Print Publishing & BooksSilver report

Published May 2026Insight Research20 min read2026 Edition14 sources, 13 primary-gradeStrong source depth

Thailand Print Publishing & Book Market Intelligence

Thai book publishing ~THB 7-10B in 2024 with PUBAT publishers (Amarin, Matichon, Nanmeebooks, Sangdad), SE-ED, Asia Books, and Naiin Pann distribution, and growing eBook layer (Ookbee, MEB, Hytexts) offsetting steady magazine and newspaper decline.

Key takeaways

1
Thai print publishing sector roughly in 2024, down from approximately in 2020; book publishing alone stands near with the remaining headroom in newspapers and shrinking magazines.
2
PUBAT (Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand) is the trade body; SET-listed publishers Amarin (AMARIN), Matichon (MATI), Nation Multimedia (NMG), and Bangkok Post (POST) anchor the disclosed side. Private publishers Nanmeebooks, Sangdad, Plan for Kids, and Bliss Publishing lead the trade list.
3
Retail distribution is concentrated in SE-EDUCATION (SET: SE-ED, largest chain), Asia Books (English-language and imports), Naiin Pann (Amarin-affiliated), and B2S (Central Group). Bangkok International Book Fair and the National Book Fair remain the largest consumer revenue catalysts.
4
Magazines are in structural decline (Lips, Volume, Esquire Thailand, GQ Thailand closed print editions or rotated to digital). Newspapers (Thairath, Daily News, Khao Sod, Bangkok Post, Matichon) maintain national reach but face material print-advertising erosion.
5
Digital transition: Ookbee, MEB, and Hytexts lead the eBook layer; the Ministry of Education's free basic-education textbook scheme sustains print volumes for Aksorn, Watana Panich, IPST. Our read: book publishing stabilises while magazines and newspapers continue a slow structural fade.

Executive summary

Thailand's print publishing sector — books, magazines, and newspapers — sits at roughly in 2024, down from a few years earlier. Book publishing (trade, education, religious) makes up the largest slice at depending on definition; newspapers remain a significant but declining revenue base; magazines have contracted sharply as advertising migrated to digital platforms. PUBAT, the Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand, organises the Bangkok International Book Fair and the National Book Fair, which remain the sector's primary consumer revenue catalysts.^{[, ]}

The listed publisher side is led by Amarin Printing & Publishing (SET: AMARIN), a diversified group spanning book publishing, magazines (Amarin, Baan Lae Suan), commercial printing, and events. Matichon (SET: MATI) operates Matichon Daily, Khao Sod, and a book imprint; Nation Multimedia (SET: NMG) carries print masthead heritage now subordinated to Nation TV; Bangkok Post (SET: POST) is the English-language paper of record. SE-EDUCATION (SET: SE-ED) blends bookstore chain, publishing, and textbook supply. Private trade publishers Nanmeebooks, Sangdad, Plan for Kids, and Bliss Publishing make up the bulk of new-release output.^{[, , , , ]}

Retail and distribution concentrate in SE-ED (largest physical footprint), Asia Books (English-language and imports, Central Group), and Naiin Pann (Amarin-affiliated). Digital reading is led by Ookbee, the dominant Thai eBook platform, MEB (PUBAT-backed), and Hytexts (education-focused). Newspaper publishers maintain a print-plus-digital posture but face material advertising erosion. The Ministry of Education's free basic-education textbook scheme sustains print volumes for academic publishers Aksorn Education, Watana Panich, and the Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology (IPST).^{[, , ]}

PUBAT, listed 56-1, MoE, SCB EIC

Data as of: FY2024

Thai print publishing sector revenue trend (THB billion, 2020-2024)

2020

Revenue (THB B)

11.5

Context

COVID-19 trough; book fairs cancelled, magazine ad slump

2021

Revenue (THB B)

10.2

Context

Partial recovery; first major magazine print closures

2022

Revenue (THB B)

9.4

Context

Bangkok Book Fair returns; newspaper ad erosion continues

2023

Revenue (THB B)

8.6

Context

eBook share rises; Lips, Esquire Thailand exit print

2024

Revenue (THB B)

8.2

Context

Books stabilise around $0.203-10B; magazines, newspapers fade

Year	Revenue (THB B)	Context
2020	11.5	COVID-19 trough; book fairs cancelled, magazine ad slump
2021	10.2	Partial recovery; first major magazine print closures
2022	9.4	Bangkok Book Fair returns; newspaper ad erosion continues
2023	8.6	eBook share rises; Lips, Esquire Thailand exit print
2024	8.2	Books stabilise around $0.203-10B; magazines, newspapers fade

PUBAT, listed 56-1, SCB EIC, Nielsen

Data as of: 2024 full-year

Format mix (% of FY2024 sector revenue)

Trade books (fiction, non-fiction)

Share %

38%

Notes

PUBAT publishers, retail via SE-ED, Asia Books, Naiin Pann

Textbooks, academic, religious

Share %

30%

Notes

MoE free basic education scheme; Aksorn, Watana Panich, IPST

Newspapers (national, regional)

Share %

18%

Notes

Thairath, Daily News, Khao Sod, Bangkok Post, Matichon

Magazines (consumer, trade)

Share %

Notes

Amarin, Forbes Thailand, Baan Lae Suan; structural decline

eBooks, digital reading

Share %

Notes

Ookbee, MEB, Hytexts; growing share of trade reading

Format	Share %	Notes
Trade books (fiction, non-fiction)	38%	PUBAT publishers, retail via SE-ED, Asia Books, Naiin Pann
Textbooks, academic, religious	30%	MoE free basic education scheme; Aksorn, Watana Panich, IPST
Newspapers (national, regional)	18%	Thairath, Daily News, Khao Sod, Bangkok Post, Matichon
Magazines (consumer, trade)	8%	Amarin, Forbes Thailand, Baan Lae Suan; structural decline
eBooks, digital reading	6%	Ookbee, MEB, Hytexts; growing share of trade reading

PUBAT, listed 56-1, platform disclosures

Data as of: FY2024

Analyst framing

Why this report

Thai print publishing is bifurcating: book publishing stabilises around a smaller but durable base anchored by PUBAT publishers and SE-ED, Asia Books, Naiin Pann retail, while magazines and newspaper print advertising continue a structural fade. The eBook layer (Ookbee, MEB, Hytexts) and government textbook procurement are the two countercyclical demand pillars.

Publisher playbooks

Amarin Printing & Publishing (SET: AMARIN) is the SET-listed flagship of Thai consumer publishing. Portfolio spans book publishing (Amarin Book imprint), magazines (Amarin, Baan Lae Suan, Health & Cuisine), commercial printing for third parties, and live events (Baan Lae Suan Fair, Amarin Baby & Kids Fair). Naiin Pann bookstore chain is Amarin-affiliated, completing a vertical from print to retail. Strategic: diversification across formats and events hedges the magazine decline.

Matichon Group (SET: MATI) anchors the political and current-affairs print segment with Matichon Daily and Khao Sod newspapers, plus the Matichon Book imprint covering political non-fiction, biography, and Thai-language translation. Matichon Online and digital pivots offset paper-circulation losses. Strategic: editorial credibility is the moat; print remains a brand vehicle as digital monetisation builds.

Nation Multimedia Group (SET: NMG) retains print masthead heritage (The Nation, Krungthep Turakij) but the operating centre has shifted to Nation TV and digital. The group went through significant capital restructuring and remains under structural revenue pressure as print advertising migrates digital. Strategic: print is now a heritage asset, not a growth engine.

Bangkok Post (SET: POST) publishes the English-language Bangkok Post and Thai-language Post Today (digital). Audience: expatriates, multinational executives, English-reading Thai professionals. Print revenue compressed sharply over the last decade; the brand monetises events, supplements, and digital subscriptions. Strategic: niche English-language authority where Thai-language tabloids cannot compete.

SE-EDUCATION (SET: SE-ED) integrates bookstore chain (largest Thai book retail footprint by stores), in-house publishing (technical, education, computer books), and textbook distribution. Retail anchors mall locations and standalone stores; publishing arm is a top-five Thai trade publisher by SKU count. Strategic: vertical integration insulates against pure-play retail margin compression.

Nanmeebooks, Sangdad Publishing, Plan for Kids, and Bliss Publishing are the leading private trade publishers. Nanmeebooks: children's books, translated fiction, education materials; Sangdad: cookbooks, lifestyle, business, self-help; Plan for Kids: children's literacy; Bliss: lifestyle and self-development. All are PUBAT members; book-fair sales (Bangkok International Book Fair, National Book Fair) make a material share of annual revenue.

Newspaper publishers Thairath (largest Thai-language daily by circulation), Daily News, and Khao Sod (Matichon-owned) cover mass-market news with parallel digital channels. All face print-advertising erosion and have invested in digital video, social media, and live news to monetise audience reach beyond paper.

Retail and distribution

Physical book retail is concentrated in three chains. SE-ED Book Centre (SET: SE-ED) holds the largest Thai book-retail footprint by store count and shelf metres; mall-anchored and standalone formats carry a broad SKU mix from textbooks to trade fiction. Asia Books (Central Group affiliate) leads English-language and imported titles, anchored in malls and tourist-area locations. Naiin Pann (Amarin-affiliated) provides a Thai-language trade focus complementing SE-ED. B2S (Central Group) operates lifestyle and book retail combined, less specialised but with strong mall traffic.

Online and digital channels run in parallel. Ookbee remains the dominant Thai eBook and digital reading platform with subscription, single-purchase, and Ookbee Comics manga services. MEB (Mobile E-Books) is PUBAT-backed and serves the publisher community; Hytexts targets education and academic eBook distribution. Direct publisher e-commerce, Shopee, and Lazada add a long tail. Bookstore-affiliated online stores (SE-ED Online, Naiin.com) extend chain reach without expanding floor space.

Bangkok International Book Fair (April) and the National Book Fair (October), both organised by PUBAT, are the calendar-anchoring revenue catalysts. Publishers report meaningful shares of annual sales tied to fair traffic; promotional pricing, autograph sessions, and event-only releases drive footfall. Regional and provincial book fairs add a secondary tier.

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