Digitalisation and e-books may have started a revolution, but bibliophiles will attest that nothing can truly beat the experience of turning the real, paper pages of an actual book. And while big bookstore chains conveniently carry the latest publications and extensive collections of titles, genres and authors, there’s something attractive about smaller, niche outlets, ones that may even sell preloved editions. 

From one bookworm to another, here are our picks of independent bookstores in Bangkok, plus a bonus pitstop, for getting your read on.

Books & Belongings is a petite bookstore celebrating readers, writers, thinkers, artists and creative minds. The store boasts a peaceful atmosphere with the smell of fresh drip coffee. The book curators here carefully select international publications with a focus on limited editions. In short, Books & Belongings is home for both readers and collectors.

Books & Belongings
2281 Sukhumvit Soi 91
Open daily 11am-7pm
fb.com/booksandbelongings, 091-154-6456

With over 18,000 books in stock, Dasa is possibly the biggest second hand English bookstore in Bangkok. Opened in 2004, Dasa Book Cafe has such a wide variety of books, from rare titles and foreign language books to the romance novel every woman in her 20s is reading right now. You can also sell your old books here to make room for more. Grab a coffee and take time browsing Dasa’s three floors.

Dasa Book Cafe
714/4 Sukhumvit Road (between Sois 26 and 28)
Open daily 11am-7pm
fb.com/dasabookcafe, 02-661-2993

Situated on Phra Suman Road, Passport Bookshop is one of those hidden gems. The bookstore specialises in books about Southeast Asia and also offers secondhand and handmade books, ranging literature, travel books, photo books and guides, as well as a few Thai titles within those genres. With a homey ambience, this is a great spot to gather inspiration for your next adventure.  

Passport Bookshop
523 Phra Sumen Road
Open Tuesday-Sunday 10:30am-7pm
fb.com/passportbookshop, 02-629-0694

Located at a hip riverside joint with regular jazz and cello performances, Candide Books & Cafe is named after Voltaire’s classic. The store stocks only Thai titles from both well-known and small independent publishers. There’s also an art gallery with plenty of creative exhibitions taking place from time to time. Other than the great books and ambience, they serve delightful coffee and tea with appetising eats, too!

Candide Books
The Jam Factory, 41/1 Charoen Nakhon Road
Open daily 10am-7pm
fb.com/candidebooks, 02-861-0967

This hidden bookstore is located right in the middle of Bangkok’s biggest nightlife district. Sharing space with a café and co-working area on the first floor, an art gallery on the second floor and a 1970s themed bar on the third floor, Zombie Books offers an array of titles in both Thai and English. The owner is a published author himself and curates a range of older novels to more recent bestsellers.

Zombie Books
RCA Block D, Soi 8, Rama 9 Road
Open daily 10:30am-midnight
fb.com/zombiebooks, 084-654-3954

Run by bookworm siblings Nat and Sivika Prakobsantisuk on the weekends, World at the Corner is a bookstore and museum shop that encourages readers to keep an open mind towards other cultures and to explore the world. Situated in a Rama IV-era house near Democracy Monument, expect many fiction and travel titles, as well as art books, children’s books and international souvenirs that the siblings collected on their trips abroad for sale.

World at the Corner
1 Mahannop 1 Alley, Sao Chingcha, Phra Nakhon
Open Friday-Sunday 10am-7pm
fb.com/worldatthecorner, 089-699-7074

In the midst of pleasant gardens, Nielsen Hays Library is housed in an antique, century-old European-style building. The library is connected to a glass house where the Garden Café and Gallery is located. Stocking everything from beloved children’s books, fiction, non-fiction and magazines and newspapers, Nielson Hays is a booklover’s haven and a great place to find comfort and peace in the middle of the city.

Nielsen Hays Library
195 Surawongse Road
Open Tuesday-Sunday 9:30am-5pm
fb.com/nielsonhayslibrary, 02-233-1731