Macro & Economy

Ekniti Nitithanprapas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, disclosed that the Thai delegation is preparing to take part in four key discussions at the international financial gathering, along with a total of 30 bilateral meetings, during the week Thailand hosts the 2026 Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group, or the IMF-World Bank Group Annual Meetings 2026, from 12 to 18 October 2026. The first forum, on 13 October 2026 from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., is the Thai Ministry of Finance's flagship event, titled Thai MOF Flagship Event: Building Resilience in a Fragmented World, with Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank, and Riikka Purra, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Finland, joining the discussion. The same day from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m., Ekniti will take the stage at the IMF APD: Thailand Special Seminar Bangkok 1991-2026 alongside Kenji Okamura, Deputy Managing Director of the IMF, Krishna Srinivasan, Director of the IMF's Asia and Pacific Department, Vitai Ratanakorn, Governor of the Bank of Thailand, Naronchai Akrasanee, Chairman of the Strategic Policy Institute Foundation, and Sutthiphant Chirathivat, Professor Emeritus at Chulalongkorn University. Then on 15 October 2026 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., he will join the IMF Flagship Global Debate with Kristalina Georgieva, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, Minister of Economy and Finance of Greece and President of the Eurogroup, Aliko Dangote, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Group, and Danny Quah, Professor of Economics at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. On 17 October 2026 from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., he will take the stage at Bangkok Dialogue Notes to summarise the key messages Thailand is conveying to the global community and to advance its role as a Trusted Connector. As for the 30 bilateral meetings with economic leaders and representatives of international financial institutions, the aim is to strengthen ties, exchange policies for coping with crises, open channels for cooperation, and build on opportunities in investment and economic development. The Thai government sees hosting this event as a chance to use its international financial, fiscal, and economic networks to connect Thailand to the global economy and deliver long-term benefits for the Thai economy.

Nepali authorities issued a warning and ordered the urgent evacuation of people living along rivers in the central part of the country today, after a landslide blocked a waterway and caused a mass of water to overflow and flood downstream areas severely. The incident occurred in Chumnubri in Gorkha district, about 100 kilometres west of Kathmandu. It was a dry landslide of earth and rock not caused by rainfall, in which a huge volume of soil and rock fell and blocked the Budhi Gandaki River, a tributary of the Trishuli River, causing water to accumulate before bursting through and flooding downstream communities rapidly. Dhruba Kumar Mishra, the highest-ranking administrative official in Gorkha district, said the current had destroyed more than ten houses, two suspension bridges across the river had been swept away and damaged, and a workers' camp for a hydropower project had been damaged. Dr. Dhruba Bahadur Upreti, executive director of Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, said the surge of water carrying mud and rocky sediment was still rising and had swept away and destroyed a highway bridge linking Gorkha district with Dhading district. Meanwhile, Nepali Prime Minister Balendra Shah said via social media that the Nepali army had safely rescued six people stranded in a landslide-risk area in Jagat. Upreti confirmed that another 18 workers at the affected hydropower project camp had all been evacuated to safety. The NDRRMA issued warnings to people living along rivers in five districts: Gorkha, Tanahun, Chitwan, East Nawalparasi and West Nawalparasi, urging residents in at-risk areas to evacuate to safe locations promptly and supporting search and rescue operations as needed. Army and police personnel have been deployed to the affected areas, with helicopters sent to patrol and assess the situation from the air closely. There have been no initial reports of deaths or injuries.

HSBC has identified eight emerging equity markets it favours heading into 2027, citing opportunities in artificial intelligence, economic reforms and resilience to global shocks. In its October 6 emerging markets strategy report, the bank maintained overweight ratings on Taiwan, mainland China, Brazil, South Africa, Türkiye and Hungary, while upgrading the United Arab Emirates and Colombia to overweight. HSBC said emerging markets face four major challenges: elevated oil prices, El Niño-related food inflation, rising US bond yields and rapid developments in artificial intelligence, and it expects investors to increasingly favour economies with greater independence in resources, technology, financing and access to international markets, describing this as an "autonomy premium." Taiwan remains a preferred AI investment destination, supported by demand for advanced semiconductors, packaging, cooling systems and other infrastructure, with nearly 60% of listed-company revenues linked to AI-related activities, while mainland China offers opportunities in AI hardware, innovation and exporters on relatively attractive valuations and improving earnings momentum. HSBC simultaneously downgraded Mexico, Chile and Egypt to neutral, citing weaker catalysts and increased economic risks, and maintained underweight positions on India, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Pakorn Nilprapunt, Deputy Prime Minister in charge of legal affairs, disclosed progress on the early retirement programme for ordinary civil servants, saying that relevant agencies are now preparing the details before submitting them to the Cabinet. Only one point remains to be settled: the compensation multiple, which is intended to exceed 12 times salary, and this must be discussed with the Ministry of Finance to finalise the criteria. The initial eligibility group will start at age 50 and above, but those aged 40 and over who wish to join must have necessary reasons, such as resigning to care for parents or health problems, with the head of each agency deciding on a case-by-case basis. The measure is expected to be implemented within fiscal year 2570, targeting a 5% annual reduction in the workforce out of the total number of civil servants. The first phase aims for 5% and will use a budget of 7 billion baht, initially possibly drawn from the central budget, after which the programme budget will gradually decline in subsequent years. As for the reduction of overlapping regional government agencies, Pakorn said the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission is considering the matter and it must be carried out gradually because of the impact on staffing and missions, but he confirmed it will proceed and forms part of a long-term plan.

The World Health Organization, or WHO, has disclosed that it still cannot determine the exact cause of the pneumonia that killed a laboratory staff member at a plague prevention and control research institute in a Siberian region of Russia earlier last month, but it confirmed that no plague cases have been reported so far. Russian authorities reported that laboratory tests on the deceased and on close contacts came back negative for all high-risk pathogens that were screened. None of the close contacts have shown symptoms, and no additional cases of severe pneumonia linked to this incident have been reported. The staff member fell ill and died on October 2, and authorities have not disclosed precise details or the circumstances of the death, prompting the quarantine of about 200 close contacts for monitoring, which sparked public health concerns on social media. However, Russian authorities confirmed that the deceased had been properly and fully vaccinated in line with requirements, and that laboratory tests found no pathogens related to laboratory work. On Thursday, October 8, Russian authorities added that they had completed health screening of all close contacts and had fully submitted the data to the WHO in accordance with international procedures and protocols. Meanwhile, public health officials worldwide have stepped up surveillance of unexplained pneumonia deaths since the COVID-19 pandemic, which began with a cluster of rapidly spreading severe respiratory cases in China, even though medically, identifying the specific cause of pneumonia in individual patients is often complex and difficult.

In the first nine months of 2026, from January to September, a net total of 39.31697 billion baht flowed out of Thai equity funds. The first quarter saw a net outflow of 24.26899 billion baht, the second quarter a net outflow of 12.84386 billion baht, and the third quarter a net outflow of just 2.20412 billion baht, part of which may be long-term equity funds, or LTFs, after their conversion into ordinary mutual funds. Data from Morningstar Research (Thailand) shows that Thai equity funds recorded net outflows from January to July 2026 and began to see slight net inflows in August before they increased in September. Meanwhile, in the first nine months of 2026, the SET index rose 23.8% from the end of 2025, ranking fourth among the highest-returning assets, behind Taiwan's stock market, which rose 65.5%, South Korea's stock market at 62.3%, and oil at 57.5%. In the fund industry, net asset value, or AUM, in the first nine months of 2026 stood at 6.973808 trillion baht, an increase of 507.913 billion baht, or 7.86%, from the end of December 2025, when it stood at 6.46588 trillion baht, according to data from the Association of Investment Management Companies, or AIMC. Bond funds had net asset value of 3.166192 trillion baht, a decrease of 36.089 billion baht, or negative 1.13%, while equity funds had net asset value of 2.146129 trillion baht, an increase of 364.169 billion baht, or 20.44%, and mixed funds had net asset value of 614.957 billion baht, an increase of 117.291 billion baht, or 23.57%.

Ekniti Nitithanprapas presented the Trusted Connector concept at the IMF–World Bank 2026 stage to drive future industries and attract foreign investment into Thailand. The presentation aims to build confidence among global investors to invest more in Thailand, amid widespread international interest in the Thai economy. Following the lessons of the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the concept was presented as a trusted linkage mechanism for the international financial community. Reuters reported on the development.

With the US midterm elections set for the 3rd of next month, the Trump administration is blatantly pushing 'giveaway' policies. President Trump has said that if the ruling Republican Party takes both the House and Senate, he will hand out 5,000 dollars, about 790,000 yen, to every adult citizen, and he aims to gain an advantage in the election campaign by championing bold measures against high prices. Since September, the administration has also proposed paying 90 dollars, about 14,000 yen, per person to 20 million enrollees in public health insurance for the elderly, and amid a surge of opposition over the construction of artificial intelligence data centers, a plan to hand out cash to nearby residents has also emerged. According to a CNN poll, only 27 percent of respondents said they approve of Trump's handling of the economy. According to the bipartisan think tank the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, the cost is expected to reach 1.2 trillion dollars, about 190 trillion yen, roughly 1.5 times the cash payments implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it could trigger higher inflation and rising interest rates.

China's passenger vehicle retail sales totaled roughly 1.7M in September, a 24% decline from a year ago, according to preliminary data released by the China Passenger Car Association on Saturday. Year-to-date retail sales fell 21% year on year to about 13.4M, though the broader passenger vehicle market expanded from August, with retail sales climbing roughly 10% from a month ago on the strength of new energy vehicles. Retail sales of passenger NEVs stood at about 1.1M in September, down roughly 12% year on year but accounting for about 67% of total passenger vehicle retail sales for the month. Year-to-date retail NEV sales totaled about 7.8M, down 12% year on year, while wholesale passenger NEV sales reached about 11.4M year to date, up 10% from a year ago, as the CPCA said higher oil prices stayed elevated longer than expected and fueled exports. The local market also faced tough comparisons from a year earlier, when sales climbed on a rush to buy new vehicles before some Chinese regions reined in trade-in subsidies. BYD, Geely Auto, Chery, Leapmotor and Tesla were among the top 10 manufacturers in the passenger NEV wholesale market last month, while XPeng, Li Auto and Nio ranked outside the top ten.

Wall Street strategists expect stocks to climb into year-end, citing strong AI-driven earnings and favorable historical trends in midterm election years even as bond yields hover near 24-year highs. Truist chief investment officer Keith Lerner said the path of least resistance into year-end is higher, noting that the Technology sector now trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of around 21, down from roughly 35 a year ago. Wall Street expects S&P 500 earnings to jump 30% year over year, with major banks set to kick off the quarterly reporting season. History supports a rally as midterms approach: the fourth quarter has been positive for the S&P 500 about 84% of the time during midterm election years, with an average gain of about 7%, though Lerner flagged 2018 as the outlier when the Fed was raising rates. Yardeni Research last month lowered its year-end S&P 500 price target to 7,900, citing rising bond yields, implying just over 1% upside from current levels, and Wall Street now expects the Fed to hold rates steady at its October meeting after a unanimous quarter-point hike in September. Dan Ives, Yorkville Ives partner and senior managing director, called the pullbacks buying opportunities rather than a time to be skittish, saying we are in the third inning of the AI revolution, while UBS chief investment officer of the Americas Ulrike Hoffmann-Burchardi recommended a diversified approach to tech favoring high-quality semiconductor and hardware beneficiaries of AI spending, megacap platforms, and defensive tech firms.

Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, in his capacity as Director of the National Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Command, chaired a meeting of the National Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Command at the C.S. Pattani Hotel in Mueang Pattani District, Pattani Province, to monitor the situation and relief efforts for flood victims in the southern region. Provincial governors from the southern provinces attended the meeting. The Prime Minister said that according to forecasts from the Meteorological Department, many provinces remain at risk of flooding from heavy rainfall expected to cover almost every province in the south, from Phetchaburi Province down to Malaysia, from now until the end of October 2026, with no sign of easing. It is therefore necessary to rehearse and prepare, with emphasis on advance forecasting, preparing shelters to evacuate residents, especially vulnerable groups, bedridden patients and the elderly, as well as safeguarding the food supply chain, including raw materials, fresh food, vegetable oil, gas and seasonings, and coordinating with food and transport operators. Disaster-response machinery, water pumps, pumping equipment, motorboats and vehicles must be prepared in advance. The Prime Minister issued 7 guidelines for preparing to manage the flood situation in the south: monitoring and assessing the situation to designate risk areas and watch points; inspecting and improving drainage systems; preparing personnel and resources through integration between areas; evacuating and warning the public; monitoring, following up and reporting results to the National Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Command, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, and the Ministry of Interior; publicizing clear emergency reporting channels; and establishing readiness centers for each agency to integrate operations in a unified manner.

BCA Research says a prolonged rise in real Treasury yields above the economy's underlying growth rate could eventually pressure equities, even though U.S. stocks have historically held up well as bond yields rise. In a report dated October 5, chief U.S. investment strategist Doug Peta said the level of interest rates matters more for equity returns than their direction, noting the S&P 500 returned an annualized 9.9% when real 10-year Treasury yields rose at least 100 basis points, versus 5.5% when they fell by that amount, against an 8.2% annualized price return across all periods since October 1948. BCA estimates long-run potential growth at roughly 2%, compared with a real 10-year Treasury yield of 1.59% in August that could approach 2% once September price data are incorporated, and it does not expect higher real rates to materially hurt economic activity or corporate earnings unless they exceed potential growth for several months. The firm said the likeliest path to a stock-and-bond collision is a prolonged period of real Treasury yields above potential growth, and that investors should monitor small-cap earnings and credit performance, household delinquencies, and private-equity delinquencies and restructurings, since smaller companies rely more heavily on variable-rate loans while larger firms often access fixed-rate bond funding.

Dr. Ekniti Nitithanprapas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, together with senior officials of the Ministry of Finance, welcomed Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, on the occasion of Thailand hosting the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund Boards of Governors meeting, or IMF–World Bank Annual Meetings 2026, from 12–18 October 2026 at the special reception room at AOT, Suvarnabhumi Airport, on 9 October 2026. Dr. Ekniti said this meeting will generate immediate circulation of approximately 1.05–2.25 billion baht in the Thai economy from more than 15,000 participants, who will stay an average of 7–10 days and spend an average of 10,000–15,000 baht per person per day through spending in tourism, hotels, restaurants, and community products. The government will also use this opportunity to present its readiness in digital infrastructure, clean energy, and investment incentives to attract foreign direct investment in key target industries such as artificial intelligence technology and electric vehicles. Previously, Dr. Ekniti stated that the government has prepared venues and infrastructure equivalent to the highest international standards, combining technology, digital innovation, and Thai cultural identity in the form of Thai Hospitality in every dimension of the welcome.

Ireland, in its capacity as president of the Council of the European Union, has proposed a new draft long-term budget for the years 2028-2034, reducing the total by about 141 billion euros, or nearly 8%, from the European Commission's original plan. This brings the overall budget framework down to 1.62 trillion euros, from the 1.76 trillion euros the European Commission had set when calculated in 2025 constant prices, or 1.98 trillion euros at current prices. The reduction particularly affects the budget categories for competitiveness and security. The new proposal aims to bring the positions of all 27 EU member states closer together, after they remained divided over the size of the long-term budget framework for the coming seven years. The new draft was put forward ahead of next week's European Council meeting, where member state leaders will again discuss the long-term budget, with the goal of reaching an agreement by the end of 2026.

The US stock market is about to mark the 4th anniversary of its bull market on October 12, with the S&P 500 trading near a record high and up 117% from its cycle low on October 12, 2022. Ryan Detrick, chief market strategist at Carson Group, said this bull market is the 8th longest since the end of World War II and ranks 6th in returns among bull markets since then. The main driver has been investment in artificial intelligence, or AI, with companies in the S&P 500 expected to post combined profit growth of more than 35% this year, and Oxford Economics estimates that nearly one-third of US economic growth has come from AI. However, concentration risk is rising: the 10 largest companies by market value in the S&P 500 have seen their combined share rise from about 28% in October 2022 to roughly 40% now. Meanwhile, Nvidia, a key AI chipmaker, has seen its market value surge from 286 billion dollars to 5.8 trillion dollars, making it the world's most valuable company. Currently, 13 US companies have a market value of at least 1 trillion dollars each, with only 2 of them not in the technology sector or without significant AI-related businesses. In addition, the market faces pressure from the 10-year US Treasury yield, which is hovering around 5.2% after recently hitting a 24-year high. Angelo Kourkafas, senior global investment strategist at Edward Jones, said the firm remains overweight equities relative to its benchmark but has shifted its recommendation to more caution, as fixed income is becoming more attractive.

Ms. Lalida Peritswiwatana, Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, disclosed that the government is pressing ahead with the "Thai Helps Thai: Blue Flag Fights Floods" project to ease the cost-of-living impact on people in flood-hit areas, opening 20 distribution points across Bangkok from 9 to 18 October. Working with the Department of Internal Trade, manufacturers and the private sector, it is bringing 10 categories of goods, more than 30 items in all, into communities affected by flooding. Essential goods sold at special prices include rice, eggs, sugar and palm oil, while some household cleaning products are discounted by as much as 62%. In addition, the government plans to expand the "Thai Helps Thai: Cut the Cost of Living" project from October to December for a total of 3,036 events nationwide, to widen access to affordable essential goods, while safeguarding price stability and preventing opportunistic price hikes in the aftermath of the floods.

The government has declared its readiness to host the 2026 Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group, known as the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings 2026, from 12 to 18 October 2026 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok, highlighting a Green Meeting approach to deliver concrete reductions in environmental impact. Lalida Pherdwiwattana, deputy spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, said the Ministry of Finance, in cooperation with the Bank of Thailand and related agencies, has arranged more than 320 electric vehicles, or EVs, to shuttle participants to and from the meetings, which is expected to cut greenhouse gas emissions by more than 95.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. She noted that the figure is an estimate of the expected savings from using electric vehicles, not a measurement taken after the meetings conclude, nor the event's total greenhouse gas reductions. Other measures include managing food waste from the meetings and receptions by processing it into organic fertiliser, reducing single-use plastics, and using digital meeting systems in place of paper documents to cut resource use and waste throughout the event.

The Cabinet on September 29, 2026 approved the public debt management plan for fiscal year 2027, which includes 1.26 trillion baht in new government borrowing. This breaks down into 1.18 trillion baht in new borrowing by the government, 81,465 million baht by state enterprises, and 850 million baht by other agencies. For the government portion, direct borrowing includes 788,000 million baht to cover the fiscal 2027 budget deficit, 60,000 million baht to cover the fiscal 2026 deficit carried over into the new year, and 12,359 million baht for the economic and social development loan program. Meanwhile, on-lending by the government totals 63,038 million baht, comprising 10,653 million baht on-lent to the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand for five projects and 52,385 million baht on-lent to the State Railway of Thailand for eight projects. The highlight is 200,000 million baht in borrowing to fund projects under the 2026 emergency decree authorizing the Ministry of Finance to borrow to address the energy crisis and drive the energy transition, plus 56,820 million baht in borrowing to manage treasury liquidity. A source at the Ministry of Finance said the plan will push public debt at the end of fiscal 2027 to 69.7% of GDP, still below the 70% ceiling but considered close to the limit, and that if oil prices rise enough to require another emergency decree guaranteeing loans for the Oil Fuel Fund, that would also pose a risk. Former Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij warned that Thailand risks falling into a trap of fiscal discipline law and public debt if spending rises while tax revenue grows slowly. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas said a conclusion on the automobile excise tax should be reached within one to two weeks. Also under discussion is an exit tax on travel abroad, which at 1,000 baht per person would generate an additional 12,000 million baht a year in revenue, and the plan to end the Earmarked Tax system for Thai PBS, the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, the National Sports Development Fund, and the Elderly Fund, which is expected to return no less than 10,000 million baht a year to the treasury.

Ms. Lalida Perdviwatana, Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, disclosed that the government is preparing to present Thailand's experience in developing digital finance at the Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group, or the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings, from October 12 to 18, 2026, at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok, under the theme of Safe and Inclusive Digital Finance. The presentation will highlight the Paotang application, the Thai Chai Thai Plus project, and the AI Nok Krasib on the Thung Ngern application as examples of using technology to help citizens and small entrepreneurs. Mr. Ekniti Nitithanprapas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, disclosed the approach of taking this experience for exchange under the Bangkok Blueprint framework to promote access to financial services and funding sources, alongside raising the level of digital financial security, including protection against fraud and cyber threats, in line with the priorities of the Bank of Thailand. For the Thai Chai Thai Plus project, the G-Wallet system on the Paotang application supports the 60/40 co-payment measure, helping to reduce the cost of living burden and stimulate spending at small shops. Meanwhile, the AI Nok Krasib on the Thung Ngern application helps analyze sales, customer behavior, costs, and business trends so that merchants can use the data to plan and manage their businesses better. It is an use of AI to enhance the potential of workers, not to replace entrepreneurs, and actual sales data from the Thung Ngern application can also be used to support loan consideration. However, having sales through the application does not mean that a loan will be approved automatically, because financial institutions must still consider qualifications and debt repayment ability in accordance with the criteria.

China's stock market has missed the global artificial intelligence rally in 2026, with the CSI 300 index down nearly 6% this year while South Korea's Kospi and Taiwan's Weighted Index gained more than 65%, according to Yardeni Research. Yardeni attributed the underperformance to three factors: a Chinese economy weighed down by weak consumption, deflation, youth unemployment and a property downturn now in its fifth year; major Chinese equity benchmarks' lack of the AI hardware manufacturers that drive regional markets, since South Korea and Taiwan benefit from Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and TSMC while China's strengths lie mainly in AI models and applications with domestic hardware companies trading outside major benchmarks; and regulatory uncertainty following Beijing's technology crackdowns, including its intervention in Alibaba affiliate Ant Group's planned listing. The firm also cited US-China tensions and potential American restrictions on advanced chip exports and investment, and noted the MSCI China index's forward price-to-earnings ratio has declined to 10.2 from 11.7 in mid-May. The weakness persists even after onshore-listed companies reported nearly 26% profit growth in the second quarter, their strongest quarterly increase in five years. Yardeni further warned that China's dependence on AI-related exports poses another risk, with Nomura estimating semiconductors, computers and related products account for roughly half of China's export growth, meaning a slowdown in global AI spending could hurt China's economy even though its broader stock market has missed the rally elsewhere in Asia.

Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul chaired a meeting of the National Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Command and ordered all provinces to prepare for a new round of heavy rain, while accelerating recovery in areas where floodwaters have receded and speeding up compensation payments to victims. He instructed provinces with eligible residents to expedite surveys and submit name lists to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation so that funds can be transferred as soon as reports are received. So far, assistance has been transferred to 48,600 households, or about 12% of the estimated total. The prime minister also ordered close monitoring of the situation, especially in all 14 southern provinces, as well as Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan. The Meteorological Department reported that Surat Thani recorded the highest rainfall at 92.55 millimetres, while Bangkok saw a maximum of 44 millimetres, and southern Thailand is expected to see continuous rain until 14 October 2026, with special vigilance from Surat Thani south to Yala and Narathiwat. The Royal Irrigation Department reported that the Chao Phraya Dam is releasing water at 2,200 cubic metres per second, down from a previous peak of 2,500 cubic metres per second, and that medium and large reservoirs nationwide are about 83% full. It said the Pa Sak Jolasid Dam, Nong Pla Lai Reservoir and Kaeng Krachan Dam require close monitoring. The prime minister also instructed the Ministry of Public Health to plan the transfer of patients from Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital to other hospitals in Prachin Buri province, including military camp hospitals and armed forces hospitals, distributing patients according to each facility's capacity rather than concentrating them at Chakraphong Hospital alone. Next week, about 20,000 participants from 190 countries will attend a World Bank meeting, so relevant agencies were asked to assess and forecast the situation accurately.