February 11, 2008
BANGKOK - Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej expects the Finance Ministry and the Central Bank to lift tough currency controls next week.
"We politicians, we think it doesn't do good to the country," Samak said of the exchange controls.
"As far as I have heard from the minister of finance, he says that it will be removed," Samak told a briefing for foreign media.
Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee said Thursday that he would meet the Central Bank next week to consider lifting the controls imposed by the previous military regime in a bid to halt the baht's rapid rise against the dollar, according to AFP.
Samak also said that his government would push ahead with infrastructure projects, including expanding public transport in Bangkok, upgrading the national rail network and piping water to ease chronic droughts in northeastern provinces.
His government would try to tackle inflation, especially in food prices.
Thailand's inflation rate jumped to an 18-month high of 4.3 percent in January due to soaring energy costs and rising food prices.
Poultry prices rose 11.2 percent, while fruit and vegetable prices were up 9.6 percent in January, according to the Cmmerce Ministry.
