M   O   C           N   E   W   S

Consumer Price Index and Core Consumer Price Index

  September  2008 and average of nine month  of year 2008

      From the prices of goods and services surveys of 374 items all across of the country, covering food and beverages, clothing, housing and furnish, health and personal care services, transportation and communication, recreation and education, etc, The Ministry of Commerce reported movement of on headline Consumer Price Index and core Consumer Price Index of Thailand in September 2008 as follows:
1. Headline Consumer price Index in September 2008
       As of the base year (2002=100), the headline CPI in September 2008 was 124.5 and in August 2008 was124.2
      
       2. The percentage change of the headline CPI in September 2008, compared with
       2.1. August 2008 (month on month), increased by 0.2
       2.2. September 2007 (year on year), rose by 6.0
       2.3. Average rate on the first nine months of 2008 (Jan.-Sep.), compared with the same period in 2007, climbed up by 6.5
      
       3. Headline CPI in September 2008, compared with August 2008 rose slightly by 0.2 percent, due to the upward adjustments in prices of vegetables and fruits during out of season period and especially after heavy flooding in several parts of the country. However, average domestic gasoline prices were adjusted lower, corresponding to the continued deceleration in global oil prices.
       3.1. The index for food and beverages group expanded by 1.7 percent. This was primarily due to 7.4 percent increase in the index of vegetables and fruits such as kale, chinese cabbage, coriander, cabbage, lemon, orange, mango, grapes and durian, etc. This was caused by weaker supply as a result of heavy flooding. In addition, the index of eggs and daily products went up by 1.5, the index of non-alcoholic beverages (i.e. instant coffee, soft drink) increased by 0.6, and the index of prepared food (particularly in ready-to-eat meal, instant noodles and hamburger) rose by 0.2 percent, while prices of rice meal, pork and poultry were likely to decrease.
       3.2. The index for non-food group declined at a decelerated rate by 0.8 percent. This was mainly because by the decline in gasoline prices by 4.2 and train fares by 51.4 percent, resulting from the gradual fall in global oil prices as well as the six government-sponsored economic measures. Meanwhile, private bus services in metropolitan Bangkok have been allowed to raise their fares, effective on 1st September 2008 and this caused 7.2 percent higher in bus fares. Moreover, the index of cleaning products (i.e. detergent and dishwashing liquid, etc.) and personal care items (i.e. soap, shampoo, toothpaste) went up by 1.2 and 0.4 percent respectively.
      
       4. Headline CPI (year on year basis) compared with September 2007 picked up by 6.0. This was mainly resulted from 19.4 percent increase in the fuel index. The index of non-food and beverages group remained unchanged.
       For food and beverages group, the index went up by 15.7 and main components are the increase in the index of rice, flour, and cereal products, vegetables and fruits, seasoning and condiments, poultry and aquatic animals accounted 27.1, 25.8, 16.2 and 13.4 percent respectively.
      
       5. Average Headline CPI in the first nine months of 2008 (Jan.-Sep.) increased by 6.5 and the main factors were a surge in gasoline prices by 30.9 percent. The index for food and beverages group went up by 10.7 and the index for non-food group grew by 4.1.
      
       6. Core Consumer Price Index (computed from 266 items of goods and services) is the headline CPI, excluding fresh food and energy group, totaled 108 items. These exclusion items account 24 percent of total expenditure.
       Core CPI in September 2008 was 108.5, compared with
       6.1. August 2008, remained unchanged
       6.2. September 2007, increased by 2.6
       6.3. Average rate on the first nine months of 2008 (Jan.-Sep.) compared with the same period in 2007, rose by 2.5
      
      

    

  Consumer Price Index and Core Consumer Price Index
  September   2008  
(2002=100)  

Code
Group and Subgroup
Relative Importance of base year
Index
Average Index
Percentage change
 Sep. 08
Aug.08
Sep.07
Jan.-Sep.08
Jan.-Sep.07
Sep. 08/
Aug. 08
Sep.08/
Sep.07
 Jan.- Sep.08/
Jan.- Sep.07
0000
  ALL COMMODITIES
100.00   
124.5
124.2
117.4
124.0
116.4
  0.2
  6.0
  6.5
1000
  FOOD AND BEVERAGES
  36.06   
143.8
141.4
124.3
136.1
123.0
  1.7
15.7
10.7
1110
       RICE, FLOUR AND CEREAL PRODUCTS
  2.68   
171.7
174.6
135.1
159.9
131.1
-1.7
27.1
22.0
1120
       MEATS, POULTRY AND FISH
  5.32   
141.3
140.9
124.6
137.8
122.0
  0.3
13.4
13.0
1121
       MEATS
  2.17   
137.9
137.9
116.9
136.9
113.8
  0.0
18.0
20.3
1122
       DUCK, CHICKEN AND FROG
  .86   
145.3
146.5
126.1
140.0
119.7
 -0.8
15.2
17.0
1123
       FISH AND AQUATIC ANIMALS
  2.29   
142.9
141.6
131.4
137.8
130.7
  0.9
  8.8
  5.4
1130
       EGGS AND DAIRY PRODUCTS
  2.23   
129.5
127.6
117.1
126.2
113.3
  1.5
10.6
11.4
1140
       VEGETABLES AND FRUITS
  4.77   
249.9
232.7
198.6
224.2
198.8
  7.4
25.8
12.8
1150
       SEASONINGS AND CONDIMENTS
  1.79   
133.5
133.2
114.9
128.0
112.8
  0.2
16.2
13.5
1160
       NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
  1.55   
112.8
112.1
108.6
111.0
107.9
  0.6
  3.9
  2.9
1200
    PREPARED FOOD
  17.71   
118.5
118.3
106.7
113.6
106.3
  0.2
11.1
  6.9
1210
       PREPARED FOOD AT HOME
  7.03   
123.6
123.0
110.2
118.1
109.2
  0.5
12.2
  8.2
1220
       FOOD AWAY FROM HOME
  10.68   
115.7
115.7
104.9
111.2
104.8
  0.0
10.3
  6.1
2000
  APPAREL AND FOOTWARE
  3.40   
101.5
101.5
101.1
101.4
101.0
  0.0
  0.4
  0.4
3000
  HOUSING AND FURNISHING
  23.86   
  94.7
  94.6
103.3
101.7
103.5
  0.1
-8.3
-1.7
3100
    SHELTER
  16.74   
  99.4
  99.4
  98.8
  99.1
  98.8
  0.0
  0.6
  0.3
3110
       HOUSE RENT
  16.25   
  99.1
  99.1
  98.7
  98.9
  98.7
  0.0
  0.4
  0.2
3200
    ELECTRICITY, FUEL AND WATER SUPPLY
  5.10   
  70.2
  70.2
115.0
105.4
116.0
  0.0
-39.0
-9.1
3300
    TEXTILE - HOUSE FURNISHING
  .18   
100.9
100.9
100.7
100.8
100.6
  0.0
  0.2
  0.2
3600
    CLEANIMG SUPPLIES
  1.39   
121.7
120.3
112.6
116.7
112.7
  1.2
  8.1
  3.5
4000
  MEDICAL AND PERSONAL CARE
  6.04   
108.0
107.8
106.7
107.4
106.5
  0.2
  1.2
  0.8
4100
    MEDICAL CARE
  2.36   
107.8
107.8
107.2
107.5
106.9
  0.0
  0.6
  0.6
4200
    PERSONAL CARE EXPENDITURES
  3.25   
108.4
108.0
106.4
107.6
106.4
  0.4
  1.9
  1.1
5000
  TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION
  21.98   
140.8
143.7
132.2
144.4
129.9
-2.0
  6.5
11.2
5100
    PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICES
  4.51   
142.2
144.0
143.5
146.8
143.4
-1.3
 -0.9
  2.4
5200
    VEHICLES AND VEHICLE OPERATION
  10.59   
168.2
173.4
149.3
173.4
144.7
-3.0
12.7
19.8
5400
    COMMUNICATION AND EQUIPMENTS
  5.59   
  91.7
  91.7
  92.1
  91.8
  92.2
  0.0
 -0.4
 -0.4
6000
  RECREATION AND EDUCATION
  5.82   
106.2
106.3
105.0
105.9
104.3
 -0.1
  1.1
  1.5
7000
  TOBACCO AND ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
  2.83   
113.8
113.8
112.5
113.5
109.8
  0.0
  1.2
  3.4
8000
  NON-FOOD AND BEVERAGES
  63.94   
113.3
114.2
113.3
117.0
112.4
 -0.8
  0.0
  4.1
9000
  RAW FOOD AND ENERGY
  24.05   
174.0
172.9
153.2
173.8
150.1
  0.6
13.6
15.8
9100
    RAW FOOD
  15.00   
178.7
173.4
148.2
166.8
146.1
  3.1
20.6
14.2
9200
    ENERGY
  9.05   
166.1
172.0
161.2
185.5
156.7
-3.4
  3.0
18.4
9300
    EXCLUDE RAW FOOD AND ENERGY
  75.95   
108.5
108.5
105.8
108.0
105.4
  0.0
  2.6
  2.5
footnote : The core consumer price index is the consumer price index excluding raw food and energy items.    

Directed by Trade and Economic Indices Bureau, Ministry of Commerce Tel. 662 507 5846-55 Fax. 662 507 5825
Hotine : 662 5077000  http://www.price.moc.go.th Select to subject Consumer Price Index