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Local Color
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2007-02-09 07:45:34-05
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Bt1bn spending expected for Valentine's Day: KRC
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BANGKOK, Feb 9 - City residents are expected to spend some Bt1 billion in this year's Valentine's Day with a range of businesses set to benefit from the celebration of love, according to the Kasikorn
Research Centre. The leading think tank surveyed anticipated spending behaviour for this year's Valentine's Day, from February 1-5 with a random sample of youth, students, and young adults who just have started their life
careers from age 13 to 25 years. Kasikorn projected that the amount of money spent in the festival this year would reach around Bt1 billion, up 4.2 per cent from last year's Bt960 million. However, spending is seen as growing at a slower pace than last year, which saw a healthy growth of 20 per cent, perhaps because this year's Valentine's Day falls on Wednesday, a workday. KRC said Valentine's Day is another red-letter day many business owners await with anticipation because they hope to increase total sales and services, making up losses which fell short of their earlier targets in the Christmas and New Year season due to bombings in Bangkok and suburban Nonthaburi. Kasikorn projected a variety of activities to celebrate the festival February 11-14 as many people would go shopping in advance. Roses -- especially red and white roses -- will remain a popular tradition for the day of love. Their prices this year are expected to be close to last year's prices, which were not high because there was sufficient supply to meet the demand. Nonetheless, florist shops, flower growers and vendors are expected to benefit from moderately extravagent spending for the occasion. KRC said popular activities on Valantine's Day include sending love messages on hi-tech equipment, such as mobile phones and the Internet, sending greeting cards online, and purchasing flowers online for delivery anywhere in the world. The top five activities people prefer to do in the festival include talking on the phone for the special occasion, seeing movies, sending messages and photos on mobile phones, having meals outside, and
shopping. (TNA)
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