Wiriyah Business

Wiriyah Business Co., Ltd. (Thai: บริษัท วิริยะธุรกิจ จำกัด) is a Thai publishing company best known as the publisher of Sarakadee (สารคดี), a long-running documentary and feature magazine, and as the corporate vehicle behind the Sarakadee and Mueang Boran (เมืองโบราณ) publishing imprints. According to the company's own account, it was established in 1983 (B.E. 2526) with the objective of operating a printing and publishing business, and it has built a reputation for high-quality print production — content creation, photography and book design. The company grew out of the Mueang Boran publishing house, which was founded in 1974 (B.E. 2517) to produce the quarterly academic journal Mueang Boran, covering history, archaeology and culture. Over time that house added academic books and pocket books in the same vein and spun off several small imprints — Pla Tapian, Mahanak and Sida — to publish in other genres. During the Thai economic downturn of 1983–1984, management decided on a two-track response: slow investment and clear existing stock, and create a new magazine that could sustain itself through broad content, a large readership and advertising revenue. That second track produced Sarakadee magazine, run by a separate, independent team, which was well received on launch for its documentary focus and its emphasis on photography and layout. Today Wiriyah Business describes its vision as producing quality print media for Thai society. Its in-house titles include Sarakadee magazine, the Sarakadee publishing house, the Mueang Boran journal and the Mueang Boran publishing house, and the company also takes on design and printing work for other publications. Its website, sarakadee.com, carries the magazine's journalism — columns, photo essays, culture, history, communities and environment reporting — alongside information about the company and its imprints.

Wiriyah Business Co., Ltd. traces its origins to the Mueang Boran publishing house, founded in 1974 (B.E. 2517). That house was created to produce Mueang Boran, a quarterly academic journal devoted to history, archaeology and culture. It later expanded into academic books and pocket books in the same fields and set up several smaller imprints — Pla Tapian, Mahanak and Sida — to publish in other genres. In 1983–1984 (B.E. 2526–2527) Thailand entered an economic recession. The management of the publishing operation analysed the situation and settled on two courses of action. The first was to slow investment and plan aggressive sales promotion to clear the large stock of books already on hand. The second was to create a new magazine that would form a fresh cycle for the publisher and would have to be genuinely self-sustaining: broad in content, with a large readership and advertising revenue in each issue sufficient to cover printing and operating costs. The existing Mueang Boran journal, being specialised and limited in readership, attracted little advertising, so it could not serve that purpose. The second course produced Sarakadee magazine, operated by a separate and independent team. On first release, Sarakadee drew considerable interest as a magazine devoted specifically to documentary writing, with particular emphasis on photography and on the design of the printed volume — a combination that set it apart from other magazines of the period. Wiriyah Business Co., Ltd. itself was established in 1983 (B.E. 2526) with the objective of conducting a printing and publishing business. The company became known for the quality of its print production across content creation, photography and book design. Its in-house output includes Sarakadee magazine, the Sarakadee publishing house, the Mueang Boran journal and the Mueang Boran publishing house. Beyond its own titles, the company also undertakes the design and printing of various kinds of publications for others. The company states its organisational vision as producing quality print media for Thai society. Its public-facing website, sarakadee.com, presents the journalism of Sarakadee magazine — columns, special articles, photo essays and reporting under themes such as Planet, Culture, Communities and History — alongside material about the company and its imprints.

• 1984

  Sarakadee magazine launches under a separate, independent team and is well received for its documentary focus, photography and design.

• 1983

  Wiriyah Business Co., Ltd. established with the objective of operating a printing and publishing business.

• 1983

  During the Thai economic recession, management decides to create a new, self-sustaining magazine, leading to Sarakadee.

• 1974

  Mueang Boran publishing house founded to produce the quarterly academic journal Mueang Boran.

Quality-oriented Thai print publisher known for documentary journalism, photography and book design.

• Sarakadee magazine (สารคดี)

  Documentary and feature magazine run by a separate, independent team.

• Sarakadee publishing house

  Book imprint in the company's in-house output.

• Mueang Boran journal

  Quarterly academic journal on history, archaeology and culture.

• Mueang Boran publishing house

  Academic and pocket-book imprint in the same fields.

• Print design and printing services

  Design and printing of various kinds of publications for other clients.

1. 1Sarakadee Magazine - Sarakadee Magazinesarakadee.com
2. 2About - Sarakadee Magazinesarakadee.com
3. 3Wiriyah Businesswikidata.org