Thai orchids promoted to be world number one

BANGKOK, January 19 (TNA) - Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha has vowed to promote Thai orchids to be the top on the world market. Prime Minister General Prayut made the pledge on Monday when inaugurating the Quality Orchids Market 2015 near Bangkok's Government House. The Thai government has invited the public to visit the three-month event, jointly organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and the Secretariat of the Prime Minister from Mondays to Wednesdays during 9am- 6pm. The prime minister said exports of Thai orchids are now ranked second, after the Netherlands, on the world market and his government is trying to promote and boost exports of Thai orchids to be the top on the global market. The prime minister noted that the event is aimed to not only boost sales of the variety of Thai orchids, after a drop in their exports last year, but also promote the Thai flower to enhance its competitiveness on the world market. The prime minister also urged orchid business operators to further develop their businesses to boost their revenues, namely opening up their orchid farms to welcome international visitors in a form of the Thai lifestyle tourism. Thailand normally exports 46 per cent of locally-grown orchids to overseas markets, while the rest are sold on the domestic market. (TNA)