COVER OF THE MONTH: JANUARY

The January edition of Vivi, the licensed Thai language edition of a popular Japanese fashion magazine for girls and women in their teens and 20s, gets my vote for Cover of the Month in January

Every month I will select my favourite cover from all magazines produced in Thailand, and from any nominations from readers of The Bangkok Bugle, and at the end of the year an invited panel of editors and magazine designers from around the world will select the Cover of the Year from the monthly winners.

Vivi is relatively new in Thailand with the January edition being only the fourth. The Thai edition, which claims a circulation of 120,000 copies, is published by Inspire Entertainment - the magazine division of the Siam Sport public company. Published in Japan since 1999, the magazine has grown to become one of Asia's leading fashion magazines and now boasts editions in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong in addition to Japan and Thailand.

And so to the cover. It's probably the most crammed cover I've ever seen, but that's what makes it unique and visually appealing. It will not appeal to everyone, however it does stand out on the news stands - and that's exactly what a magazine cover needs to do.

The Thai edition of Vivi sells for 90 baht and the January edition runs to a massive 236 pages, more than 15 per cent of which appears to be paid advertising.

You can nominate a Thailand magazine for Cover of the Month. Send details to bkkandy AT myway.com