Arunisa Titnua, 34, used to sell second hand clothes prior to the pandemic. Her business no longer viable, she has spent the past many months ploughing nine rai of land and readying it to be turned to into a flower farm, in hopes of generating some income.
With high season around the corner – Covid-willing – many farmers are hoping that the Instagrammable flower farms could become a big attraction this year to visitors, generating serious income into Chiang Mai.
With just ten days to go before Chiang Mai supposedly opens to the outside world on November 1st, many are concerned that rising numbers of cases may delay this opening, which will be a devastating financial blow to the province.
Arunisa owns Six Flowers Garden in Mae Raem, having abandoned her second hand clothes business following a surge of online shopping over the past year and a half which cut her income by 90%.
She has tried her hand at a number of businesses over the past year, including selling frozen food, but none have taken off. This piece of land which belongs to her family used to be rented to rice farmers, but seeing that it is in a major tourist area (or what once was one), she has spent many months preparing it for this year’s floral seekers.
It is believed by many that flower farms will generate a vast amount of money for Chiang Mai this year not just in flower sales but tourism revenue,
“It is outdoors which means social distancing, and many visitors who may have been cooped up at home for a long time will feel attracted to its beauty, clean fresh air and the chance to share their photos on social media,” she told Citylife.
Six Flowers Garden is to open tomorrow in anticipation of the long weekend coming up and will limit visitors to only 200 per day.
There are a multitude of such gardens popping up across the province and if you are a lover of flowers, you are spoilt for choice.