BOT: Thailand's net forward FX position was $24.8 bln on Aug 21, up from $24.7 bln on Aug 14.

Li Chao, deputy director of the policy research office at CHINA STATE PLANNER, said at the agency's August press briefing that China will comprehensively push levee-standard upgrades on major rivers and lakes. The plan prioritizes accelerating reinforcement of upper Yellow River mainstem levees, flood-control works for the Huai River outlet and Haihe trunk channels, and integrated remediation of key river systems including the Weihe, Shaying and Luan to form a closed flood-protection ring. Authorities will continue hazard remediation and reinforcement of dangerous reservoirs under a “treat problems as found” principle, systematically renovate aging reservoirs to strengthen dam safety resilience, and enhance flood-regulation capacity by using reservoirs for storage and release. The government will also deepen construction of flood storage/detention zones, optimize national layouts to reflect changing basin flood conditions, and speed embankment works for national storage areas to ensure timely diversion, storage and discharge at critical moments.

Regulators said maintenance problems with US attack submarines have cost tens of billions of dollars.