Definitely two pieces of art made by the same person, even when both are 13 years apart.
Anucha Boonyawatana's debut, "Down the River", settled many of the elements and recurrent topics that she has been touching since then: Buddhist philosophy, love (specially since a LGBTQ+ perspective) and Thai floral art. All these themes are touched again in "Malila: The Farewell Flower".
Both of these short films of unrequited love center around longtime friends who undergo a quest of sorts to make their wishes come true.
Both are very atmospheric, mesmerizing, slow thai movies that largely take place in a jungle/forest. The story focuses on a gay male lead and his relationship to another guy.
Sort of coming of age movies focusing on an ambigious relationship between two guys. One likes the other for certain but it ultimately stays one sided.
Both seem to take place in summer too, id also call both poetic.