Bangkok: The Prime Minister has taken a significant step in promoting literacy by launching the 'Read and Read Again' campaign, which aims to encourage book donations. The initiative is designed to foster a love for reading among children and is set to run from October 1 to April 18, 2025. The campaign, organized in collaboration with the Mirror Foundation, has set an ambitious target of collecting 1 million books, with over 6 million books already donated.
According to Thai News Agency, the initiative was introduced before a cabinet meeting at Government House, where Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Economy and Society, Mr. Prasert Chantarawongthong, along with Mr. Twarat Sutabutr, Director of the Office of Knowledge Management and Development, presented the campaign to Prime Minister Ms. Paethongtarn Shinawatra. The Prime Minister shared her personal connection to reading, recalling how her father recommended the Harry Potter series to her 20 years ago, which cultivated her reading habits and diligence.
Ms. Paethongtarn expressed her enthusiasm for reading to her children, mentioning her intent to contribute books from her collection to the campaign. She shared that her children are fond of 'The Secret of the Tree House' and that she uses storybooks as a teaching tool at home. The Prime Minister encouraged other parents to donate books their children no longer use, emphasizing the importance of making quality reading materials accessible to the next generation.
In conjunction with the campaign's launch, Ms. Paethongtarn read 'Good-hearted School' and 'Secret of the Tree House' to children attending the event to promote the initiative. Later in the day, she presided over a cabinet meeting, highlighting the government's commitment to cultural and educational development, even as other ministers, such as Ms. Sudawan Wangsupakitchkosol and Mr. Varawut Silpa-archa, were noted for their absence.