A halt in policy rate adjustment: Prasarn

 He said on Wednesday that the inflation would not exceed the central bank's target, despite forecasts that Dubai crude oil would average above US$140 per barrel this year.
 The central bank targets core inflation at 0.5-3 per cent and headline inflation at 1.5-4.5 per cent.
 "I can't speak on behalf of the Monetary Policy Committee. But this is to confirm the policy announced earlier this year that monetary policies would be implemented to support economic recovery. There is no policy to raise the policy rate, for now," he said.
 The MPC would convene for the second time this year on March 21. It is widely expected to revise up the economic growth forecast for this year, after the National Economic and Social Development Board raised the projection to 5.5-6.5 per cent, due mainly to post-flood investment.
 Meanwhile, Prasarn showed his concern on the ballooning public debt, after the Cabinet yesterday approved the Bt800 billion borrowing which would boost the public debt ratio to 48.6 per cent of gross domestic product.
 Should the public debt increase at this pace for 6-7 years, the ratio would hit the 60 per cent threshold, he said.