Thai Government monitors goods costs closely

BANGKOK, February 18 (TNA) - Thai Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom announced Saturday that the government is closely monitoring real production costs of products, especially those of necessity goods. Speaking during a weekly address of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Boonsong insisted that goods prices are to be maintained at realistic levels; otherwise the government's policy on a new daily minimum wage hike to 300 baht from April 1, 2012 and an increased salary of civil servants to 15,000 baht for those holding Bachelors’ degree since early this year will become futile. Boonsong acknowledged that the government has targeted to control this year’s inflation to stay between 3.5-3.8 per cent and his ministry is, therefore, working with other ministries concerned to bring goods production costs and prices under control to meet the target. According to the minister, Thailand's export growth targeted at 15 per cent this year has been maintained. (TNA)