Thailand: Bureau of Trade Economic Indices reports Consumer Price Index and Core Consumer Price Index in May 2009

This was mainly due to the fall in prices of fresh fruit and vegetable, white rice, education group (i.e. tuition fees, fees, education books and stationary) and apparel and foot ware group (i.e. pre-school and high school uniform), resulting from 15 years free education program launched by the government. Prices of tobacco and alcoholic beverage also increased due to the adjustment to higher in excise tax. Moreover, fewer subsidies to water supply charges in some provinces caused an increase in consumer’s expenditure. 3.1. The index for food and beverages group rose by 0.1 percent. This was primarily caused by the increase in prices of pork, dressed chicken, egg and dairy product (i.e. egg, fresh milk, condensed milk, powdered milk and yogurt), fish and aquatic animal and fat, oil and seasonings (i.e. vegetable oil, fish sauce, soy sauce, vinegar and seasonings) by 5.2, 2.7, 1.0, 0.2 and 0.1 percent respectively. The decrease in the index was also affected by the deceleration in prices of cleaning supplies (i.e. detergent, fabric softener, dish washing liquid, fabric starch and cleaning products) by 0.5 percent. Water supply charges accelerated by 2.6 percent due to fewer subsidies to water supply charges in some province. Personal care expenditure (i.e. soap, toothpaste, perfume, tissue, deodorant and men hair cut, etc) increased slightly. (June 17, 2009)