7 of Thailand's strangest magazines

There are around 60 licensed Thai language editions of overseas magazines –- and that number has grown by five already this year.  The next to appear will be a Thai language version of the global Lonely Planet magazine, which is set to make its debut next month.

But for every high profile overseas invader, there are many more locally produced magazines covering almost every niche you can think of –- and some you probably haven’t.

Here’s a selection of some of the more unusual Thai-language magazines, available on the shelves of bookshops in Bangkok.

1. Lottery Numbers Guide Book

At just 18 pages it’s small, but at 25 baht it’s also cheap and is probably the most professionally produced of the magazines on this list.

The magazine provides advice on what numbers to choose, looking at a wide variety of weird and wonderful topics including a cat with different coloured eyes, a lucky turtle, the latest film releases and a deformed coconut tree with apparent healthy powers.

Current affairs are also put under the spotlight, and recent helicopter crashes are analysed to produce the lucky numbers 316 and 317 (three helicopter crashes which killed 16 military personnel and one photographer).

2. Buddhist Land

Some of the leading titles have even started to develop tablet editions of their print titles, something many mainstream magazines have yet to do. 

The monthly "Buddhist Land" is one such publication that falls in this sector. Magazine covers are, in many cases, identical in that they feature images of a selection of amulets.

This magazine sells for 60 baht, and many of its 56 pages contain adverts for ancient and rare amulets.  

The fact there are more magazines devoted to amulets than women’s’ lifestyle tells you all you need to know about the popularity, and ultimately the profitability, of these titles.

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