Thai king's condition 'satisfactory', palace says
BANGKOK (Reuters) - The health of Thailand's 81-year-old monarch was "satisfactory", the palace said on Wednesday, a week after the country's stock market tumbled over concerns about his health and lengthy spell in hospital.
"The committee of royal physicians reported that his majesty the king's general condition is satisfactory. He has a good appetite and can sleep well," said a statement from the Bureau of the Royal Household.
Lung inflammation had subsided, blood tests showed, it said.
The health of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch, is an extremely sensitive topic in financial markets.
He is the single unifying figure in a politically polarised country with a long history of military coups and upheaval. He is regarded as semi-divine by many of Thailand's 67 million people.
Concerns about King Bhumibol's health sparked a steep fall in Thai stock prices and the local baht currency on Oct. 14 and Oct. 15. Markets rebounded a day later.
Daily updates from the Bureau have been brief and opaquely worded but show his condition has generally fluctuated since he was admitted on Sept. 19.
(Reporting by Jason Szep; Editing by Bill Tarrant)
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