Thailand Inflation Rate Rises in October

Thailand's annual headline inflation rate rose to 0.83% in October, driven by increased energy and food prices, but remained below the central bank's target range of 1% to 3%. This figure was slightly lower than the forecasted increase of 0.94% and follows a 0.61% rise in September. The core consumer price index (CPI), which excludes volatile items, increased by 0.77%, aligning closely with expectations of 0.79%. For the January-October period, average annual inflation stood at 0.26%, while core inflation was at 0.52%. The government maintains its full-year inflation forecast of 0.2% to 0.8%, with projections indicating higher inflation above 1% in the last two months of the year. This marks the fifth consecutive month that inflation has remained below the central bank's target, intensifying calls for potential rate cuts to stimulate economic activity.