Read Thailand / Read Southeast Asia / Read Silkworm Books We are the foremost publisher of serious books on Thailand and the Greater Mekong subregion.
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Silkworm Books is an independent publisher specializing in quality English-language books, primarily on topics related to mainland Southeast Asia.
09/06/2025
Silkworm Books expresses the deepest condolences for the passing of Professor Anthony Reid (1939–2025). He has been a prominent scholar of Southeast Asian History.
Silkworm Books has published the Southeast Asian edition of Reid's "Southeast Asia in the Age of Commerce, 1450–1680" Vol.1 and 2, as well as the Thai translation of the books.
Professor Anthony Reid, eminent historian and Founding Director of the Asia Research Institute, passed away peacefully on Sunday 8 June 2025 in Canberra, aged 85.
Tony leaves a profound legacy in the fields of Southeast Asian history and Asian studies, and particularly at the Asia Research Institute, where he served as Director between 2002 and 2007.
ARI expresses its sincere condolences to Tony's family members, friends, colleagues and associates in New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Southeast Asia, and throughout the world. He will be dearly missed.
26/04/2025
Silkworm Books has a section at the International Book Sale. Please visit!
Books about Thailand and Southeast Asia, politics, history, society and culture...
Novels and short stories written about Thailand and Southeast Asia...
We have over 25 titles in English on sale with 20-35% discount at the International Book Sale!
📙 International Book Sale Featuring Big Bad Wolf Books
📗 Floresta Mini Convention Hall, 3nd floor, Central Phuket Floresta
📘 25 Apr–5 May 2025 • 10:00–22:00
We are happy to announce that the 3rd PBIC Thai Studies conference shall be on "Ghosts". The conference shall take place on June 15th 2025 at PBIC Thammasat, Tha Prachan campus. We accept abstracts until May 1st 2025 sent to [email protected]. Please see the poster for more information.
Silkworm Books was founded in 1987 and published its first book in 1991. It was the vision of Trasvin Jittidecharak, who wanted to establish an international publishing house based in her hometown of Chiang Mai, northern Thailand. Silkworm Books specialized, from the outset, in producing quality English-language books on Southeast Asia and has since developed into an internationally recognized and highly regarded publisher of excellent books in history, political science, anthropology, and many other fields of study, all centered around the culture and society of Southeast Asia. In 2005, Silkworm Books founded Mekong Press with financial support from the Rockefeller Foundation. In 2007, Mekong Press was registered as a nonprofit organization designed to encourage and support the work of local scholars, writers, and publishing professionals in Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and the other countries in the Greater Mekong sub-region. Mekong Press also holds seminars and training workshops on different aspects of book publishing, and helps find ways to overcome some of the huge challenges faced by small book publishers in Southeast Asia. Despite its growth and international presence, the foundations on which Silkworm was built are the same today as they were twenty-five years ago: to bring high-quality Western scholarship on Southeast Asia to the region, and likewise, to make Southeast Asian scholarship on the region as accessible as possible to people around the world.
Silkworm Books Today
Silkworm Books is a publishing company based in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand. It stands at the forefront of Southeast Asia’s publishing industry, in initiating creative ventures, developing innovative partnerships, and taking a principled stand, not only on what to publish, but also on issues of knowledge and freedom. Silkworm is a member of PUBAT, and consistently works to challenge other publishers by acting as a model of excellent book publication in the region, in terms of the depth and variety of scholarship, editorial thoroughness, and the quality of creative design.
Silkworm Books aims to be known for its integrity, honesty, and fairness in the treatment of authors, staff, and readers, and aspires to raise the standards of Southeast Asian publishing by sharing both its experience and its expertise with the wider regional publishing industry.
Thai language list
In addition to books in English, Silkworm publishes a wide selection of Thai titles consisting of translated and original work, ranging from academic texts and fiction, to graphic novels. The press has received attention for publishing translations of high-quality works from the world market and unusual titles rarely seen in Thailand. Situated in northern Thailand, Silkworm values and cultivates local scholars in the field, and its list of northern Thai studies books has been recognized nationwide.
