This Thai 'book doctor' restores his clients' beloved books that have become dilapidated over the years.

Book repairman Pattarapol Chatchalawilai has been fixing the hardback editions at his workshop, The Book Clinic, for two decades. The shop is located in the town of Bang Rak Phatthana in Thailand's Nonthaburi province.

Pattarapol had previously worked as a book binder but began the enterprise with some prodding from a customer whose cherished tomes he had repaired.

He said: 'It started when I fixed a book for a customer. When I sent it back, the customer told me it looked pretty and suggested I make a living out of it, so that's when I started learning book repair.'

Depending on the condition and age of each book, restoration can take up to 50 hours of painstaking work, with older tomes that are up to 300 years old requiring as much as several weeks to finish fixing.

Pattarapol said: 'First, we have to find the reason behind the book being broken before fixing it. The book is then dismantled, then repaired and assembled again. In repairing, we have to find materials that are the closest to the original.'

Footage shows the diligent repairman carefully removing an old book's pages from its spine. He then takes a knife and evens out the frayed edges of the paper by shaving them.

Finally, he glues together the cover illustration like puzzle pieces to recreate the original look.

Even foreigners have sought Pattarapol's expertise in book restoration. He has dozens of foreign customers who have all sent their treasured vintage books to him to be repaired.

Pattarapol said: 'People enjoy different things, and luckily this job happens to fit what I like. You will probably see me still fixing books even as a grandfather.'





VIDEO TRANSLATION FOR SUBTITLES

1.45 Hello, I am Pattarapol Chatchalawilai. I have been a book fixer for 20 years now. The idea started because of my customers. I used to do book binding and one day a customer came and asked me to repair a book

2.01 It started when I fixed a book for a customer. When I sent it back, the customer told me it looked pretty and suggested I make a living out of it, so that's when I started learning book repair.

2.30 I ordered books and went to the library to learn more.

2.39 First we have to find the reason behind the book being broken before fixing it. The book is then dismantled, then repaired and assembled again. In repairing we have to find materials that is the closest to the original

2.50 It shouldn't take more than a few hours in fixing general books but if they are old books aged 100 to 200 years or even 300 years, it takes me 50 hours, many days, sometimes even weeks

3.04 One time I had a customer from England and I thought he must visit Thailand a lot. He searched for me online and emailed. He told me he was going to Phuket and woukd leave me a book to have it fixed, he left the book and went for a holiday. Then he came back and picked up the book.

3.18 As of today, I have five foreigners regularly sending me books to have them fixed

4.01 People enjoy different things and luckily this job happens to fit what I like. You will probably see me being a grandfather still fixing books.

4.15 My shop's name is Book Clinic. Just search for it online and you'll find it.