Fewer children seen frequenting libraries.

Fewer children seen frequenting libraries.

It was about 3pm-4pm on Tuesday. Roads in a community in Bangkok's Khlong Toei district were more crowded as it was the time when students were walking along the roads, some sitting inside pickup vans to go back home after school. Given a choice, most of them would probably prefer to stay at home or go out for other activities, like playing with their friends or playing sports or online games.

Two girls, however, do something different. They read at a small library in the community - an activity that could be admired by parents and even others who see them.

This, in a way, depicts the country's situation when it comes to reading where few children go to a library outside their study hours while most of the children prefer doing other activities.

A video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgPoW_SreiI&feature=player_embedded

"More than 10,000 people live or stay in many communities here in Khlong Toei but less than 1,000 of them are members of our library," Arunee Promma, secretary-general of the Sikkha Asia Foundation, told The Nation during a visit to one of its three libraries in Bangkok. Two other libraries are in other areas, and each of them has about 600-700 members.

Associate Professor Kulwara Chupongpairod, a former lecturer at Srinakharinwirot University, with expertise in library science and story-telling to promote the reading habit in children, said Thai people preferred watching or listening rather than reading as that activity required more concentration. The country also lacked professional librarians as young people preferred other jobs that offered more career growth.

About 10-20 people use the library after school or work in the evening at this library, while during weekends there are 20-30 people, according to Arunee.

Arunee said the majority of the members were children from kindergarten to Prathom 6 (Grade 12), and the foundation had done activities considered enjoyable and interesting for the children such as story-telling, games and rewards to draw more of them to try reading and enter the library.