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.
  • Covid-19 NewsA solution for infected people to vote during Bangkok’s governor election

    A solution for infected people to vote during Bangkok’s governor election

    Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health insists that the voice of even Covid-19 infected people won’t go unnoticed. The ministry says they’ve got a solution for infected residents to vote for their new Bangkok governor. The 11th election for the governorship of Bangkok will be held on May 22. It will take place 9 years after the last Governor election in…

  • Thailand NewsScalpers resell Justin Bieber concert ticket at more than one million baht

    Scalpers resell Justin Bieber concert ticket at more than one million baht

    Justin Bieber Justice World Tour tickets have been scalped and resold for more than one million baht. The promoter’s official account says… “This is too much!” and warns of the cancellation of scalped tickets. Justin Bieber announced his Justice World Tour in Bangkok, and it will hit Rajamangala National Stadium on November 6. The ticket prices started at 2,500 baht,…

  • Pattaya NewsChon Buri authorities reorganise vendors at Na Jomtien Beach

    Chon Buri authorities reorganise vendors at Na Jomtien Beach

    Municipal and traffic police are reorganising vendors on Na Jomtien Beach to give tourists more space to enjoy beach vibes after they received complaints that food carts are blocking the traffic and parking areas along the beach. Na Jomtien Beach had been improved to prevent coastal erosion and draw more tourists with a budget of 600 million baht. The beaches…

  • Crime NewsUPDATE: Police arrest taxi driver who robbed drunken foreigner asleep on sidewalk

    UPDATE: Police arrest taxi driver who robbed drunken foreigner asleep on sidewalk

    Following the report of a drunken foreigner who got robbed by a taxi driver while sleeping on the sidewalk in Bangkok, police have already arrested the suspect. The taxi driver said he meant to just wake the foreigner up, but the man’s assets ‘enticed’ him. Last Sunday, a local Thai news Facebook page reported that a taxi driver had robbed a…

  • Thailand NewsThailand’s Department of Health reveals 5-10% of population refuse to wear face masks

    Thailand’s Department of Health reveals 5-10% of population refuse to wear face masks

    Thailand’s Department of Health says a survey on face masks conducted during Songkran reveals that more than 90% of the population in Thailand wears face masks in public spaces. However, another 5-10% “refused” to wear face masks, saying they are “uncomfortable”. Deputy Director-General of the Department of Health Ekkachai Piensiwatchara reported that 5-10% of the Thai population didn’t wear face…

  • Thailand NewsOverhead traffic sign strikes car, passengers escape unscathed

    Overhead traffic sign strikes car, passengers escape unscathed

    As if Thailand’s roads weren’t dangerous enough, now drivers have another hazard to watch out for: falling objects from aging highway infrastructure. In recent weeks, there have been numerous reports of signs and concrete striking vehicles. The latest incident happened on Thursday, when a massive overhead traffic sign fell and struck an SUV on Phahonyothin Highway in the central province…

  • Thailand News31 land border checkpoints in 17 provinces to reopen on May 1

    31 land border checkpoints in 17 provinces to reopen on May 1

    Land border checkpoints in 17 border provinces will reopen on May 1, according to the Department of Disease Control. Vaccinated Thai citizens and travellers from neighbouring countries can enter Thailand via the checkpoints. Foreigners will still need to register for Thailand Pass prior to entering via land border. Today, Assistant Spokesperson of the Covid-19 Situation Administration Centre Sumanee Watcharasin revealed…

  • Thailand NewsBTS urges passengers not to cross their legs while sitting

    BTS urges passengers not to cross their legs while sitting

    Bangkok’s BTS Skytrain is asking for cooperation from the passengers to avoid crossing their legs while sitting on the train during a rush hour to avoid annoying people… Yesterday, the official Facebook page รถไฟฟ้าบีทีเอส (BTS Skytrain) published a post saying… “We ask for your cooperation, please do not cross your legs while sitting on the skytrain. Admin would like to…

  • World NewsChina reports world’s first H3N8 bird flu case in human

    China reports world’s first H3N8 bird flu case in human

    China confirmed the world’s first H3N8 bird flu case in humans was found in the country. China’s National Health Commission insisted the disease was unlikely to spread to others. The patient was reported to be a four year old child in Henan province who had touched pet chickens and ravens at home. The child had a fever on April 5…

  • Thailand NewsThursday Covid Update: 14,887 new cases; provincial totals

    Thursday Covid Update: 14,887 new cases; provincial totals

    127 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 28,271 with 6,573 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 14,437 new Covid-19 cases and 18,509 recoveries. There are now 158,768 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. The trend in daily infections continues…

  • Thailand NewsRector of top university caught secretly photographing female flight attendants

    Rector of top university caught secretly photographing female flight attendants

    The rector of a top university in Thailand, later specified as Silpakorn University’s rector, has been identified whilst secretly taking pictures of female flight attendants on board a flight. The pictures he took went viral on Thai social media after netizens saw his sexually inappropriate caption… “I always take pictures of the flight attendants and send them to junior team…

  • Thailand NewsDoi Suthep’s controversial land and houses returned to treasury department

    Doi Suthep’s controversial land and houses returned to treasury department

    After almost 4 years of waiting, protests and arguments, the Court had returned the controversial land and housing project at the foot of Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai to the Treasury Department. The Department’s Director-General revealed 45 houses would be demolished, and land would be adjusted for the “benefit of the residents”. For the other 9 condominiums in the area,…

  • Thailand NewsDog owners prosecuted for bathing dogs at waterfall inside Thai national park

    Dog owners prosecuted for bathing dogs at waterfall inside Thai national park

    The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has prosecuted dog owners who brought dogs and bathed them at a waterfall inside the Khao Luang National Park in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. The authorities said pets were banned from entering the national parks in Thailand to prevent the spread of diseases from the urban area. One…

  • Thailand NewsUPDATE: Police identify foreigners involved in shooting at Pattaya’s Harley-Davidson shop

    UPDATE: Police identify foreigners involved in shooting at Pattaya’s Harley-Davidson shop

    Following a report on the shooting at a Harley-Davidson motorcycle shop in Pattaya, police expected that influential Thai residents and foreigners were involved. The officers say the group might have had some sort of conflict over the business and personal issues between members of two influential groups. The Harley-Davidson motorcycle shop located on Sukhumvit Road in Pattaya was the location…

  • Covid-19 NewsWednesday Covid Update: 14,887 new cases; provincial totals

    Wednesday Covid Update: 14,887 new cases; provincial totals

    125 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 28,144 with 6,446 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 14,887 new Covid-19 cases and 18,919 recoveries. There are now 162,967 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. The trend of new Covid infections…

  • Bangkok NewsDon’t get sick at Suvarnabhumi Airport! Emergency response can be pricey.

    Don’t get sick at Suvarnabhumi Airport! Emergency response can be pricey.

    A Thai man has posted the story about his father, saying his father was a taxi driver and became ill while waiting for passengers at Suvarnabhumi Airport. He claimed the airport allowed only their ’emergency response team’ to transport his father to a nearby hospital and charged him a hefty 13,000 baht for the pleasure! He added that poor people…

  • Thailand NewsThai government promotes the 5 Fs: Food, films, fashion, fighting and festivals

    Thai government promotes the 5 Fs: Food, films, fashion, fighting and festivals

    The Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Commerce responded to the policy to promote Thailand’s ‘soft power’ from PM Prayut and has launched Thailand’s “5 Fs soft power,” which aims to promote five major Thai cultures to international eyes… food, films, fashion, fighting and festivals. “Soft power” is indirect or spontaneous promotion of Thai culture by celebrities, sportspeople and…

  • Northern Thailand NewsThai authorities warn of jail time for catching or selling protected geckos

    Thai authorities warn of jail time for catching or selling protected geckos

    Rumours in Thailand saying geckos can sell for up to 1 million baht, depending on their size, might actually be true. Many Thai people have caught and sold geckos as a full-time job. But now the nation’s gecko hunters and sellers have to be more cautious since the authorities issued a warning, saying some geckos are on the wildlife preservation…

  • World NewsAll Thailand-Myanmar border checkpoints closed, massively affecting trade

    All Thailand-Myanmar border checkpoints closed, massively affecting trade

    Myanmar had closed down all of the checkpoints along the Thai-Myanmar border since April 23. Business owners have cried foul saying that they might lose up to 500,000 baht per day and wanted the Thai government to coordinate with Burmese authorities to solve the problem. After the car bomb exploding on the first Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge on April 23, Thai officials…

  • Thailand NewsTuesday Covid Update: 13,816 new cases; provincial totals

    Tuesday Covid Update: 13,816 new cases; provincial totals

    120 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA in Thailand today, raising the pandemic’s total death toll in Thailand to 28,019 with 6,321 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 13,816 new Covid-19 cases and 21,072 recoveries. There are now 167,124 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…

  • Thailand NewsThai government “E-Cigarettes won’t be legalised in Thailand”

    Thai government “E-Cigarettes won’t be legalised in Thailand”

    The Minister of Public Health, Anutin Charnvirakul, insists that the government won’t legalise e-cigarettes any time soon. He accepted that the current laws couldn’t control the spread or popularity of e-cigarettes at this time, but he said he had already assigned the National Tobacco Control Committee to work on the laws and revise them to control the use and sale…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket bar staff protest in support of outed party resort, extension of alcohol sales

    Phuket bar staff protest in support of outed party resort, extension of alcohol sales

    Nearly a hundred bar owners and staff gathered at Patong Bay Hill Resort in Phuket yesterday to protest the recent “extension” of official alcohol sales to midnight. The group said the operating hours of the entertainment zone in Phuket and Pattaya should be extended to 4 am. They also demanded the government stop calling them “restaurants” (after they apply for…

  • Technology NewsCyber police work with Thai mobile providers to block scam call centres

    Cyber police work with Thai mobile providers to block scam call centres

    The Police Cyber Taskforce in Thailand have been working with the leading Thai mobile operators to prevent contact from scam call centres. From now on, Thai mobile users will be able to report the ‘scam’ phone numbers directly to the mobile operators, and the PCT will ban those numbers within 72 hours. Thai media has been reporting about a series…

  • Thailand NewsResidents call for action after finding used condoms at Pattaya public park

    Residents call for action after finding used condoms at Pattaya public park

    Residents exercising at Pattaya’s Khao Phra Tamnak Public Park today are demanding authorities put stricter measures and patrols after they found many used condoms and rubbish left there. The residents said that many Thais and foreigners visited the park, and the state of the park “spoiled Pattaya’s reputation”. Yesterday, a man who visited the park to exercise complained through Thai…

  • Thailand NewsThailand to host ‘economic roadshows’ to attract foreign investors

    Thailand to host ‘economic roadshows’ to attract foreign investors

    Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered the relevant authorities to host “economic roadshows” to draw foreign investors back to Thailand. The first event was held in Japan earlier this month, from April 13 – 23, with similar events planned for European countries, as well as the US, South Korea and Taiwan. During a press conference this morning, deputy spokesperson Trisulee Trisaranakul…

  • Thailand News“Your old ATK tests are not art” – warning from Thai lab scientist

    “Your old ATK tests are not art” – warning from Thai lab scientist

    A medical laboratory scientist is warning Thai netizens to avoid keeping their used ATK tests after one Thai netizen collected all of his used ATK tests and put them into a picture frame to show friends on social media. A momento to be shared with his grandchildren, we suppose. The picture frame packed with used ATK tests went viral on…

  • Thailand NewsThai street food seller comes up with Mango Pad Kra Pao to follow Mango Sticky Rice fever

    Thai street food seller comes up with Mango Pad Kra Pao to follow Mango Sticky Rice fever

    WARNING: This looks spicy!! To keep up with the current mango fever in Thailand, a food seller has offered a fusion dish, Mango Pad Kra Pao, and invited his customers to try it. The dish went viral on Thai social media, and many tried cooking it at home. The young Thai rapper, Danupa “Milli” Kanateerakul, created the mango fever in…

  • Thailand NewsFriday Covid Update: 21,808 new cases; provincial totals

    Friday Covid Update: 21,808 new cases; provincial totals

    128 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 27,520 with 5,822 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 21,808 new Covid-19 cases and 19,826 recoveries. There are now 190,780 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of the new cases recorded today,…

  • Northern Thailand NewsUPDATE: Autopsy indicates political activist ‘likely’ to have committed suicide

    UPDATE: Autopsy indicates political activist ‘likely’ to have committed suicide

    Following a report on the mysterious death of a political activist and finance officer of the Move Forward Party, the autopsy indicates he died due to a lack of oxygen. His mother has conceded that her child could have committed suicide, but she still couldn’t think of any reasons why he would have done so. The body of 27 year…

  • Northern Thailand NewsUPDATE: Daughter has contacted missing family, police suspect economic hardship

    UPDATE: Daughter has contacted missing family, police suspect economic hardship

    Following the report on the missing family in the central province of Sukhothai, Thai media has updated the story that the daughter has been able to contact her family today and everyone was safe. However, she didn’t share more details about where her family was or why they had been impossible to contact. Police speculate that it may have been…