Three reading events this January

Book lovers have got a fresh excuse to leave the house as The Wholesome Book Club opens a new chapter. They're teaming up with Read Me Again to turn solitary reading habits into shared moments, swapping silence for conversation and coffee. The setup is simple enough. Each month centres on a single title, giving everyone time to read, reflect and show up with opinions fully formed or happily confused. There's something quite nice about knowing you've all tackled the same story, ready to dissect it over a cuppa.

January's pick is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, a novel that still gets people talking about justice, empathy and growing up awkwardly aware of how the world actually works. It's the kind of book that probably sat on your school reading list years ago, but hits differently when you revisit it as an adult.

January 17. B329 via here. The Commons Thonglor, 4pm and 3pm

Start the year by giving your bookshelf a gentle refresh at Read Fest, a reading festival that treats books as shared pleasures rather than homework. The fair returns with a programme designed to suit every age, encouraging families to wander, linger and discover titles they didn’t know they needed. This edition follows the theme Reading Journey, unfolding inside Hua Lamphong Station, a place already shaped by departures, arrivals and quiet anticipation.

Words travel well here. Across the festival, conversations sit alongside live music, hands-on workshops, exhibitions and an art and craft market that invites slow browsing. A dedicated Reading Space turns the station hall into an open library, welcoming anyone to sit with a book for as long as they like. It feels relaxed and generous, reminding visitors that reading doesn’t need rules, just time, curiosity and a comfortable place to pause.

January 23-25. Free. Hua Lamphong Railway Station, 10.30am-10pm

Reading in the Park returns for its third chapter after EP2 quietly proved that strangers will happily sit together and read if given the chance. More than 500 people turned up last time, which says a lot about how hungry Bangkok feels for slower forms of company. EP3 continues that gentle idea through the Bangkok Offline Reading Club, inviting people to step away from feeds and notifications and show up properly. Cooler weather helps, making grass seating and long chapters feel like a small luxury rather than a test of stamina.

Over 200 readers have already signed up, each bringing a book or e-reader and agreeing to keep phones tucked away. Swapping titles is encouraged, whether planned or spontaneous. The aim isn’t networking or productivity, just shared quiet. A small note of care remains around PM2.5 levels, so pace yourself and listen to your body.

January 24. Free. Register via here. The Amphitheatre in Benjakitti Park, 4pm-6pm