The Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine (DTAM) says it is working on a comprehensive upgrade of the country's traditional Thai massage industry. He said although Thailand's massage and wellness industry is valued at around 200 billion baht annually, regulatory gaps and unequal service quality are key challenges. Following the Covid-19 pandemic, between 30,000 and 50,000 massage and spa workers left the industry, while the therapeutic practitioner segment faces a shortfall of about 20,000 professionals. Another key reform is the development of digital IDs for Thai massage practitioners, along with a centralised database for verifying identity and qualifications. It is expected to attract wellness industry leaders from more than 70 countries and showcase Thai traditional medicine, massage, herbal products and health tourism on a global stage.

Beirut explosion, Qatar busts spy cells: Latest developments in Mideast warRescuers carry a victim of an Israeli airstrike in the town of Aramoun, south of Beirut. - Explosion rocks Beirut -A loud explosion was heard by an AFP journalist in the Lebanese capital Beirut shortly after midnight on Wednesday, as Israel and Hezbollah traded strikes and rocket fire. - Charter flights to help Americans leave -The United States said that it had arranged charter flights to help Americans leave the Middle East. "If necessary, the United States Navy will begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, as soon as possible. No matter what, the United States will ensure the free flow of energy to the world," he said on his Truth Social platform.

Mr Trump has a helpless fascination for decisive political strongmen like North Korea's Kim Jong-un and Russia's Vladimir Putin, but only Mr Netanyahu has persuaded Mr Trump to go to war for him -- not once, but twice. But if neither Mr Netanyahu nor Mr Trump will put "boots on the ground" (they won't), it can hang on indefinitely. Mr Trump clings to the delusion that he can get a quick win and change the regime. However, Mr Trump was upset enough by the genocide in Gaza to force Mr Netanyahu to accept a ceasefire there in October. Mr Netanyahu dared not defy Mr Trump's ban, and only 618 Palestinians have been killed by the IDF since the "ceasefire".

Why food waste composting may failA photo shows leftover food. The process of how leftover food -- often called "food waste" -- decomposes is chemical. Indeed, policymakers have high confidence in Thailand Voluntary Emission Reduction Program (T-VER) projects, particularly organic waste composting and decentralised processing schemes. Why composting projects may failWaste composting has clear and instant advantages. In reality, many communities, particularly in agricultural areas, already divert food waste for animal feed or other uses.

(Photo: Panumet Tanraksa)Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Wednesday that people do not need to stockpile fuel as prices would be capped for the next 15 days. He made the comment after the Ministry of Energy announced that it would use the Oil Fuel Fund to hold diesel and petrol prices steady amid rising global oil prices due to the Middle East war. The Oil Fuel Fund board said that subsidies would also cover petrol prices to keep them at the current levels, according to Mr Auttapol. PTT, Bangchak and PT said earlier on Tuesday that they would not raise fuel prices as they had sufficient stocks. World oil prices have jumped more than 15% since the US and Israeli strikes on Iran began on Saturday.

In this scenario, investors are advised to hold gold and oil as hedges while selectively accumulating equities on market weakness, noted the asset manager. Portfolio strategy under this scenario favours higher allocations to gold and oil, reduced equity exposure, and a focus on quality and defensive stocks, noted the asset manager. "In this scenario, investors are advised to significantly reduce equity holdings and increase allocations to gold, energy assets, and high-quality bonds to preserve capital," said the firm. Gold and oil remain key hedging instruments amid geopolitical uncertainty. Pornanong Budsaratragoon, secretary-general of the SEC, said the SET, Market for Alternative Investment, Thailand Futures Exchange, LiVEx and the Thai Digital Asset Exchange continue to operate normally.

(Photo: Election Commission Office)As the Election Commission (EC) prepares to endorse party-list MPs on Wednesday, its chairman Narong Klunwarin stands at the centre of intensifying scrutiny over the recent general election. The latter failed to secure any votes amid scrutiny over perceived political associations, leaving Mr Narong to assume the leadership at a time when institutional credibility was paramount. A career jurist, Mr Narong built his reputation within the judiciary over several decades. He served as chief justice of the Central Bankruptcy Court, justice of the Supreme Court and head of a panel in the Supreme Court. For Mr Narong, the challenge extends beyond strict legal compliance.

Dramatic drone video captured emergency crews rescuing people aboard a hot air balloon that had hit a cell phone tower in Longview, Texas on Saturday (February 28). Emergency crews were deployed to bring the two people on board the balloon to safety.

The United States imposed sanctions on Monday (March 2) on Rwanda's military forces over its role in supporting the AFC/M23 rebel group in the ongoing conflict in east Congo. It came as Congolese authorities accused the rebels of massacring citizens, after finding mass graves in the eastern city of Uvira. Rwanda and the rebel group separately deny the accusations.

The Heritage Grand Khon Kaen, formerly known as Pullman Khon Kaen, is one of the hotels owned by the Arunanondchai family. The second-generation owners of Rajburi Sugar Group have diversified into hotel investments, spending more than 1.5 billion baht to acquire and renovate Impiana Resort Chaweng Noi in Samui and Pullman Khon Kaen. "We are selecting a European international hotel chain to manage the 96-room Samui hotel as the island is popular among European travellers," she said. Since December, the Samui hotel has recorded an average occupancy rate of 90%, with room rates starting at 3,000 baht a night. When the owner announced the sale, we became interested in acquiring it," said Sunthorn Arunanondchai, chairman of Rajburi Sugar Group.

Gold advances as dip-buyers enter market despite dollar strengthA 400-ounce gold bar at the Perth Mint Refinery, operated by Gold Corp, in Perth, Australia, on Oct 13, 2025. Bond yields advanced and surging energy prices heightened the risk of widespread inflation. The gold market is experiencing a standard “portfolio risk-reduction move,” said Peter Kinsella, global head of forex strategy at Union Bancaire Privee, UBP SA. On Wednesday morning, gold prices in Thailand fell 1,900 baht from the previous day. The buying and selling prices were 77,150 and 77,350 baht for bullion, and 75,602.92 and 78,150 baht for gold ornaments.

A first charter flight carrying 127 Italian citizens stranded in Oman, or moved there from Dubai, landed in Rome’s Fiumicino airport late on Monday (March 2). The operation came as Italy works to repatriate its citizens stuck in the Middle East following the U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran and the subsequent escalation in the region.

Flights to evacuate stranded travellers in Middle EastTens of thousands of travellers are stranded in the Middle East as nearly 13,000 flights have been cancelled due to the conflict. PARIS (FRANCE) - Governments and airlines scrambled on Tuesday to repatriate tens of thousands of travellers stranded in the Middle East following the eruption of a regional conflict sparked by Israel-US strikes on Iran. Some Emirates flights took off on Tuesday morning, according to the Flightradar24 flight tracking website, flying south out of the Gulf region. Israel said its airspace would gradually reopen from Wednesday night, initially just for flights repatriating nationals. - Suspended operations -Airlines including Air France, British Airways, Lot, Norwegian and SAS have all suspended flights to the Middle East for the coming days.

Will US oil companies be the big winners from the Iran war? But the question remains whether the new war in the Middle East also leads to increased oilfield investment. - What does the Middle East war mean for US oil industry profits? Brent oil futures briefly surged above $85 a barrel on Tuesday, while European natural gas prices reached their highest level since 2023. The jump in the natural gas market is due to QatarEnergy's suspension of liquefied natural gas (LNG) production.

US has destroyed 17 ships and hit almost 2,000 targets in Iran, military saysSmoke rises following an explosion, after Israel and the U.S. launched strikes on Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 3, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERSThe ⁠U.S. military ​has ​destroyed ‌17 Iranian ships, including a submarine, and struck ​nearly ⁠2,000 targets in Iran, the ‌commander of the U.S. Central ⁠Command said on Tuesday. "Today, there is not a single Iranian ​ship underway in the Arabian ​Gulf, ‌Strait of Hormuz, or ​Gulf ⁠of Oman," U.S. ⁠Central Command's Brad Cooper said in a ⁠video posted ​to X.