Thailand’s April inflation rises slightly, first time in 7 months
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THAILAND’S headline consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.19 per cent in April from a year earlier, versus a 0.47 per cent year-on-year drop the previous month, the commerce ministry said on Friday.
The April figure compared with a fall of 0.25 per cent forecast in a Reuters poll and was the first time in seven months that inflation was positive.
April’s core CPI, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, rose 0.37 per cent.
The rise could be attributed to a low base for electricity prices last year, the rise of agricultural prices, and a weak baht, Director of Trade Policy and Strategy Office, Poonpong Naiyanapakorn told a press conference.
It was however the 12th consecutive month that inflation remained outside the central bank’s target range of 1 to 3 per cent.
Rising global energy prices and prices of agricultural products rose due to a hot climate, Poonpong said.
The ministry maintained its inflation forecast for the year between 0 to 1.0 per cent.
In the first four months ending in April, average CPI dropped 0.55 per cent when compared with the same period a year earlier. REUTERS
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