01/02/2011 (Black Sea Grain) - Thailand will import an additional 120,000 tonnes of crude palm oil to ease a shortage that has pushed up the cost of meals, on top of 30,000 tonnes already brought in this year from neighbouring Malaysia.

"The oil should be imported by the end of March as we don't want to hurt farmers by importing more oil into the country when domestic supply is due to rise," Suthep Thaugsuban, the country's deputy prime minister said.