IS TIME STILL ON OUR SIDE?
A Book for Joshua Wong’s 30th Birthday
Published on 13 October 2026 by Sam Yan Press
Nine years ago, Sam Yan Press published its very first book:
Time Is on Our Side: A Book for Joshua Wong’s 21st Birthday.
Bringing together writings by Martin Luther King Jr., Liu Xiaobo, and Joshua Wong, it was an expression of solidarity with a young activist whose struggle for democracy in Hong Kong resonated with our own experiences in Thailand.
Not long after the book was published, Joshua regained his freedom.
Nine years later, Joshua turns thirty. He is once again behind bars.
Much has changed in the intervening years. Hong Kong has undergone a profound political transformation. Across Asia, a generation of young activists has confronted political repression, imprisonment, and exile. The hopes that once inspired democratic movements have been tested by years of struggle, victories, and defeats.
To mark Joshua’s thirtieth birthday, Sam Yan Press returns to the book with which we began.
Is Time Still on Our Side? brings together essays, letters, poetry, and short fiction by writers, scholars, and activists from Thailand, Taiwan, Myanmar, the United States, and beyond. Featuring contributions by Jeffrey Wasserstrom,Perry Link, Brian Hioe, and others, the collection reflects on the experience of growing older alongside political struggles that remain unfinished.
What does it mean to sustain hope after years of repression? How do friendships and solidarity endure across borders and prison walls? What becomes of a generation that has devoted its youth to the pursuit of freedom?
Joshua’s decade is not only his.
Nine years ago, we published a book to encourage Joshua. Today, we do so again, asking the same question with renewed urgency: Is time still on our side?
“I cannot say with certainty whether time is on our side. History offers no such guarantees. But I believe that the efforts of those who struggle to make the world more compassionate and more just will not be in vain.”
— Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal,
Editor’s Note
Read the Book
The complete collection is available to read online below.
Open the book in Google Drive ↗
Contributors
This collection features essays by Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Perry Link, Brian Hioe, and Jfeilau, alongside letters, poetry, and fiction by contributors from across the region.
Together, these writings explore the meaning of solidarity, the experiences of political imprisonment, and the uncertain future of democratic movements across Asia.
Publication Details
Title:
Is Time Still on Our Side?: A Book for Joshua Wong’s 30th Birthday
Publisher:
Sam Yan Press
Publication Date:
13 October 2026
Editor:
Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal and Jirapreeya Saeboo
Contents:
Essays, letters, poetry, and short fiction
About the Project
This publication grew out of an open call inviting writers, activists, scholars, and members of the public to reflect on Joshua Wong’s thirtieth birthday and the past decade of democratic struggle.
Read the original campaign announcement →
Happy 30th Birthday, Joshua.
Sam Yan Press
Bangkok, Thailand