Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej remains in an unstable condition in hospital, according to an official statement released late yesterday amid growing concerns about the world's longest-reigning monarch.
The update, which came three days after an uncharacteristically ominous-sounding statement by the Royal Household Bureau, said the King's blood pressure was lower and that he had an infection. His liver was not functioning fully.
Concerns over his condition mounted yesterday after Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha abruptly cut short a provincial trip to return to Bangkok and scheduled royal engagements were cancelled.
Several of the King's relatives, including heir apparent, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, also turned up at the capital's Siriraj Hospital, where the 88-year-old monarch has been for most of the year.
The already jittery Thai stock market took a battering yesterday. Thailand's benchmark SET Index plunged by more than 6 per cent after lunchtime but recovered to a 2.5 per cent drop at closing.