Prices up 5.3% in March

The first quarter inflation rose 5 per cent year on year, but the Commerce Ministry will maintain the annualised inflation target at 3-3.5 per cent.

 "We have to take into account other criteria such as wage adjustment as well as the transportation costs," said Commerce Permanent Secretary Siripol Yodmuangcharoen.

The inflation was up 0.8 per cent from February.

 To ensure that consumer price index will not increase significantly for the remaining month, the ministry will closely monitor goods prices in the market. But it is the policy to allow the increase in goods prics in line with market mechanism.

        In March, food and beverage prices rose 7.8 per cent year-on-year, due mainly to prices of pork rising 41.4 per cent, eggs and dairy products 13.9 per cent, fruits, vegetable and rice by 10 per cent,

 Non-food items prices also rose 3.8 per cent on year, resulting from a fuel-price rise of 25.3 per cent.

 Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and fuel prices, increased 1.7 per cent year on year and 0.3 per cent from February.

 Meanwhile, the ministry reported that the Construction Price Index jumped significantly by 15 per cent year on year in March, mainly from rises in costs of steel and other construction materials, deriving from higher oil price.

- The Nation