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 NewsCar and skeleton recovered from canal, linked to missing Thai man | Thaiger

    Car and skeleton recovered from canal, linked to missing Thai man

    Police yesterday, January 12, recovered a sedan from an irrigation canal in Kanchanaburi, along with a human skeleton believed to belong to a Thai man who went missing more than two years ago. Officers from Tha Muang Police Station were alerted to a submerged vehicle in an irrigation canal in the Tha Muang district at around 9.30am. The discovery was…

  • Phuket NewsEgyptian man arrested for illegally working as barber in Phuket | Thaiger

    Egyptian man arrested for illegally working as barber in Phuket

    Police arrested an Egyptian man in Phuket yesterday, January 12, for illegally working as a barber after he was caught providing services to a foreign customer. Officers from Patong Police Station acted on a complaint from a local resident who reported that a foreign national was operating a barbershop on Phang Mueang Sai Kor Road in the Patong sub-district of…

  • Thailand NewsPolice rule out murder in deadly house fire in Chiang Mai | Thaiger

    Police rule out murder in deadly house fire in Chiang Mai

    Police insisted that the deadly house fire in Chiang Mai province that killed a family of five was an accident, while criticising some media outlets for spreading misleading and unverified information. The tragedy occurred on January 8, when a fire broke out at a two-storey home in the Pa Dad sub-district of Chiang Mai. Five family members, including five year…

  • Thailand NewsAmazing Thailand x LISA teaser drops ahead of full film release | Thaiger

    Amazing Thailand x LISA teaser drops ahead of full film release

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) released the teaser for its latest tourism advertising film featuring Thai-born K-pop star Lalisa Manobal on Friday, January 9. The full film is scheduled to launch on January 28. TAT first announced Lisa as its global tourism ambassador in October, encouraging fans to look forward to a campaign showcasing Thailand’s most beautiful destinations through…

  • Thailand NewsItalian man slammed for insulting Thai taxi driver comparing him to dog | Thaiger

    Italian man slammed for insulting Thai taxi driver comparing him to dog

    Thai and international netizens condemned an Italian man after he posted a video insulting a Thai taxi driver for eating from a plastic bag, allegedly comparing the driver to a dog. The Italian tourist shared the video on his Facebook account yesterday, Saturday, January 11, along with a caption written in Italian. The caption was later translated as, “Enjoy travelling…

  • Phuket NewsBritish man arrested for traffic island stunt, indecency, and Yaba use | Thaiger

    British man arrested for traffic island stunt, indecency, and Yaba use

    Phuket police arrested a British national after a viral video showed him driving on a traffic island, using methamphetamine (Yaba), and urinating on road. The 24 year old British national, Lee Terry Obrien, was arrested yesterday, Sunday, January 11, after footage of the incident circulated widely on social media. The video, originally shared by local news outlet Newshawk Phuket, showed the…

  • Bangkok NewsThai police strangled in Bangkok traffic dispute, suspect still at large | Thaiger

    Thai police strangled in Bangkok traffic dispute, suspect still at large

    A Thai man remains at large after strangling a police officer during a road rage incident in the Don Mueang area of Bangkok on Thursday, January 8. The injured officer, Police Sergeant Satawat Seirattanapong, shared CCTV footage and details of the incident on his Facebook page on Friday, January 9, one day after the altercation. The confrontation reportedly occurred on…

  • Crime NewsThai man and 9 foreigners arrested during Chon Buri gambling den raid | Thaiger

    Thai man and 9 foreigners arrested during Chon Buri gambling den raid

    Immigration Bureau officers raided an illegal gambling den at a luxury housing estate in Chon Buri on Saturday, December 10, arresting 10 suspects, including one Thai national and nine foreigners. The raid followed information obtained from a Chinese man identified as Dahua, who had previously been arrested for illegally selling laughing gas, or nitrous oxide. Dahua reportedly sold the substance…

  • Thailand NewsNarathiwat imposes curfew after attacks at 11 petrol stations in Deep South | Thaiger

    Narathiwat imposes curfew after attacks at 11 petrol stations in Deep South

    Narathiwat province is under a nightly curfew following a series of bombings and fires at petrol stations across three Deep South provinces on Saturday, January 10. Explosions and fires were reported at 11 petrol stations in the provinces of Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat late on Saturday night. All of the affected petrol stations belong to the same operator, PTT. According…

  • Thailand NewsLost British cyclist safely rescued from Chiang Mai forest | Thaiger

    Lost British cyclist safely rescued from Chiang Mai forest

    Thai rescue teams yesterday, January 12, successfully located a British cyclist who became lost in a forest while cycling towards Chiang Mai city centre. The Chiang Mai Provincial Police Office coordinated with the Phrao Wang Hin Rescue Foundation after the cyclist, 63 year old British national Gordon Dewar, contacted authorities to request assistance. Rescue teams quickly mobilised volunteer motocross riders,…

  • Thailand NewsRussian teen killed after speedboat hits fishing boat in Krabi | Thaiger

    Russian teen killed after speedboat hits fishing boat in Krabi

    A Russian tourist lost her life and at least 11 others were injured after a speedboat collided with a fishing boat in the sea off Krabi yesterday, January 11. Authorities later found methamphetamine (Yaba), cannabis, and kratom aboard the speedboat, and the driver tested positive for drugs. Officers from the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre were alerted to the collision…

  • Koh Samui NewsRussian extortion suspect caught relaxing at Koh Samui luxury hotel | Thaiger

    Russian extortion suspect caught relaxing at Koh Samui luxury hotel

    Police arrested a Russian man on the resort island of Koh Samui in Surat Thani yesterday, January 8, for extorting 1 million rubles, or nearly 400,000 baht, from a car dealership chief executive in Russia. The arrest followed a request for cooperation from the Russian Embassy in Thailand, which asked Thai authorities to help locate and detain the suspect, identified…

  • Thailand NewsPawnshop officer arrested over multi million baht gold theft in Trang | Thaiger

    Pawnshop officer arrested over multi million baht gold theft in Trang

    Police arrested a pawnshop officer today, January 9, for a gold theft at a municipal pawnshop in Trang province, a case that caused estimated losses of more than 5 million baht. The investigation began after an officer from the Mueang Trang Municipality Pawnshop filed a complaint with Mueang Trang Police Station on Tuesday, January 6. The officer reported that more…

  • Thailand NewsThai man stabbed by ex-girlfriend new partner in Nonthaburi | Thaiger

    Thai man stabbed by ex-girlfriend new partner in Nonthaburi

    A Thai man accused his ex-girlfriend of deceiving him into meeting her new partner, who stabbed him in the neck in Nonthaburi province. The victim managed to drive himself to Samut Prakan to seek help despite his serious injuries. The injured man, 34 year old Thai man Bordin, contacted a colleague at around 9.30am yesterday, January 8, asking for urgent…

  • Chiang Mai NewsSuspicion raised in Chiang Mai house fire that kills family of 5 | Thaiger

    Suspicion raised in Chiang Mai house fire that kills family of 5

    Police launched a deeper investigation into a deadly house fire in Chiang Mai province that claimed the lives of five family members, after officials raised concerns that the blaze may not be an accident. The fire broke out at around midnight yesterday, January 8, at a two-storey house in the Pa Dad sub-district of Chiang Mai. All five occupants were…

  • Thailand NewsMissing Nonthaburi woman contacts father, says she flees abuse and double life | Thaiger

    Missing Nonthaburi woman contacts father, says she flees abuse and double life

    A Thai woman, who was reported missing after boarding a pink taxi in Nonthaburi, contacted her father, saying she fled her home to escape domestic abuse and her husband’s double life. The case first drew public attention after 44 year old Thai man Kosin Chatlertchai appealed to the online community for help in locating his wife, 30 year old Thai…

  • Bangkok NewsRival students open fire on Bangkok road, injuring 2 teens and innocent woman | Thaiger

    Rival students open fire on Bangkok road, injuring 2 teens and innocent woman

    A shooting broke out on a Bangkok road yesterday, January 8, following a conflict between two groups of college students, leaving two teenagers and an innocent woman injured. The incident occurred at around 5.30pm at the Nida-Seri Thai Intersection in Bueng Kum district. Gunfire erupted while vehicles were stopped at a red light, triggering panic among motorists and causing heavy…

  • Thailand NewsThai students claim top prize at Harbin snow sculpture contest | Thaiger

    Thai students claim top prize at Harbin snow sculpture contest

    Thai vocational students from Bangkok and Chiang Rai won the 2026 International Collegiate Snow Sculpture Contest in Harbin, China, with a sculpture inspired by the Siamese fighting fish and goddess of water. The annual snow sculpture contest, organised by Harbin Engineering University, returned for its 18th edition this year. The competition was held from January 4 to 7 in Harbin,…

  • Thailand NewsHidden camera exposes Thai resort staff using guest’s personal items | Thaiger

    Hidden camera exposes Thai resort staff using guest’s personal items

    A Thai woman issued a public warning after discovering that resort staff secretly used her personal belongings while she was away from her room. The woman shared footage of the incident on her TikTok account, @hydemylxu03, yesterday, January 7. She did not disclose the name or exact location of the resort, but many netizens speculated it was in Nakhon Ratchasima province…

  • Bangkok NewsWat Arun issues apology, tightens rules for photographers after complaints | Thaiger

    Wat Arun issues apology, tightens rules for photographers after complaints

    Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan issued an official apology following public backlash over the behaviour of some local photographers accused of disturbing visitors for personal gain. Wearing Thai traditional costumes while visiting temples has become increasingly popular among both Thai and foreign tourists. Wat Arun is one of the most favoured locations for photo sessions, thanks to its iconic prang tower…

  • Central Thailand NewsNonthaburi man searches for wife missing after boarding pink taxi | Thaiger

    Nonthaburi man searches for wife missing after boarding pink taxi

    A Thai man is appealing for public help to locate his wife, who has been missing for more than two weeks after being last seen boarding a pink taxi in Nonthaburi province. The 44 year old Thai man Kosin Chatlertchai shared photos and CCTV evidence on social media in the hope of reuniting with his wife, 30 year old Thai…

  • World NewsNew ‘Republic of Kawthoolei’ announced at Thai-Myanmar border | Thaiger

    New ‘Republic of Kawthoolei’ announced at Thai-Myanmar border

    The son of a former leader of the Karen National Union (KNU) declared independence and announced the establishment of the Republic of Kawthoolei, a self-proclaimed state located along the Thai–Myanmar border. Nerdah Mya, the son of former KNU leader Bo Mya, introduced himself as the first president of the Republic of Kawthoolei, meaning “the land without darkness” in Karen, on…

  • Chiang Mai NewsOpinions divided after foreigners sunbathe in bikinis near Chiang Mai temple | Thaiger

    Opinions divided after foreigners sunbathe in bikinis near Chiang Mai temple

    Opinions among Thai netizens were divided after images of four foreign women in bikinis sunbathing near a temple in Chiang Mai province circulated widely on social media. The Facebook page แฉเชียงใหม่ V2 shared the photos on Monday, January 5. The images showed four foreign women wearing bikinis and sitting on the grass beside the city moat in central Chiang Mai.…

  • Crime NewsRayong man forces wife into sex with his father and pimps her out | Thaiger

    Rayong man forces wife into sex with his father and pimps her out

    A 20 year old Thai woman sought help from local journalists in Rayong province after her husband forced her to have sex with his father, sold explicit videos of her online, and pimped her out for money. The victim contacted the local news Facebook page ZOOM Rayong to seek assistance. The outlet later arranged to meet her discreetly, listened to…

  • Thailand NewsThai police shifts blame to foreigner after car crash and obstructs investigation | Thaiger

    Thai police shifts blame to foreigner after car crash and obstructs investigation

    A police officer caused a road accident, blaming a foreign motorist, and refusing to cooperate with legal procedures, leading to a heated confrontation with a traffic police officer in Chon Buri. The incident came to light after a traffic officer shared bodycam footage on January 1. The officer identified himself as Police Sergeant Saeb from Phanat Nikhom Police Station in…

  • Bangkok NewsThai man escapes punishment for child sex abuse with suicide | Thaiger

    Thai man escapes punishment for child sex abuse with suicide

    A Thai man committed suicide at a rented room in Bangkok to escape a legal punishment for the sexual assault of a 17 year old girl. The teenage victim, identified only as Phae, shared with the Facebook page Jmoi V+ that she was sexually assaulted by her friend’s uncle, named Boy, on December 27 last year. The incident took place…

  • Thailand NewsThai soldier killed in knife attack by ex-police after border duty | Thaiger

    Thai soldier killed in knife attack by ex-police after border duty

    A former Thai police officer fatally stabbed a soldier while the victim was resting at his home in Khon Kaen province after returning from duty at the Thai-Cambodian border. The fatal stabbing occurred at around 9.30am on Monday, January 6, at a house in Ubonrat district. The victim was 51 year old Sergeant Major First Class Sangkhom Tonlo, while the…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket taxi drivers threaten strike over illegal app-based drivers | Thaiger

    Phuket taxi drivers threaten strike over illegal app-based drivers

    Taxi drivers in Phuket threatened to stage a strike on January 15, demanding government action against illegal taxi drivers who operate without official registration, especially ones on ride-hailing applications. The local news Facebook page Phuket Andaman News reported today, January 7, that a group of taxi drivers in the province is planning to protest and has asked the media to…

  • Thailand NewsSkeleton of missing Cambodian man found in ceiling during house renovation | Thaiger

    Skeleton of missing Cambodian man found in ceiling during house renovation

    A construction team yesterday, January 6, discovered a skeleton of a missing Cambodian man hidden in the ceiling while renovating a house in Pathum Thani province. Officers from Lam Luk Ka Police Station were called to investigate the discovery at a two-storey house in Lam Luk Ka district yesterday. A forensic team from HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Medical Centre and…

  • Thailand NewsSwedish groom-to-be dies after crashing motorcycle in Rayong | Thaiger

    Swedish groom-to-be dies after crashing motorcycle in Rayong

    A Swedish man lost his life after riding his motorcycle while drunk and crashing into a traffic guardrail on a road in Rayong province yesterday, January 6. He was reportedly planning to hold a wedding ceremony with his Thai girlfriend in the near future. Officers from Klaeng Police Station investigated the accident at around 5pm. The crash occurred at a…