BANGKOK, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's inflation rate increased by 1.23 percent in April, according to the country's commerce ministry on Thursday.

The Inflation Cycle Index indicated a rise in prices of fresh food as a result of the drought situation, leading to repercussions to agricultural products and an increase in energy prices.

The commerce ministry is maintaining its target inflation bracket for 2019 at between 0.7 and 1.7 percent.

The report showed that out of 422 items of goods, prices of 243 items (food and non-alcoholic beverages) increased by 2.20 percent.

The prices of pork and fresh vegetables such as fresh chillies, green onions and string beans rose by 12.74 percent due to the extreme hot weather and the drought crisis, leading to rapid rotting of vegetables entering the market.

Prices of other non-food and beverage products increased by 0.67 percent over rising energy prices that have been increasing for the past two months.

Housing leasing and public transport fares also rose by 1.9 percent, a part factor causing the inflation to rise by 0.02-0.03 percent.

The first four months of the year indicated an increase in inflation rate by 0.86 percent, a figure within the commerce ministry's target inflation bracket.

The prices of 84 products were still stable and the prices of 95 products such as tangerines, rambutans, garlic and white shrimps went down. Enditem

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