Petch Petpailin

Petpailin, or Petch, is a Thai translator and writer for The Thaiger who focuses on translating breakingThai news stories into English. With a background in field journalism, Petch brings several years of experience to the English News desk at The Thaiger. Before joining The Thaiger, Petch worked as a content writer for several known blogging sites in Bangkok, including Happio and The Smart Local. Her articles have been syndicated by many big publishers in Thailand and internationally, including the Daily Mail, The Sun and the Bangkok Post. She is a news writer who stops reading news on the weekends to spend more time cafe hopping and petting dwarf shrimp! But during office hours, you can find Petch on LinkedIn and you can reach her by email at petch@thethaiger.com.
  • Thailand NewsForeign woman slammed for urinating outside Koh Tao restaurant | Thaiger

    Foreign woman slammed for urinating outside Koh Tao restaurant

    A Thai restaurant owner sparked online discussion after he shared CCTV footage showing a foreign woman urinating outside his property on Koh Tao in Surat Thani province. The restaurant owner, Phanthakan Mana, posted the video in the Facebook group Surat Thani 4.0 on Sunday, December 14. He said the incident happened between 3.53am and 4am outside his home, which also…

  • Thailand NewsMore than 100 evacuated after ammonia leak at ice factory in Nakhon Pathom | Thaiger

    More than 100 evacuated after ammonia leak at ice factory in Nakhon Pathom

    An ammonia leak at an ice factory in Nakhon Pathom province yesterday, December 15, forced the evacuation of more than 100 residents living nearby. The situation has now been brought under control. According to a report by MGR Online, the ammonia leaked from an ice production factory, Siam Pyramid Company, located in the Tha Talat sub-district of Sam Phran district.…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket clinic accused of using clients’ phones to buy services without consent | Thaiger

    Phuket clinic accused of using clients’ phones to buy services without consent

    At least nine people fell victim to a fraud at a beauty clinic in Phuket, where workers secretly used their mobile phones to access financial applications and purchase expensive services without their consent. Two representatives of the victims contacted the administrator of the Facebook page โหดจัง จังหวัดภูเก็ต to share their experiences publicly. They said they wanted to warn others and encourage…

  • Thailand NewsThai energy firms deny Cambodia fuel exports after unusual surge detected | Thaiger

    Thai energy firms deny Cambodia fuel exports after unusual surge detected

    The 2nd Army Area yesterday, December 15, ordered tighter controls on the export of all types of fuel at the Chong Mek Border Checkpoint in Ubon Ratchathani province to prevent supplies from being transported to Cambodia. The order resulted in more than 100 fuel tanker trucks being stranded at the checkpoint yesterday. Drivers were instructed to stop and wait while…

  • Thailand NewsEmbassy rejects claims of Russian spies targeting Thai military site | Thaiger

    Embassy rejects claims of Russian spies targeting Thai military site

    The Russian Embassy in Thailand firmly denied accusations made by local police officers in Nakhon Ratchasima province, who claimed that Russian nationals were hired by Cambodia to spy on and potentially attack Thai military facilities. The allegations first appeared on the official Facebook page of Phon Krung Police Station on Sunday, December 14. In the now-deleted post, police said they…

  • Thailand NewsThai monk sparks online debate after travelling on rollerblades in Phitsanulok | Thaiger

    Thai monk sparks online debate after travelling on rollerblades in Phitsanulok

    A Thai monk in Phitsanulok province sparked criticism online after he was seen travelling along a main road while wearing rollerblade boots, with many netizens questioning whether his actions were appropriate for a monk. The incident came to public attention after a Thai man, Panomkorn U-koum, shared a video of the monk on his Facebook and Instagram accounts yesterday, December…

  • Thailand NewsChon Buri teens turn themselves in after viral buffalo statue dance | Thaiger

    Chon Buri teens turn themselves in after viral buffalo statue dance

    Five Thai teenagers turned themselves in to police today, December 15, after a controversial video showed them dancing on buffalo statues at a roundabout in Chon Buri province, sparking widespread criticism online. The incident came to public attention after the Facebook page, ข่าวเด็ดชลบุรี เพชฌฆาตข่าว (Chon Buri Hot News Hunter), reposted the video yesterday, December 14. The page condemned the footage,…

  • Thailand NewsThai man cites son with Down’s syndrome after stealing police’s motorcycle | Thaiger

    Thai man cites son with Down’s syndrome after stealing police’s motorcycle

    A Thai man claimed he stole a motorcycle to raise money to care for his son, who suffers from Down’s syndrome, after taking the vehicle of a commando police officer in Nonthaburi province. Pak Kret Police Station officers arrested the 39 year old suspect, identified as Thanathat, at his rented room in Soi Kosum Ruamjai, Don Mueang district, Bangkok, on…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket man arrested for forcing tourists to pay for iguana photos | Thaiger

    Phuket man arrested for forcing tourists to pay for iguana photos

    Phuket police arrested a Thai man on Friday, December 12, after he was accused of taking photos of tourists with his reptiles without consent and then forcing them to pay. Officers from Patong Police Station received complaints about a Thai man who allegedly targeted tourists, particularly foreigners, by encouraging or tricking them into posing for photos with his reptiles, reported…

  • Road deathsUAE tourist killed in motorcycle collision with friends in Phang Nga | Thaiger

    UAE tourist killed in motorcycle collision with friends in Phang Nga

    A tourist from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was killed after a motorcycle collision with his three friends in Phang Nga province on Friday, December 12. Officers from Takua Thung Police Station were notified of the fatal accident at around 6.30pm and arrived at the scene on Phetkasem Road, approximately 1.5 kilometres from the police station. Rescuers from the Wat…

  • Pattaya NewsIraqi motorcyclists ride against traffic and collide with Russians in Pattaya | Thaiger

    Iraqi motorcyclists ride against traffic and collide with Russians in Pattaya

    Two Iraqi nationals were injured after riding a motorcycle against the flow of traffic and colliding with a motorcycle carrying two Russian tourists in Pattaya early on Saturday, December 13. Officers from Mueang Pattaya Police Station were alerted to the accident at around 12.10am. The crash occurred on Sukhumvit Road, outside Underwater World Pattaya. Rescuers from the Sawang Borriboon Dhammastan…

  • Thailand NewsHun Sen denies blocking Thais from returning home and urges air travel | Thaiger

    Hun Sen denies blocking Thais from returning home and urges air travel

    Cambodia’s Senate President Hun Sen denied accusations of human rights violations after Thai nationals were reportedly blocked from returning home via land border crossings, insisting the restrictions were imposed purely for safety reasons. The issue came to light on December 11, when Thai nationals stranded in Cambodia sought assistance from Thai authorities, claiming Cambodian officials at a border checkpoint near Si…

  • Phuket NewsAustralian man dies after running into glass door at Phuket restaurant | Thaiger

    Australian man dies after running into glass door at Phuket restaurant

    An Australian man died after suffering severe blood loss when he reportedly ran into a glass door at a restaurant in the Karon area of Phuket last night, December 11. Officers from Karon Police Station were alerted to the incident at around 10.30pm and rushed to the restaurant to investigate reports of a disturbance involving a foreign man. However, the…

  • Bangkok NewsBangkok governor shares chubby childhood photo to raise awareness on child obesity | Thaiger

    Bangkok governor shares chubby childhood photo to raise awareness on child obesity

    Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt used a childhood photo of himself and his twin brother to promote a new health campaign aimed at tackling child obesity in the capital. Chadchart attended the launch of the project yesterday, December 11, which was introduced through a collaboration between the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, the Royal Danish Embassy in…

  • Thailand News76 year old Thai woman found murdered in Trat, gold jewellery missing | Thaiger

    76 year old Thai woman found murdered in Trat, gold jewellery missing

    Police are hunting for a suspect who remains at large after a 76 year old Thai woman was found murdered in her home in Trat province, with gold jewellery worth more than 120,000 baht missing from the scene. Relatives became concerned yesterday, December 11, after the elderly woman, identified only as A, failed to answer her phone calls as usual.…

  • Bangkok News5 year old Thai girl rescued after repeated abuse by stepmother | Thaiger

    5 year old Thai girl rescued after repeated abuse by stepmother

    A non-profit organisation rescued a five year old Thai girl yesterday, December 11, after suffering repeated abuse by her stepmother in the Bang Khun Thian area of Bangkok. The rescue was carried out by Be One organisation, led by its founder, Chalida “Ton Or” Palamart. Ton Or said a neighbour who witnessed the abuse for years finally decided to seek help…

  • Thailand NewsThai woman shoots ex-husband after alleged break-in at Ayutthaya home | Thaiger

    Thai woman shoots ex-husband after alleged break-in at Ayutthaya home

    A Thai woman claimed self-defence after shooting her ex-husband who allegedly broke into her home in Ayutthaya yesterday, December 11. Officers from Bang Pa-in Police Station, along with rescuers from the Ayutthaya Ruamjai Foundation, were called to a house in the Sam Ruean sub-district of Bang Pa-in district at around 10am following reports of a shooting. At the scene, officers…

  • Thailand NewsEmbassy intervenes after Thais barred from crossing back from Cambodia | Thaiger

    Embassy intervenes after Thais barred from crossing back from Cambodia

    The Royal Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh sent an urgent letter to Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior after Thai nationals in Cambodia were reportedly barred from returning home through the Ban Khlong Luek border checkpoint in Sa Kaeo province. Officials from the Thai-Cambodian Border Coordination Office told Thai PBS on Wednesday, December 11, that Cambodian authorities at the Ban Khlong Luek…

  • Phuket NewsForeign motorcyclist goes viral for riding with cooking pot in Phuket | Thaiger

    Foreign motorcyclist goes viral for riding with cooking pot in Phuket

    A foreign motorcyclist has gone viral on Thai social media after being spotted wearing a cooking pot instead of a helmet while riding along a road in Phuket. The Phuket Times Facebook page shared photos of the unusual rider on Tuesday, December 9, with a caption jokingly asking, “What kind of helmet he was wearing? This foreigner was heading to…

  • Thailand NewsPM Anutin dissolves parliament, says he wants to ‘return power to the people’ | Thaiger

    PM Anutin dissolves parliament, says he wants to ‘return power to the people’

    Thai Prime Minister (PM) Anutin Charnvirakul announced the dissolution of Parliament late last night, December 11, saying he wanted to “return power to the people.” At around 10pm, Anutin posted a brief message on his Facebook account confirming that his government had submitted a request to dissolve the House of Representatives for royal approval, and the request was officially approved…

  • Phuket NewsIndian brothers arrested in Phuket over Goa nightclub fire that kills 25 | Thaiger

    Indian brothers arrested in Phuket over Goa nightclub fire that kills 25

    Two Indian brothers who fled their home country after a deadly nightclub fire in Goa, India, were arrested in Thailand after days on the run. The fire, which broke out at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub on Saturday, December 6, claimed the lives of 25 people, most of whom were employees. Five tourists were also among the victims, though…

  • Thailand NewsProstitution crackdown: Thai masseuse arrested for offering ‘special massage’ | Thaiger

    Prostitution crackdown: Thai masseuse arrested for offering ‘special massage’

    Police arrested a masseuse in Nakhon Ratchasima yesterday, December 10, for offering sex services inside a massage shop, though the suspect insisted the shop owner and other staff had no involvement. Officers from the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division (ATPD) received a tip-off about prostitution taking place at a massage shop in the Non Sung district. To verify the information, police…

  • Phuket NewsThai netizens demand probe after Chinese tourist catches fish in Phuket for fun | Thaiger

    Thai netizens demand probe after Chinese tourist catches fish in Phuket for fun

    Thai netizens are questioning authorities after a viral video showed a Chinese tourist catching vibrant fish in the Phuket sea for fun, with many voicing concerns over animal abuse and suspicions that she may have travelled with an illegal Chinese-run tour operator. A Thai woman spotted the video on Douyin and forwarded it to well-known blogger Luijeen, who shared screenshots…

  • Pattaya NewsPattaya driver cites mechanical failure as car crashes into home, injuring 3 | Thaiger

    Pattaya driver cites mechanical failure as car crashes into home, injuring 3

    A Thai man crashed his sedan into a Pattaya home on Tuesday, December 9, injuring three people, including the homeowner’s wife, who was trapped in the bathroom after a wall collapsed on her. Nong Prue Police Station officers were alerted at about 7am and rushed to the scene with rescuers from the Sawang Borriboon Dhammastan Pattaya Foundation. They arrived to…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket on high alert for floods, landslides and strong waves | Thaiger

    Phuket on high alert for floods, landslides and strong waves

    Phuket issued a warning for flash floods and landslides as heavy to very heavy rain is forecast across southern Thailand from December 11 to 16. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) announced that intense rainfall is expected throughout the South, prompting Phuket to order all relevant agencies to remain on full alert for floods, flash floods, landslides, and…

  • Crime News2 more Thai soldiers killed in border clashes, Sa Kaeo imposes curfew | Thaiger

    2 more Thai soldiers killed in border clashes, Sa Kaeo imposes curfew

    Two more Thai soldiers lost their lives in the escalating border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia yesterday, December 10, bringing the total number of Thai casualties to seven. Sa Kaeo province imposes a nighttime curfew for public safety. The renewed fighting since Sunday, December 7, has spread across four border provinces, Buriram, Si Saket, Surin, and Ubon Ratchathani, with fatalities…

  • Phuket NewsRussian man arrested in Phuket with hundreds of illegal hookah products | Thaiger

    Russian man arrested in Phuket with hundreds of illegal hookah products

    Phuket police arrested a Russian man for possessing a large quantity of hookah products, known locally as baraku, during a raid in the Cherng Talay area yesterday, December 9. Officers from the Region 8 Special Operations Unit conducted the operation at a rented room in Soi Hua Tiew in the Choeng Thale sub-district of Thalang district. The suspect, identified as…

  • Phuket NewsIndian brothers behind deadly nightclub fire in Goa reportedly hide in Phuket | Thaiger

    Indian brothers behind deadly nightclub fire in Goa reportedly hide in Phuket

    Two Indian brothers reportedly fled to Phuket to evade legal consequences after a fire at their nightclub in Goa, India, killed 25 people. BBC reported on Sunday, December 7, that the blaze erupted around midnight on Saturday, December 6, at Birch by Romeo Lane, a popular nightclub on Baga Beach in Goa. The fire spread rapidly through the venue, leaving…

  • Thailand NewsThai government studies Disneyland project instead of casino complex | Thaiger

    Thai government studies Disneyland project instead of casino complex

    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn revealed a new plan to bring Disneyland to Thailand, replacing the previously proposed entertainment complex. The earlier proposal introduced by the Pheu Thai Party aimed to create a large entertainment complex to boost tourism and the national economy. The project was expected to include theme parks, water parks, sports stadiums, concert…

  • Thailand NewsJamaican beauty queen in critical condition after stage fall in Thailand | Thaiger

    Jamaican beauty queen in critical condition after stage fall in Thailand

    The Miss Universe contestant from Jamaica is reportedly in critical condition after falling off the stage during the final round of the competition in Thailand last month. Gabrielle Henry, an ophthalmologist and Jamaica’s representative at Miss Universe 2025, suffered the fall while presenting her evening gown at the Impact Challenger Hall in Nonthaburi during the finals in November. A viral…