Head of Statistics Indonesia, Margo Yuwono, addresses a press conference in Jakarta on April 1, 2022. (Photo: ANTARA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Indonesia’s inflation in March 2022reached 0.66 percent month-to-month, according to Statistics Indonesia (BPS).
“It is the highest inflation since May 2019. At the time,the figure was 0.68 percent," BPS head Margo Yuwono was cited by Indonesia's Antara News Agency as informing at a recent pressconference on April 1.
The main contributors to inflation in March 2022 were redchili, household fuel, gold jewelry, and cooking oil, he said.
The head of BPS further informed that the limited stock ofred chili and the revocation of the Regulation of the Minister of Trade Number6 of 2022 concerning the Determination of the Highest Retail Price of PalmCooking Oil triggered the inflation in March 2022.
Meanwhile, the Bank of Thailand (BoT) skyrocketed itsinflation rate forecast for this year to 4.9 percent from 1.7 percent becauseof energy and food price surges attributed to supply shock from theRussia-Ukraine war.
Headline inflation is projected to be 4.9 percent in 2022,higher than the central bank's inflation targeting range of 1-3 percent.
The bank assesses the headline inflation rate will tally 1.7 percent next year, a slight increase from an earlier estimate of 1.4 percent,said Piti Disyatat, Secretary of the central bank's Monetary Policy Committee(MPC).
The BoT also cut its 2022 GDP growth forecast from 3.4percent to 3.2 percent and slashed the 2023 projection from 4.7 percent to 4.4percent.
The MPC meeting on March 30 decided to maintain the policyrate at the existing level of 0.5 percent.
Inflation will exceed 5 percent in the second and thirdquarters this year, driven mainly by rising energy prices and the pass-throughof food prices, Piti said.
However, inflation is projected to drop and return to thetarget range in 2023, owing in part to the assessment that the rise in energyprices will not persist, said the MPC.
The central bank maintained its outlook for foreign arrivalsthis year at 5.6 million, with Russian and Ukrainian visitors expected to total400,000./.
Vietnam's CPI has increased by 1 percent in February and 1.42 percent against the same period last year, according to the General Statistics Office of Vietnam (GSO).
Vietnam needs to be wary of imported inflation, especially from rising global energy and commodities prices, experts have warned, urging attention to be paid to promoting exports and putting imports under control.
Thailand's economy has gone into stagflation because of a fragile recovery and surging price hikes, according to an economist at the Economic Intelligence Centre (EIC), a research unit under the Siam Commercial Bank (SCB).
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Efforts to empower women must transcend dialogue and translate into concrete commitments, including corporate pledges and government partnerships, according to the spouse of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The forum featured two in-depth discussion sessions, engaging representatives from governments, think tanks, and businesses from both ASEAN and China, on how to forge closer ties for a common future.
The new FIFA Hub in Jakarta will not only support football development in Indonesia but also serve as a coordination centre for 21 football associations across Southeast and East Asia.
Minister Counselor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen reaffirmed Vietnam’s principled and consistent stance on the Palestine issue, calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire across the entire Gaza Strip.
PM Anwar Ibrahim affirmed the determination of Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair for 2025, to utilise all viable regional mechanisms of the bloc and work with partners to de-escalate violence and restore a peace process led by Myanmar.
Talking to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Vietnam’s Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925–2025), Nikulina, who is also a veteran journalist of Russia’s Sputnik News, emphasised the vital role of mainstream journalism in defending the truth and maintaining public trust.
The Ministry of Commerce reported that imports also rose 18% to 29.9 billion USD during the same period, resulting in a trade surplus of 1.1 billion USD. In May alone, Thailand posted a 4.6 billion USD trade surplus with the US and a 4.1 billion USD trade deficit with China.
The World Bank will provide a 2.1 billion USD financing package for Indonesia, focusing oncreating jobs, stimulating economic growth, and enhancing access to clean energy across the country.
Member states also reviewed progress on six priority areas for 2025, including the development of an underground cable framework, the follow-up agreement to the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement (APSA), the launch of the ASEAN Energy Efficiency Database, and the rollout of an investment platform for sustainable building initiatives.
In March, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra met with Formula 1 chief Stefano Domenicali and said Thailand would commission a feasibility study into hosting a Grand Prix on a Bangkok street circuit from 2028.
The proposed giant sea wall aligns with bilateral cooperation and has been designated a national priority, considering that several regions in Indonesia are experiencing land subsidence of 10–15 centimetres per year.
International flights were cancelled including Jetstar and Virgin Australia flights to cities across Australia, and flights of Air India, Air New Zealand, Singapore's TigerAir and China's Juneyao Airlines.
The partnership aims to strengthen collaboration in the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources, including gold, copper, and manganese, as well as in the development of steel, aluminum, and renewable energy industries.
Head of Statistics Indonesia, Margo Yuwono, addresses a press conference in Jakarta on April 1, 2022. (Photo: ANTARA) 
