A satellite image taken on March 2, 2026 shows smoke billowing from a vessel following an explosion from the port of Bandar Abbas along the strait of Hormuz. (Photo by 2026 Planet Labs PBC via AFP)TEHRAN - Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Wednesday they had total control of the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global energy transit, as Israel launched a new wave of strikes on the Iranian capital. In Lebanon, which Hezbollah dragged into the war, Israel expanded its air strikes, targeting the area around the presidential palace and the militant group’s south Beirut bastion, killing 11 people according to Lebanese authorities. According to the Iranian Red Crescent, the US and Israeli attacks have killed 787 people in Iran, a toll that could not be independently confirmed by AFP. On Wednesday, the European Commission said it was “ready” to defend EU interests after President Donald Trump threatened to sever trade with Spain for refusing to allow the US use of its bases to attack Iran.

The graph from the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) shows the temporary trading halt just before the end of the morning trading session on Wednesday. On a day when local institutions (5.4 billion baht) and brokers (9.5 billion baht) were net sellers of Thai shares, bargain-hunting foreign investors were net buyers of just over 1 billion baht. The day also featured a trading halt on the SET, mai and Thailand Futures Exchange (TFEX) at 12.18pm, when the SET index plunged 117.52 points. All brokers were temporarily prohibited from using program trading from the resumption of trading until the market close on Wednesday. The slump in Thai stocks effectively wipes out the nearly 14% gains that the market had experienced after the decisive election victory by the Bhumjaithai Party last month.

Overland travellers cross into Turkey from Iran at the Kapikoy border gate in eastern Van province on March 2, 2026. Thais seeking to return home from Iran will need to travel to Turkey first before boarding flights. (Photo: Reuters)The government will open registration on Thursday for Thai nationals seeking to return from the war-torn Middle East, with the first group expected to depart on Saturday. No Thai nationals have been reported injured or killed since the conflict began, acting Labour Minister Treenuch Thienthong said on Wednesday. About 28,000 Thai labourers are currently residing in Israel, with around 50 having made requests to return, the minister said.

What is worse than being told a lie? Being told a bad lieConstruction gloves at the collapsed State Audit Office building in Bangkok. After receiving the accolade, it was found that the award-winning SSO account seemingly needed 69.5 million baht to achieve its purposes. The Social Security Office has been urged to clarify spending of 70 million baht on an app campaign. Worse yet, it goes as far as excusing how blatant and disrespectful Thailand’s particular brand of corruption can often be manifested.

The countdown has begun to the start of a new Thai parliament session, with the Election Commission’s official certification of the results of the Feb 8 poll. A speaker and deputy speaker will be chosen, after which the House will choose a prime minister, who will move to form a government. A new government is expected to ​begin working in April, a senior figure in the coalition-leading Bhumjaithai Party of Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said. The initial session will focus on electing the House Speaker and deputies. The Pheu Thai Party is reportedly planning to nominate Manaporn Charoensri, an MP from Nakhon Phanom and deputy party leader, for a deputy House speaker post.

Analysts say these trends will inevitably narrow the domestic pipeline for fee-paying international schools. "International school costs stem largely from teacher salary packages, which depend on qualifications and experience," said Usa Somboon, president of ISAT. A growing share of applicants to international university programmes are graduates of domestic international schools. Jeeri-anong Cunningham, a teacher at KIS International School Bangkok, said many international school graduates still choose to study medicine or law in Thailand if they intend to pursue careers domestically. While international school students still represent a small fraction of Thailand's total student population, the sector's rapid expansion over the past decade has reshaped parental expectations.

Liverpool rocked by last-gasp defeat at WolvesWolves celebrate during their win over Liverpool. LONDON - Liverpool suffered an embarrassing 2-1 defeat at Wolves as Andre's stoppage-time strike sealed a dramatic victory for the Premier League's bottom club on Tuesday. But Andre's first goal for Wolves inflicted the latest humbling loss in a chastening season for Liverpool. - Crest-fallen Slot -Liverpool were punished for their lethargic performance in the 78th minute. Habib Diarra's penalty fired Sunderland to a 1-0 victory against Leeds on their first Premier League visit to Elland Road since 2002.

YLG touts safe-haven precious metal as risks escalateYLG says for 2-3 years, persistent economic headwinds are expected to continue driving safe-haven demand. Adding to the rally, the baht weakened from 31 to 31.40 per dollar, amplifying gains in domestic gold prices beyond moves in the global market. Ms Tipa predicts an additional 10-15% upside, supported by geopolitical risk, currency volatility and financial system fragility. This preference underscores lingering concerns about counterparty risk and potential access disruptions during volatile periods, said Ms Tipa. "If you sell too early, buying back may be difficult as prices trend higher," said Ms Tipa.

The Digital Council of Thailand says the nation urgently needs to develop digital data sovereignty under Thai jurisdiction. Thailand urgently needs to develop digital data sovereignty under Thai jurisdiction, while prioritising the use of more locally developed artificial intelligence (AI) and software, according to the Digital Council of Thailand (DCT). Because of this shift, ensuring digital data sovereignty and maintaining independence from foreign control is absolutely critical for Thailand's national security, said Mrs Morragot. "To establish genuine digital data sovereignty, critical national data must not only reside physically in Thailand, but the entities managing it must also be of Thai nationality, owned by Thais, or strictly governed under Thai legal jurisdiction." Local businesses struggle with government procurement rules, which often penalise Thai companies for delays caused by global supply chain disruptions.

Fifa offering $12 tickets to World Cup play-off tournamentThe Fifa World Cup 2026 mascots Maple, Zayu, and Clutch pose with a person dressed as the Empire State Building during a Fifa World Cup 2026 lighting ceremony marking 100 days until the tournament, at the Empire State Building, in New York City, the United States, on Tuesday. (Photo: Reuters)WASHINGTON — Tickets ​for this ⁠month's ⁠World Cup Play-Off ​Tournament matches in Mexico, which will determine ​two of the ‌final six vacant spots in this summer's historic 48-team tournament, went on sale Tuesday. The winners of those two matches will face Congo and Iraq, respectively, on March ​31, with the winners of those matches clinching World Cup spots. It is a far cry from the ⁠upwards of $1,000 price tag attached to World Cup match tickets being sold on the International Federation of Association Football's (Fifa) official ticket resale website. Fifa announced in January ‌that it ⁠received over 500 million ​ticket requests for this year's World Cup.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrives at Sydney Airport on March 3, 2026. (AFP)SYDNEY - Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Wednesday that US-Israeli strikes on Iran had been “inconsistent with international law”, calling for a rapid de-escalation of the conflict. But, he said, the action “would appear, prima facie, not to be consistent, or to be inconsistent with international law”. And he noted that “the United States and Israel have acted without engaging the United Nations or consulting with allies, including Canada”. On Thursday Carney will meet with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and address parliament in the capital Canberra.

Myanmar to restrict private vehicle use as fuel shortages emergePeople ride a bus as they travel in Yangon, Myanmar, on Jan 14, 2017. (File photo: Reuters)NAY PYI TAW — Myanmar’s military government will impose limits on private vehicles starting Saturday to conserve fuel as disruptions to Middle East shipping routes threaten the country’s energy supplies. Myanmar relies heavily on imported fuel, leaving it vulnerable to disruptions in global oil supply routes as tensions in the Middle East threaten shipments. It is unclear how much fuel Myanmar currently has in reserve. Fuel shortages have already emerged in parts of the country.

'Narrative war': disinformation surges as conflict roils Middle EastAn online information war is unfolding in parallel with the regional conflict in the Middle East. AFP's fact-checkers have debunked a series of claims by pro-Iranian accounts posting old videos to exaggerate the damage from Tehran's missile strikes on Israel and Gulf states including the UAE and Saudi Arabia. "There is definitely a narrative war unfolding online," Moustafa Ayad, from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD), told AFP. Meanwhile, video game clips repurposed as Iranian missile strikes and AI-generated images of US warships being sunk, including the USS Abraham Lincoln, have garnered millions of views across major platforms. The policy change targets what the company described as a threat to information authenticity amid the ongoing war against Iran.

Stock trading halted after sharp index plungeThe graph from the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) shows the temporary trading halt just before the end of the morning trading session on Wednesday. The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) halted trading on the SET, mai and Thailand Futures Exchange (TFEX) at 12.18pm on Wednesday when the SET index plunged 117.52 points, and expected to resume trading at 2.30pm. The Thai bourse said it temporarily halted trading between 12.18pm and 12.30pm after the index fell 117.52 points, or 8.01% from the prior close (Circuit Breaker Level 1). At that time trading value stood at 95.19 billion baht and the SET index was 1,348.99. All brokers are temporarily prohibited from using program trading from the resumption of trading until market close on Wednesday.

Farmers in Phichit province arrive with pickup trucks carrying fuel tanks on Tuesday night, queuing to buy diesel at a petrol station, amid concerns about possible fuel shortages caused by tensions in the Middle East. (Photo: Sitthipoj Kebui)Businesses have been cautioned not to exploit the uncertainty of the Middle East conflict by raising goods prices without justification. Ms Airin said that retailers and business operators must not take advantage of the situation and strictly comply with the Price of Goods and Services Act, which prohibits unfair price increases, hoarding of goods or any conduct that exploits consumers. Baseless price increases carry a maximum penalty of up to seven years in prison and/or a fine of up to 140,000 baht under the act. On Wednesday, the Ministry of Energy announced it will spend the state Oil Fuel Fund to maintain diesel and petrol prices for 15 days amid rising global oil prices due to the Middle East situation.