Thai central bank official: policy rate is low

BANGKOK: Thailand's benchmark interest rate is relatively low but inflation is likely to be stable this year, a senior central bank official said on Friday, reinforing the view that the the rate will be left on hold at a policy meeting next week.

"The current policy rate is relatively low and supportive ... while inflation should be stable, at around 3 percent (this year)," Roong Mallikamas, director of the central bank's Macroeconomic Policy Office, told a seminar.

Economists expect the monetary policy committee to leave the policy rate on hold at 2.75 percent at the meeting on April 3.