Fitch seeking fresh data on Kingdom

Chakkrit Parapuntakul, deputy directorgeneral of the Public Debt Management Office, said the compilation of new data followed the rising political tension, which affected tourism revenue as well as investment sentiment. This could lead to the country's ability to finance debts, he said.

Fitch has maintained Thailand's sovereign rating at "BBB+" since the September 2006 coup.

Chakkrit noted that political conflict alone would not affect the rat¬ings, which are mainly based on the ability to pay, though they could have indirect impacts on investment, tourism and incoming revenue.

"The recent hike in borrowing cost does not stem from the political conditions but from the credit crunch following the subprime crisis in the US," Chakkrit said.

Fitch said earlier this week that Thailand's rating was at risk as a result of the prolonged political crisis. The rating agency was originally sched¬uled to review the sovereign rating in the first quarter.