Your guide on where to find English bookshops and books in Chiang Mai

Guide to English bookshops in Chiang Mai

With its large population of ex-pats, Chiang Mai is the only city in northern Thailand with a respectable selection of English bookshops, most of which are to be found within walking distance of Tapae Gate.

For new books, DK Book Centre and Suriwong Book Centre are the most popular, although SE-ED Book Centre (Carrefour Hypermart) has a great range of non-fiction books. Bookazine and Bookzone have a good general selection of international magazines and news media, along with the usual range of fiction and travel books. The major shopping centres of Central and Airport Plaza have stores with an extremely limited range of English books, while the Suriwong branch at Chiang Mai Airport has a somewhat better selection.

Second hand bookshops have sprung up in the area just east of Tapae Gate, making this a convenient place to compare range and prices. The majority of the books are popular fiction paperbacks and travel guides, though don't expect any real bargains, most have been shipped in from the UK and cost about 300 baht a book. Nonetheless, they do offer trade-ins and have a great selection.

Suriwong Book Centre: A large international bookstore with many great titles on Thailand - especially coffee table books. 54/1-5 Sridonchai rd, tel: +66 53 281 052
Bookazine: English language bookstore chain. Chang Khlan rd, tel: +66 53 281 370
SE-ED Book Centre (Book Variety Chiang Mai): Best for non-fiction titles and computer books. Carrefour Chiang Mai (Superhighway, near Chiang Mai - Doi Saket rd), 1st floor, tel: +66 53 851 181-2
DK Book Centre: A large bookstore but with a limited selection of English books, and few fiction titles. Kotchasarn rd, tel: +66 53 207 556
Bookzone: Well-stocked with new books - mostly non-fiction, easy to find. 318 Tha Pae rd, tel: +66 53 252 418
CM Book Exchange: Good range of second-hand books. 59 Chang Moi Tad Mai rd, tel: +66 53 251 464
Gecko Books: Good range of second-hand books - English-speaking owner. 6 soi 2 Chang Moi Kao rd, tel: +66 53 874 066
Backstreet Books: Nice interior, good selection, right beside Gecko. 2/ soi 6 Chang Moi Kao rd, tel: +66 53 874 143
Tapae Gate Books: Offshoot of Gecko, good range of second-hand books, easy to spot across from Tapae Square. 2 Chaiyapoom rd, tel: +66 53 874 066
Shaman Books: Centrally located near Tapae Gate, this small shop specialises in new age books. 2 Soi 1, Kotchasarn rd, tel: + 66 53 27 5272
The Lost Bookshop: Small but with some good finds and prices. 34/3 Thanon Ratchamanka
The Bookshop: Modest selection of books. 59/7 Loi Kroh rd
Tokyodo Books: Japanese bookstore in Central Mall on the third floor. Huay Keaw rd, tel: +66 53 894 402
Zirieng: Limited English books, but loads of office supplies and more. 20 Ratwithi rd, tel: +66 53 223 600