BANGKOK, Dec 6 (TNA) - Commerce Minister Krirkkrai Jirapaet on Thursday shrugged off concerns over a surging inflation rate next year, saying he believed it would stay at no more than 3 per cent.

In the first 11 months of this year, headline inflation, which includes volatile food and energy prices, was 2.2 per cent over the same period of 2006. Inflation in November rose by 3 per cent year-on-year due mainly to fuel prices; it was up 0.4 per cent from the previous month, according to the commerce ministry. 

Mr. Krirkkrai conceded the ministry needed to allow product prices to increase in tandem with high production costs due to oil price increase, but he believed prices of each product would rise at an appropriate level.
 
Should prices of any products increase considerably, the market share would be affected.
 
Mr. Krirkkrai also said he was confident the inflation rate could be controlled to remain at no more than 2.5 per cent this year and 3 per cent next year.

He, therefore advised there should not be excessive worry about the surging inflation rate affecting manufactured goods, he said, adding that prices currently are considered reasonable.