The 51st National Book Fair took place at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center from March 30 to April 9 in Thailand. The Cultural Division of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Thailand, in collaboration with the Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand (PUBAT) and the Thai Cartoon Association (TCA), launched a series of events titled "2023 Taiwan-Thailand Comics Exchanges (臺泰漫畫交流)."
As part of the series of events, the Taiwan comics booth was organized to introduce Taiwanese artworks that had won the Golden Comic Awards & Connection+ (GCA) to Thai readers. Moreover, internationally acclaimed Taiwanese comic artists Ruan Guang-min (阮光民) and Rimui (韋蘺若明), along with Thai comic artists Munin Saiprasart and Art Jeeno, were invited to join a dialogue to interact and exchange ideas.
Additionally, an interactive wall was set up at the booth to allow on-site readers to participate in creating works. The four comic artists from Taiwan and Thailand, PUBAT president Thipsuda Sinchawarnwat and vice president Anurak Kitpaiboonthawee, as well as TCA vice director Sakda Sae-iao were also present at the booth to join in the creation of works. The artworks produced by the artists not only drew in many comic enthusiasts who took photos and shared them on social media platforms, but also generated a great deal of interest among Thai professionals in the comic industry towards Taiwanese comic works.
The 2023 Taiwan-Thailand Comics Exchanges originated from the 2020 edition, where comic artists from both sides expressed their desire for physical exchange after the pandemic. Unlike online conversations during the pandemic, face-to-face sharing allowed comic artists to speak more freely and also attracted many Thai creators, local publishers, and comic enthusiasts to participate.