Writers get residencies to focus on their work—so why don't readers deserve the same chance to actually sit down and finish a book? That's the question Thailand's PRY1 resort is asking, and it's the starting point behind their newly launched "Reader in Residence 2026" program.
Located in Prachin Buri, Thailand, near Khao Yai National Park, PRY1 is a forest resort now opening applications for its reader residency program. Selected applicants get four days and three nights of accommodation and meals, with stay dates flexible anytime between September 7 and 30. Each guest can bring along one book-loving friend—room and breakfast for two are completely free, plus a 2,000 baht dining credit to use at the resort's VAYA Kitchen.
For forgetful readers who show up without a book in hand, the resort also has a small library called "bulbul in the woods," stocked and ready for browsing.
The terms for all this aren't complicated: within a week of checking out, guests post once on each of their social media platforms sharing why they chose that particular book to read at PRY1. The format is completely up to the applicant—Stories, photos, or a short essay all work. Full creative freedom is left in the hands of whoever's applying.
Applications close on July 31, with selected participants notified by email on August 12. For anyone looking to escape the city noise and finally clear out their reading list in a quiet forest, this is a concrete opportunity with a deadline—and a clear trade-off attached.
