BANGKOK, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's consumer inflation growth eased to its lowest level in 13 months in February, aided by lower energy and food prices, official data showed on Tuesday.
The country's Consumer Price Index (CPI), a key indicator of inflation, rose 3.79 percent year on year in February, down from a 5.02-percent increase in the previous month, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
The CPI climbed 4.4 percent year on year in the first two months of the year.
The core CPI, which excludes raw food and energy prices, rose 1.93 percent year on year, down from an increase of 3.04 percent a month earlier.
The headline inflation growth is expected to ease further in March due to lower demand for exports, while tightening monetary policy would also put downward pressure on inflation, said Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, director-general of the ministry's Trade Policy and Strategy Office.
The ministry is maintaining its inflation growth forecast of 2 to 3 percent for this year, Poonpong told a news conference. ■