Thailand’s annual headline inflation rose to a four-year high in 2018, boosted by energy and house rent, but the rate still moved in the target range set by the government.
The Trade Policy and Strategy Office under the Commerce Ministry reported Wednesday that headline inflation, gauged by the increase in the consumer price index (CPI), was 1.07% for the whole year in 2018. up from 0.66% in 2017, 0.19% in 2016 and -0.9% in 2015.
The higher inflation came despite the growth rate easing for the fourth straight month in December as a result of lower energy prices and some cheaper agricultural products due to excess supply.
Consumer prices rose 0.36% in December from the same month a year earlier, down from 0.94% in November, 1.23% in October, 1.33% in September and 1.62% in August.