British institution in Pattaya has moved

[reader]

From Pattaya Mail

By Barry Kenyon

 

“Once the pandemic subsided, we were keen to move from Pattaya’s Soi Pothole,” says Dave Collier who set up Canterbury Tales with his energetic wife Yao in 2004. Over the years, the second-hand and exchange bookshop has become the city’s principal literary depository as well as a favorite daytime “table of knowledge” – a mainly British expat corner for drinking tea, socializing and keeping abreast of the local news.

 

But Soi Pothole, officially Soi Chaiyapoon, is an increasingly noisy street with new bars playing loud music reopening as tourism rebounds. Dave and Yao are now open for business in Soi Bongkot (near Soi 6/3) in much larger premises which resemble a library to accommodate tens of thousands of volumes. “It’s about 60 percent non-fiction, but we have a large selection of true crime, biographies, sports, classics and even erotica,” promises Dave as a customer asks if there is a copy of Suetonius’ twelve lives of the Caesars. “Yes, second shelf on the left,” he says. “It’s randy stuff you know.”

 

Many have pondered why Dave has made a success of a used book business in Pattaya where so many other foreigners have failed. “Hard work really.” he says, “From day one I advertised widely, used the internet and made personal contacts.” He adds that, although Pattaya has changed a lot in the last 10 years, the business has grown and grown. “We ship and receive books all over Thailand, using Kerry Express, thus proving there’s a ready market if you know how to satisfy it.”

 

https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/news/canterbury-tales-a-british-institution-in-pattaya-has-moved-411175

 

[Olddaddy]

Really love this place and visit every second day .

Catch up with all the straight old expats for a yarn 

[vinapu]

20 hours ago, Olddaddy said:

 

Catch up with... expats for a yarn 

I like this expresion

[Olddaddy]

10 hours ago, vinapu said:

I like this expresion

Yeah Aussie slang, I guess if I wanted to use real slang I would if said "catch up with all the old Cxxnts for a yarn  😂

[Travellerdave]

I visit always visit Canterbury Tales bookshop during my Pattaya trips where there is a fantastic selection of used books by most popular authors. Good books are an essential item for my holidays there often reading them on the beach. I have chatted to several of the old expats sat outside. Interesting to hear about all their issues like accommodation and visas. They mostly are in some sort of relationship with  a Thai woman and once I was asked if I was also. I had to admit that I was gay which did not seem to surprise them - Pattaya seems to accommodate all varieties of expats and long term visitors.