NAKHON PATHOM: Thailand's orchid growers, already weary after two years of being battered by the pandemic, are bracing for fresh blows to their livelihood as the war in Ukraine and changing weather patterns further cloud their futures.
"No one has the heart to buy flowers, and transportation is very complicated," said Somchai Lerdrungwitayachai as he stares in despair at the sea of purple at his orchid farm west of Bangkok. But times are tough: Somchai has been dipping into his savings for two years to keep paying his 50-odd employees.
Once accounting for 80 per cent of Somchai's export income, China has been hit with coronavirus lockdowns in a number of cities, including its biggest: Shanghai. Thailand's orchid growers are bracing for further blows to their livelihood as the war in Ukraine and changing weather patterns cloud their futures
Before the pandemic, the company was delivering 3.6 million orchids a month to China, Japan, Vietnam and the United States."We have asked the authorities for financial support, but we have not received anything," Wuthichai said."Time is running out."
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