The price increase also followed strikes on an oil depot in Iran, and after attacks on oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. In a bid to calm prices, the president said he would waive some sanctions on oil, after a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Iran has targeted vessels travelling through the Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly 20 percent of the world’s crude oil usually transits from the Gulf to world markets, especially in Asia and Europe. The group said its fighters were killed in “American aggression” against their position in the Debs district of Kirkuk province. The war has spiralled far beyond Iran’s borders, dragging in not only its Gulf neighbours but also Lebanon, where Israel carried out fresh strikes on Tuesday.

(Police photo)Police say that Chinese companies hiding behind Thai nominees illegally control aromatic coconut production in Ratchaburi province, hurt Thai farmers by keeping farm prices very low, and make huge profits from exports. Representatives of the Central Investigation Bureau and the Department of Business Development told a press conference on Tuesday that the hardship experienced by Thai coconut growers in Ratchaburi and adjacent provinces had prompted an investigation because foreign demand remained high for Thai aromatic coconut products. The companies technically had Thai shareholders who held 51% stakes but in fact those Thais were the employees of Chinese investors. According to the authorities, the companies operated as middlemen and exporters and controlled farm prices. “This practice excluded Thai farmers from normal trade systems and caused coconut prices at plantations nationwide to plunge and become unstable,” he said.

Crypto operators freeze 10,000 suspect accounts(Photo: 123RF)Thailand's digital asset industry has intensified efforts to combat money laundering through mule accounts, with more than 10,000 suspicious accounts frozen under a newly enforced "Speed Bump" measure, according to the Thai Digital Asset Operators Trade Association (TDO). Att Thongyai Asavanund, chief executive of KuCoin Thailand and chairman of the TDO, said mule accounts remain one of the most serious vulnerabilities in the crypto system. Criminal networks typically disperse illicit funds through multiple bank accounts before consolidating them into a single account for transfer to a crypto platform. The association said the stricter screening process has resulted in the suspension of thousands to tens of thousands of accounts suspected of being mule accounts. However, operators face rising compliance costs and operational burdens in managing frozen accounts and investigating suspicious activity.

In light of emerging trends, the Association of Thai Travel Agents (Atta) says arrivals to Thailand from long-haul source markets could fall by as much as 50% this year. Long-haul markets, which contributed 10 million visitors, were one of the few bright spots in 2025, when overall foreign arrivals to Thailand declined by more than 7%. Long‑haul markets recorded the steepest decline at 13%, with arrivals from Europe and the Middle East dropping by 18%. Adith Chairattananon, honorary secretary-general of Atta, said the war is expected to significantly affect long‑haul markets. He suggested the government prepare both short‑term plans to respond to the immediate crisis and long‑term strategies to identify alternatives should long‑haul markets continue to be severely affected.

Ministers and their staff arrive for the cabinet meeting at Government House on Tuesday, without their usual neckties and jackets. (Photo: Government House)Caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has ordered officials at government organisations and state enterprises to work from home and suspend overseas trips, as part of measures to cope with the Mideast war's impact. Officials of government organisations and state enterprises are ordered to immediately begin working from home, except those responsible for public services. They must also suspend planned overseas inspection and conference trips. If the Mideast situation worsens, the government would dim the lighting on billboards and close petrol stations, except those on main highways, from 10pm to reduce fuel consumption.

In Vietnam, state media warned airfares could increase as much as 70% given the country’s reliance on imported jet fuel. Meanwhile, Hong Kong Airlines said Tuesday it will raise fuel charges from March 12 across a range of routes. Airlines in the region are not as well hedged against high oil prices as rivals in Europe or the United States, making them more vulnerable to sudden surges in jet fuel prices. (File photo: Chanat Katanyu)Air New Zealand Ltd on Tuesday suspended its earnings guidance because wildly fluctuating jet fuel prices mean the assumptions it made less than two weeks ago are no longer valid. The BI Asia Pacific Airlines index rose after an eight-day slump, with Asiana Airlines rebounding from the lowest in two decades.

Ex-policeman convicted of disseminating child pornThe former immigration police officer during his arrest in Phuket in 2014. (photo: Justice Ministry)PHUKET - A former immigration officer was sentenced on Tuesday to four years in prison for disseminating pornography, caught in a multinational operation . During the arrest, he was found in possession of about 258,000 pornographic files, including considerable child porn, stored in computers, mobile phones and other electronic devices. The Criminal Court sentenced him to imprisonment, a 120,000-baht fine and ordered 25,000-baht compensation for each of four affected children. The court ordered that he report to probation officers for one year and do 24 hours of public service.

A petrol station in Bangkok displays a sign reading "Out of fuel temporarily and awaiting delivery" on March 7, 2026. (Photo: Somchai Poomlard)LONDON — Oil production cuts in the Middle East are deepening as the crucial Strait of Hormuz waterway remains at a near-standstill, widening the chaos in energy markets. The conflict in the region, which is now in its second week and has sucked in more than a dozen countries, has forced output cuts as the effective closure of the main export route causes storage tanks to fill up. The shutdowns drove oil toward US$120 a barrel on Monday, though prices pulled back Tuesday after US President Donald Trump suggested the war may end soon. Saudi Aramco Chief Executive Officer Amin Nasser declined to comment on output levels in an earnings call on Tuesday.

Trump says will waive some oil sanctions as Iran war roils marketsTrump said he will waive some sanctions on oil to boost supply and bring down pricesDORAL (UNITED STATES) - US President Donald Trump said Monday that he will waive some sanctions on oil to boost supply and bring down prices, due to market turmoil over war in the Middle East. "We're also waiving certain oil-related sanctions to reduce prices," Trump told reporters after talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Oil prices tanked and equities rallied on Tuesday following a wild day of swings that came after Trump said the US-Israel war on Iran would be ending earlier than thought. He said Washington could possibly keep sanctions lifted on the unspecified countries if the war came to an end. - Russia lifeline -Trump also said that the call with Putin was "positive" on the subject of ending the four-year-old war in Ukraine.

Police arrest the 22-year-old investment fraud suspect linked to a Chinese scam gang in Nonthaburi's Pak Kret district on Monday. (Blurred photo: Central Investigation Bureau)A 22-year-old man allegedly linked to a Chinese-led fraud syndicate has been arrested for duping people into investing in a bogus stock-trading platform and stealing almost 19 million baht of their money. The investment fraud caused losses totalling about 18.84 million baht. The investigators gathered evidence and sought arrest warrants for several suspects linked to the network. The suspect was handed over to investigators at Pho Klang police station in Nakhon Ratchasima for further legal proceedings.

Two drivers, many pigs killed in multi-truck crashRescuers labour to extricate the body of one of the drivers from the wreckage at the scene of the collision in Nong Ki district of Buri Ram on Monday night. (Photo: Surachai Piragsa)BURI RAM - The drivers of two trucks died and many pigs were killed or injured in a series of rear-end collisions at a red light in Nong Ki district on Monday night. A 22‑wheel truck loaded with sacks of fertiliser had rear-ended a 10‑wheel truck stopped at the red light, pushing it forward into two more vehicles - another 10‑wheel truck and a pickup truck. The drivers of the 22‑wheel truck and the first 10‑wheel truck struck in the collision were found dead at the scene, Pol Lt Col Suthat said. The two 10‑wheel trucks were transporting over a hundred pigs, many of which were killed or injured in the crash.

Some countries finding cargoes at spot prices 2.5 times more than in JanuaryThe LNG carrier Energy Advance is seen in Ishikari Bay off the island of Hokkaido in Japan. (Photo: photozou via Wikimedia Commons)Some Asian buyers of liquefied natural gas are struggling to find prompt cargoes after a war-related outage at the world’s largest export facility in Qatar tightened global supplies. While some importers were able to secure LNG for March, a few of these cargoes were awarded at high prices. Global LNG prices have surged as the Middle East conflict continues to roil energy markets. Asian LNG prices have more than doubled since the war broke out on Feb 28, with traders expecting prices to remain high for as long as it lasts.

Towed speedboat sideswipes tuk-tuk into massage parlour(Photo: Achadthaya Chuenniran)PHUKET - A pickup truck towing a speed boat sideswiped a tuk-tuk, sending it crashing through a massage parlour window and injuring several people. The accident occurred on Monday night along Na Nai Road, in the Ban Mon area of Patong subdistrict, Kathu district, and was reported to Patong police at 7.38pm. Witnesses said the driver of a black pickup truck towing a speedboat appeared to lose control of the vehicle. It sideswiped a red tuk-tuk parked on the roadside in front of a massage parlour. The impact sent the tuk-tuk crashing through the massage parlour window.

Crisis seen as opportunity for ThailandMr Ekniti said the entire country must adjust in order to turn the energy crisis into an opportunity. In fact, the entire country must adjust in order to turn the crisis into an opportunity, he said. A similar trend is occurring today, with investors moving their bases to Thailand. Amid the energy challenges exacerbated by war, he said that it also presents an opportunity for Thailand to speed up the development of clean energy from agricultural raw materials. Today, Thailand still has these infrastructure foundations in place to support foreign investment."

Phuket attracts quality tourists with Paris roadshowPatong beach, Phuket. (Photo supplied)Phuket has stepped up its international appeal as a tourism destination by staging "Phuket Roadshow to Paris 2026" on Feb 26 at Pavillon Wagram in central Paris. The roadshow featured collaboration between Phuket officials, the Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation, the Tourist Association, the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). A key highlight was discussions with Air France to expand direct flights between Paris and Phuket, which officials described as a potential "game changer" that would boost convenience for high-spending tourists and business travellers. Mr Nirun elaborated that Phuket is focusing not only on arrivals but on quality and length of stay.