CHIANG MAI, Thailand – Flower shops across Chiang Mai are bustling with customers ahead of Valentine’s Day, with retailers reporting strong demand for fresh roses even as prices are lower than last year.
The busiest area is Ton Lam Yai Market, the city’s main wholesale and retail flower hub. Vendors source their roses from highland growers in Ban Buak Toei, Mae Rim District—Chiang Mai’s largest rose-growing area, known for its large, high-quality blooms.
Shop owners say they have reserved more than 40,000 roses this year to meet Valentine’s demand. Prices have dropped significantly, with a handful of about 25 roses selling for 120 baht, compared with 200 baht per bunch last year.
Adding a cultural touch, several shops have placed Mae Nang Kwak figurines at the front of their stores, following popular beliefs that the deity helps attract customers and good fortune. Red roses are often offered as part of these displays. (TNA)
