The main purpose of this research was to implement the Reading Improvement project (R/I-project) for lower secondary students’ Self-Empowerment development. This R/I-project followed the principles of reading but no predetermined programme. The research was conducted in Wat Putthabucha School, the selected school, one of schools under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC). It was a participatory research project using qualitative and semi-experimental methodology. The samples were thirty nine students who applied for participating in the R/I-project. Field data were collected by participatory observation, focus group discussion, structured questionnaire of Self-Empowerment and in-depth interviews with key informants, reading facilitators and students’ leader groups in the R/I-project. The data analysis and synthesis involved descriptive statistical analysis, t-test, content analysis and inductive analysis. The research results revealed that the R/I-project programme was composed of Activity1—developing comprehensive reading skills; Activity2— developing critical, interpretive and creative reading skills; and Activity3— developing applied reading skills. These activities were created and implemented by the researcher team and the participant teachers as reading facilitators. Only thirty of students participated in all three activities. Their total mean scores of Self-Empowerment before and after participating were at high levels (Χ = 4.21, 4.47 respectively). The comparison of their Self-Empowerment before and after participating (pre and post-test) had significant differences at the .001 level (p < .001). Suggestions of ‘reading improvement for Self-Empowerment development’ included supporting activities, especially for students weak in reading, using innovations and various methods such as practicing, competing, sharing and learning.