Li Hongyun, a flower grower from Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, has never been to Thailand, yet the roses he plants have gained popularity in Bangkok, the nation's capital.
Weeks before each Valentine's Day, Li receives orders from florists in Bangkok. He then begins to pick fresh flowers at about 8 a.m. every day, and the packed flowers will be available for sale at a Bangkok market within 40 hours thanks to the Kunming-Bangkok Highway.
Kunming, known as "the flower capital of Asia," boasts a warm climate that allows flowers of various kinds to blossom year-round. The Dounan Flower Market, the biggest in Kunming, sold about 8.2 billion flowers to more than 50 countries and regions in 2018.
