About 450 Pattaya students were encouraged to read at the Pattaya Library’s “Open a Book, Open the World” event.
Deputy Mayor Wattana Chantanawaranon opened the weeklong reading campaign June 5 with students from 11 Pattaya public schools and Sawang Boriboon, Tantrarak, Ratchapradit Wittaya and Satit Udomseuksa schools at the Youth Sports Center on Thepprasit Soi 7.
Deputy Mayor Wattana Chantanawaranon cuts the ribbon to officially open the event.
Wattana said the campaign is part of a nine-year government push begun in 2009 to improve literacy. He said the National Statistics Office showed that average Thais read only 39 minutes per day, or two to five books per year, while neighboring countries read 10 times more.
Supranee Jinda, deputy director of the Pattaya Education Department, said reading is critical for life and that the new campaign gives kids a chance to participate in knowledge-dissemination activities and encourages them to join in library activities regularly.
The students also heard from country-music star Klae Taidin, who spoke about his success from leading a life according to H.M. the King’s sufficiency economy philosophy.
In addition to music, Klae works to encourage youths to stay away from drugs and all vices by starting football teams, teaching music and doing activities with them like his own father did. He also holds free training sessions for people on how to make soap and toothpaste that he uses in his sufficient lifestyle.
Country-music star Klae Taidin speaks to the children about leading a life according to H.M. the King’s sufficiency economy philosophy.
Pattaya students are being encouraged to read.
