Thailand's consumer price index (CPI) for November was 1.9 percent higher year on year, a senior official at the Ministry of Commerce said Tuesday.

The higher CPI rate was due largely to a higher price in the food and beverage sector, Yanyong Phuangraj Permanent Secretary of the Commerce Ministry said, the Thai News Agency reported.

The November's inflation rate was the second consecutive rise, the permanent secretary said.

Meanwhile, the CPI rate in November was 0.3 percent higher from that of October, the permanent secretary said.

Higher prices of goods due mainly to higher retail fuel costs caused the month-on-month rise of the country's CPI rate, Yanyong said.

However, the higher inflation rates have signaled that the country's economy is recovering, said the permanent secretary.

(Xinhua News Agency December 1, 2009)