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 NewsDrunk officer crashes police pickup into woman and flees scene | Thaiger

    Drunk officer crashes police pickup into woman and flees scene

    An alleged drunk officer crashed a police pickup into a woman and her sidecar motorcycle in the central province of Chachoengsao on Monday, May 5, and failed to stop and assist the victim. CCTV footage of the incident circulated widely on Thai social media platforms, drawing criticism of the officer responsible for the collision. The crash occurred on the Ban…

  • Phuket NewsAustralian man jailed for 15 days for motorcycle wheelie in Phuket | Thaiger

    Australian man jailed for 15 days for motorcycle wheelie in Phuket

    Thai police sentenced an Australian man to 15 days in prison for performing a motorcycle wheelie on a road in Phuket on April 27, in an apparent effort to demonstrate that no special treatment is given to foreign nationals in Thailand. The 32 year old Australian, Daherwalid, went viral on Thai social media in April after images and videos of…

  • Thailand NewsThai boy abused by parents on Chon Buri road, no legal action taken | Thaiger

    Thai boy abused by parents on Chon Buri road, no legal action taken

    A Thai woman rescued an 11 year old boy from physical abuse by his parents in the middle of a road in Chon Buri yesterday, May 4. Unfortunately, no charges were filed against the parents. ThaiRath reshared a video of the incident, showing the woman intervening to protect the boy. The event occurred along the road by Bang Saray Beach…

  • Thailand NewsInnocent man shot in head by friend’s rivals, his parents asasulted | Thaiger

    Innocent man shot in head by friend’s rivals, his parents asasulted

    A 19 year old innocent man sustained a serious gunshot wound to the head after his friend’s rivals opened fire at his home in Bangkok’s Lat Phrao district on the night of May 5. The shooting and physical assault took place at a house in Soi Prasert Manukit 27. A neighbour managed to record part of the physical assault, which…

  • Thailand NewsThai father tries to cash in on disabled daughter’s funeral fund | Thaiger

    Thai father tries to cash in on disabled daughter’s funeral fund

    A Thai father in the eastern province of Rayong attempted to claim 4.8 million baht from a donation campaign for his disabled daughter, who died of cancer, despite not caring for her while she was alive. The 34 year old woman, Pan, suffered from oral cancer and was unable to afford medical treatment, which eventually left her disabled. Her tragic life…

  • Bangkok NewsTransgender fortune teller denies defrauding, sexually assaulting boy | Thaiger

    Transgender fortune teller denies defrauding, sexually assaulting boy

    A transgender fortune teller in Bangkok denied scamming a 16 year old boy out of 500,000 baht and also rejected claims of sexually assaulting him. She insisted the teen voluntarily gave her around 200,000 baht and nothing more. A Thai mother accompanied her teenage son to meet the well-known lawyer, Ronnarong Kaewphet, to spread a warning to the public. The…

  • Thailand NewsThai man commits suicide after alleged betrayal by ex-boyfriend | Thaiger

    Thai man commits suicide after alleged betrayal by ex-boyfriend

    A gay man committed suicide in a car parked outside a farm and café he had reportedly invested in with his former boyfriend, following alleged betrayal by the ex, his family, and his new partner. The owner of Subprayun Farm and Cafe in the central province of Lop Buri, Yo, contacted officers from Phattana Nikhom Police Station to investigate the…

  • Thailand NewsThai gunman arrested after opening fire at Tak petrol station | Thaiger

    Thai gunman arrested after opening fire at Tak petrol station

    Police launched a swift response and arrested a Thai man who fired random shots outside a petrol station in Mae Sot district, in the northern province of Tak, this morning. The official Facebook page of Mae Sot Police Station issued a warning to the public at 7.29am, today, May 6. In the post, officers stated: “Maniac man with a gun.…

  • Bangkok NewsThai police apologise after ignoring influencer’s stalking complaint | Thaiger

    Thai police apologise after ignoring influencer’s stalking complaint

    Thai police issued an apology to a female social media influencer for acting inappropriately and initially ignoring her complaints of being stalked and threatened by a Burmese man. The influencer, 28 year old Linrada “Lin” Warakornsittichai, posted on her Facebook account, Sanella Linvar, to seek help after officers from Bang Khun Thian Police Station failed to provide any updates on…

  • Thailand NewsThai man on the run after raping disabled neighbour in Lop Buri | Thaiger

    Thai man on the run after raping disabled neighbour in Lop Buri

    A Thai man evaded arrest after allegedly raping a disabled female neighbour in the central province of Lop Buri. The victim reportedly appeared visibly distressed whenever she passed the rapist’s house. Residents of the Ban Bang Li community in Tha Wung district expressed sympathy for the victim and sought help from social media influencer Guntouch “Gun” Pongpaiboonwet. Gun, along with…

  • Phuket NewsCondo owner denies keeping deposit after Ukrainian woman trashes room | Thaiger

    Condo owner denies keeping deposit after Ukrainian woman trashes room

    A condominium owner in Phuket denied accusations of cheating a Ukrainian woman who damaged her property. She clarified that the woman was not her tenant, but the girlfriend of her actual tenant, a Russian man. The Thai woman, Praphaphan Meesomboon, took to her Facebook page last week to share images of her damaged condo unit. The photos showed walls defaced…

  • Thailand NewsUnlicensed healer under scrutiny after brain tumour patient’s death | Thaiger

    Unlicensed healer under scrutiny after brain tumour patient’s death

    A Thai woman blamed an unlicensed healer in the central province of Prachin Buri for the death of her mother, who suffered from brain tumours. The woman died two weeks after consuming a herbal drink and receiving an injection of an unidentified drug. The woman shared the story of her late mother, 61 year old Nit, on social media platforms. She…

  • Thailand NewsKrabi national park vows to punish foreign tourist feeding monkeys | Thaiger

    Krabi national park vows to punish foreign tourist feeding monkeys

    National park rangers are searching for a foreign tourist who was captured on a viral video feeding monkeys at Monkey Bay in the southern province of Krabi. The Thai freelance tour guide, Pokpong “Patrick” Suwannasith, shared the video on his Facebook account yesterday, May 4. In the footage, a foreign man can be seen holding a bag of crisps and…

  • Phuket NewsForeign man slaps Phuket taxi driver and rams van in separate incidents | Thaiger

    Foreign man slaps Phuket taxi driver and rams van in separate incidents

    Local news agencies and residents in Phuket are demanding police action against a foreign man who was caught on a viral video slapping a Thai taxi driver in the face in the middle of the road. A Thai motorist shared dashcam footage of the incident with the Facebook news page Phuket Times, yesterday, May 4. The assault reportedly occurred on…

  • Thailand NewsForeign restaurateurs accused of stealing menu from Bangkok eatery | Thaiger

    Foreign restaurateurs accused of stealing menu from Bangkok eatery

    A Thai restaurant in the Central Embassy shopping mall in Bangkok exposed the actions of a foreign couple who stole two menu books on April 29, reportedly intending to copy them to operate a restaurant in their home country. The well-known restaurant, Kaithong Original, shared CCTV screenshots of the couple on its official page on May 1, accompanied by a…

  • Thailand NewsThai motocross rider dies in cliff fall after fleeing wasps | Thaiger

    Thai motocross rider dies in cliff fall after fleeing wasps

    A Thai motocross rider lost his life after falling from a cliff in the central province of Saraburi while fleeing a swarm of wasps on Friday, May 2. A group of more than 10 motocross riders sought help from the Ruam Katanyu Rescue Foundation after one of their friends, 38 year old Noppadon Nakyot, went missing in the forest on…

  • Thailand NewsThailand ranked 7th happiest country in the world | Thaiger

    Thailand ranked 7th happiest country in the world

    The Thai government is inviting the public to celebrate after Thailand was ranked the seventh happiest country in the world, according to global market research and public opinion specialist Ipsos. The Spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, Anukool Pruksanusak, shared the good news during a press conference yesterday, May 1. Anukool stated that Thailand placed seventh in the 2025 Global…

  • Pattaya NewsPattaya wrong-way driver damages car, claims police ties | Thaiger

    Pattaya wrong-way driver damages car, claims police ties

    A Thai man took to social media to seek justice after police failed to arrest a suspect who damaged his car because he did not let him drive against the traffic flow on a Pattaya road. The victim, Nawakorn Thongpha, shared a video of the incident on his Facebook account on April 30, along with a description of the events. The…

  • Pattaya NewsMultiple affairs discovered after woman’s murder in Chon Buri | Thaiger

    Multiple affairs discovered after woman’s murder in Chon Buri

    A Thai man fatally stabbed a woman in a rented house in the Si Racha district of Chon Buri on April 29 before attempting a failed suicide. The suspected motive was jealousy as the woman was reportedly involved in affairs with seven men. The 50 year old Thai man, Sanya, was shocked to discover the lifeless body of his girlfriend, 51…

  • Phuket NewsIsraeli man nabbed for Phuket motorcycle theft after week-long hunt | Thaiger

    Israeli man nabbed for Phuket motorcycle theft after week-long hunt

    An Israeli man was finally apprehended on April 30 after stealing a motorcycle from the car park of a hospital in Phuket on April 21 and evading arrest for over a week. The Thai victim, whose identity was not disclosed, filed a complaint at Wichit Police Station on April 24, reporting that his white Honda Click motorcycle was stolen from…

  • Phuket NewsAustralian man dies after falling from staircase at Phuket hotel | Thaiger

    Australian man dies after falling from staircase at Phuket hotel

    An Australian man fell to his death from a staircase at a hotel in Phuket on May 1, allegedly due to intoxication, in full view of his wife. Officers from Patong Police Station and rescuers from the Kusontham Foundation rushed to a hotel on Rat Uthit 200 Years Road in the Kathu district of Phuket after being alerted to an…

  • Bangkok NewsFake police caught extorting migrant workers, employers in Bangkok | Thaiger

    Fake police caught extorting migrant workers, employers in Bangkok

    Officers arrested a Thai man posing as a police officer who extorted money from migrant workers and their employers at the popular tourist destination Asiatique the Riverfront, in the Charoen Krung neighbourhood of Bangkok Restaurant owners and business operators in the area questioned officers at Wat Phraya Krai Police Station about the frequency of operations targeting migrant workers after observing…

  • Phuket NewsUkrainian woman vanishes after trashing Phuket condo | Thaiger

    Ukrainian woman vanishes after trashing Phuket condo

    A Ukrainian woman disappeared after causing extensive damage to a condominium unit in Phuket, resulting in losses exceeding 350,000 baht for the owner. The Thai owner of the unit, Praphaphan Meesomboon, shared images of the devastation on Facebook today, April 30. She posted several photos of the wrecked room along with a caption that read… “A lesson learned for all…

  • Thailand NewsNinja thief with long criminal record arrested while hiding under bed | Thaiger

    Ninja thief with long criminal record arrested while hiding under bed

    A Thai man, infamously dubbed the ninja thief, attempted to evade arrest by hiding beneath a bed in an apartment in Pathum Thani province but failed. Several victims of the ninja thief, identified as 22 year old Korraphak, sought assistance from social media influencer Guntouch “Gun” Pongpaiboonwet. They reported to Gun that Korraphak had committed crimes over 20 times, yet remained…

  • Thailand NewsThai man arrested for murder commits suicide in police custody | Thaiger

    Thai man arrested for murder commits suicide in police custody

    A Thai man committed suicide while in police custody after being arrested for the murder of his girlfriend in a rented room in the central province of Chanthaburi. The victim’s younger sister, 22 year old Suphitchama Thatchaiyaphum, filed a missing person report at Na Yai Am Police Station on April 27, stating that her sister, 30 year old Anyika Sonsert,…

  • Pattaya NewsHungarian man attacked by Pattaya transwoman over unpaid service | Thaiger

    Hungarian man attacked by Pattaya transwoman over unpaid service

    A Thai transwoman and her friend attacked a Hungarian man outside a bar in Pattaya in the early hours of today, April 30, after he allegedly failed to pay for entertainment services. Officers from Mueang Pattaya Police Station were alerted to a physical assault at 12.16am. The incident occurred outside a bar in Soi Pattaya Beach 12. The assailants had…

  • Phuket NewsForeign man injured after falling on jet ski while parasailing in Phuket | Thaiger

    Foreign man injured after falling on jet ski while parasailing in Phuket

    A foreign man sustained a leg injury after falling onto a jet ski during a parasailing activity off Patong Beach in Phuket. The Kusoltam Patong Rescue Foundation was called to assist the man, whose nationality and identity were not disclosed, at 2.19pm, yesterday, April 29, on Patong Beach. The man reportedly fell while parasailing, although the height from which he…

  • Northern Thailand NewsThai mother and 2 children killed by drunk driver in Tak | Thaiger

    Thai mother and 2 children killed by drunk driver in Tak

    A drunk hatchback driver crashed into a motorcycle carrying a Thai mother and her two children, killing all three of them, on a road in the northern province of Tak. A group of people rushed to assist the woman and her young children after witnessing the grey Honda Jazz hatchback collide with their motorcycle, a blue and white Honda Scoopy,…

  • Thailand NewsGood deed gone wrong: Thai woman flicks foreign man’s pet cockroach | Thaiger

    Good deed gone wrong: Thai woman flicks foreign man’s pet cockroach

    A Thai woman attempted to perform a good deed by removing a cockroach from the head of a foreign man, only for him to become angry as the insect was his pet. A video of the angry foreigner, in Kamphaeng Phet in upper central Thailand, circulated on Thai social media platforms over the past week. One of the news Facebook pages,…

  • Phuket NewsForeign Lamborghini driver condemned for dangerous driving | Thaiger

    Foreign Lamborghini driver condemned for dangerous driving

    Thai netizens condemned a foreigner in a Lamborghini caught driving dangerously through Phuket. Accusations are flying, with locals alleging that police allow wealthy foreigners to dodge justice by flashing cash. A Thai driver captured the heated exchange with the foreign man and his Thai wife, sharing the explosive video on the Phuket Times Facebook page. The page subsequently shared the…