BANGKOK, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's headline inflation extended its decline for a 10th consecutive month in January, mainly due to lower energy prices and government measures to reduce the cost of living, official data showed on Thursday.
The Southeast Asian country's consumer price index (CPI) fell 0.66 percent last month compared to a year earlier, accelerating from a 0.28 percent decrease in December 2025, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
The January reading was the sharpest drop in three months, keeping headline inflation well below the central bank's target range of 1 percent to 3 percent.
Core CPI, which excludes volatile fresh food and energy prices, rose 0.6 percent year on year in January, edging up from a 0.59 percent increase in the month before.
The headline CPI is expected to continue its downward trend during the first quarter of the year before turning positive in April, said Natiya Suchinda, deputy director-general of the ministry's trade policy and strategy office.
The downturn is attributed to lower global crude oil prices, ongoing government support measures, and the appreciation of the baht currency, which has lowered import costs, Natiya told a news conference.
For the full year of 2026, the ministry maintains its forecast, projecting headline inflation to range between 0 percent and 1 percent. ■
