THAILAND'S Department of Foreign Trade (DFT) has given the assurance that, even though rice prices are still creeping up, they are doing so more slowly and are likely to become more stable.

One reason for this, said its officials at a briefing here on Friday, is that Thailand - the world's top rice exporting nation - has been able to keep its rice exports at about 20 million tonnes a year.

The other reason is that Thai farmers are planting more rice to keep pace with demand.

The result: Premium grades of Thai rice can be expected to hold steady at about US$1,300 (S$1,794) a tonne, said the Thai Rice Exporters' Association.

Rice importers here confirmed that the increases have been less drastic, and the panic that seized consumers here a month ago has eased off.

While the price of Thai rice jumped US$100 to US$200 per tonne a week in March and April, the increases have lately been in roughly US$50 quantums.

The importers say, however, that prices are unlikely to return to last year's levels.

Read the full report in Saturday's edition of The Straits Times.