRT
Number 33
Chatuchak Market
An international magazine stand, open Tuesday to Sunday. Prices start from just THB20!
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: MO CHIT BTS, CHATUCHAK PARK MRT
55 Bookstore
Chatuchak Market
A second-hand magazine store in Chatuchak, also selling travel books, fiction and non-fiction.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: MO CHIT BTS, CHATUCHAK PARK MRT
Bookshops in Southern Bangkok
Bangna. By Kitty Chirapongse (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Heading out towards the province of Samut Prakan, the area known as Upper Sukhumvit – Phra Khanong, On Nut, Udom Suk and Bangna – is pretty light on English language book shops, save for a few branches of Asia Books.
Asia Books
Central City Bangna, Bangna-Trad Road
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: none
Mega Bangna, 6 Bangna-Trad Road
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: NONE
Paradise Park Shopping Centre, 61 Srinagarindra Road
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: NONE
Seacon Square, Srinagarindra Road
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: NONE
Bookshops near Rama IX
Rama IX intersection. By Thibaud Saintin (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
The neighbourhoods near Rama IX – Ratchada, Din Daeng and Phetchaburi – are home to large Thai communities and relatively light on Westerners.
Although second-hand bookshops are seemingly absent, there are a few Asia Books outlets.
Asia Books
Central Plaza Rama 9, Ratchadaphisek Road
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Phra Ram 9 MRT
Esplanade Shopping Mall, 99 Ratchadaphisek Road
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Thailand cultural centre
Bookshops on the Other Side of the River
By Swaminathan (CC BY 2.0)
Again, the neighbourhoods of Bangkok Noi and the province of Thonburi on the western banks of the Chao Phraya are dominated by Thais so English language bookshops are in short supply. Asia Books have a couple of stores here.
