"We would like to stimulate customers' spending power after the political uncertainty and negative factors including oil prices, interest rates and the bomb blasts in Bangkok," he said.

Moreover, from now until Valentine's Day on February 14, customers can take advantage of special bouquet packages.

Infinite Love offers 99 roses for Bt35,000 plus 12 free pre-Valentine roses, while True Love is an arrangement of 40 roses for Bt15,000 plus nine free roses. Other special bouquets will be arranged with 125-centimetre long-stem roses.

"This year, the company has prepared about 30,000 roses, slightly more than the same period last year, to serve demand for bouquets over the Valentine's Day period," said Rawat.

Although cold weather has hampered the growing of rose bushes in Thailand, Miss Lily has sufficient supplies of long-stem roses. About 80 per cent of its long-stem roses come from China.

Rawat said roses from China were normally more beautiful and larger than those in Thailand.

He said Miss Lily would seek to stimulate the Thai floral market by encouraging people to send roses not only to their lovers but also to people they love or respect.

Meanwhile, other florists are offering special Valentine's Day bouquets. TheFlowerFactory is using its website to promote bouquets ranging in price from Bt2,000 to Bt22,000.

Sasithorn Ongdee

The Nation