DeepSeek introduced dynamic API pricing with peak/off-peak rates on 16 Aug 2026, but just announced that weekends (Sat–Sun) will apply off-peak rates (50% cheaper) for all 24 hours. Peak hours (08:00–11:00 and 13:00–17:00 Bangkok time) remain double-priced on weekdays. This gives Thai dev teams a cost optimization lever by scheduling batch jobs on weekends or running during off-peak evening/night hours. The move signals DeepSeek's infrastructure is under strain and using pricing to manage demand.