Valentine's Day Flower Market Bustling, Beautiful, and More Affordable This Year

The Valentine's Day flower market is bustling, with people steadily buying flowers and gifts. Prices are reasonable, with a slight reduction from the previous year. Yanee Srimani, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Internal Trade, revealed after visiting the Bangkok flower market that Thailand can now cultivate a variety of flower species, even those originally from overseas like roses, lilies, and carnations. This is due to improved cultivation techniques and environmental control, resulting in increased and consistently high-quality domestic production. Meanwhile, imported roses from China are available in substantial quantities. The cold climate in production areas facilitates cultivation, leading to abundant market supply and lower costs. This results in more consumer-friendly pricing this year. A price survey showed imported roses at 10 stems costing 200-300 baht (down from 200-400 baht last year), long-stemmed red Thai roses at 20 stems priced at 350-380 baht, white carnations at 20 stems at 120-150 baht, and white lilies at 10 stems ranging from 200-300 baht. Yanee added that there are no signs of product shortages this year, preventing price pressures seen in previous years. With both domestic and imported products supplementing the market, competition remains normal. The market atmosphere is vibrant, offering consumers various options across different budgets, from affordable single stems to large bouquets for special occasions. The Department of Internal Trade continues to closely monitor legal compliance, especially regarding clear price labeling. Spot checks show most vendors are cooperative, displaying complete and transparent pricing to help consumers make informed purchasing decisions.