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 NewsChadchart worries about the increase of drowning on Loy Kratong Festival day

    Chadchart worries about the increase of drowning on Loy Kratong Festival day

    Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt urged people to avoid putting money in banana trunks, or Kratong in Thai, because it encourages coin collectors, especially children, to try and retrieve the money every year on Loy Kratong Day which inevitably leads to a drowning tragedy. The Loy Kratong Festival will be held across Thailand tomorrow. Almost every temple located near a river,…

  • Thailand NewsThai PM Prayut happy with increased employment rate

    Thai PM Prayut happy with increased employment rate

    Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha hailed the government’s successful employment policy after learning there are more people at work than ever before this year. The Prime Minister’s Office spokesperson, Trisuree Trisaranakun, revealed on Saturday, November 5, that PM Prayut was happy with the employment statistics from July to September this year. The spokesperson made known that the unemployment rate decreased, more…

  • Thailand NewsMotorcycle rider dies after crashing into stage on road

    Motorcycle rider dies after crashing into stage on road

    A motorcycle rider died in the early hours of this morning after he crashed his bike into a stage set up in the middle of the road for the Loy Kratong Festival in the Isaan province of Nakhon Ratchasima. Officers from Phimai Police Station were notified about the accident at 5.30am. Officers found the dead motorcycle rider, 24 year old…

  • Thailand NewsDoi Inthanon in Chaing Mai spots first frozen dew of the year

    Doi Inthanon in Chaing Mai spots first frozen dew of the year

    The first frozen dew of this year was spotted this morning at Thailand’s highest mountain, Doi Inthanon, in Chiang Mai. The lowest temperature there is four degrees Celsius. The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation reported that the very first frozen dew was witnessed at Doi Inthanon National Park appeared for visitors to check out. Snow is rarely…

  • Northern Thailand NewsPickup driver faces 100,000 baht fine for angering elephant

    Pickup driver faces 100,000 baht fine for angering elephant

    An impatient pickup driver faces a fine of up to 100,000 baht after annoying a wild elephant while driving in the Khao Yai National Park in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima or Korat. Last Friday, November 5, the Facebook page and YouTube channel, “Wild Animals at Khao Yai (สัตว์ป่าเขาใหญ่)” posted a video of a pickup car provoking a wild…

  • Thailand NewsMotorcycle rider takes a nap in the middle of a main road

    Motorcycle rider takes a nap in the middle of a main road

    A weary motorcycle rider was awakened by a group of men after he slept on his parked motorcycle in the middle of a main road. The men recorded a video of the sleepy motorcycle rider and sent it to a local news Facebook page named Hear On Board (เฮียขับรถ). The video reveals the men trying to wake the man sleeping,…

  • Crime NewsCrazed drug addict buries unconscious victim alive

    Crazed drug addict buries unconscious victim alive

    A crazed drug addict in the Isaan province of Udon Thani faces up to 20 years in prison after he attempted to murder an unconscious man by burying him alive. A police report revealed that Teerawat Suwanno attacked 55 year old Sopa (surname reserved) with a gardening hoe, knocking him unconscious, before attacking his unnamed friend who managed to escape.…

  • Thailand NewsTruck passenger throws firecrackers at other cars

    Truck passenger throws firecrackers at other cars

    Netizens demanded police arrest a male passenger of a truck who threw firecrackers at other cars on the road in the central province of Rayong. Sanook reported that the video of a passenger on a white truck throwing a firecracker on the road was circulating on Thai social media last night at 10pm. The video does not provide a clear…

  • Thailand NewsMan arrested for selling homemade guns

    Man arrested for selling homemade guns

    A Thai man was arrested yesterday for making homemade guns and selling them via e-commerce platforms. The man revealed that he learned how to produce the barrels from social media. Police raided the home of Phuwadon Rakthinderm in the Kung district of the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat and arrested the 34 year old for producing and selling firearms…

  • Thailand NewsThailand barters for cheapest World Cup broadcasting license

    Thailand barters for cheapest World Cup broadcasting license

    Slow but sure, government officials are getting there and confirm that footie lovers in Thailand can watch the FIFA World Cup 2022 for free. Government officials told Thai football fans not to panic and assured them they will secure the broadcasting license in time for the first match on November 20. Thailand football fans fear they will be the only…

  • Thailand NewsSuperstitious Thai woman has not cut her hair for 10 years

    Superstitious Thai woman has not cut her hair for 10 years

    A 50 year old Thai woman revealed she has not cut her hair for more than 10 years because she is scared of evil spirits. Residents in the woman’s community, meanwhile, believe her hair is special, can prevent bad luck, and keep people safe from danger. Several Thai media platforms reported the unusual story of the 50 year old woman,…

  • Thailand NewsThailand to serve noodles with sandworm sauce at APEC meeting

    Thailand to serve noodles with sandworm sauce at APEC meeting

    Thailand plans to welcome the globe’s most eminent leaders and dignitaries at the upcoming APEC meeting with some noodles and sandworm sauce. Thailand is the host of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2022 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC) in Bangkok between November 18 and 19, and it plans to serve up a rare treat. The kingdom held…

  • Thailand NewsColourful Bangkok 2022 – 3 months of arts and concerts

    Colourful Bangkok 2022 – 3 months of arts and concerts

    One of the policies of Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt is finally coming to fruition as the city readies itself for several cultural events over the next three months under the Colourful Bangkok 2022 banner. The Colourful Bangkok 2022 project is just one of the 214 campaign policies promised by Chadchart as he ran for mayor earlier this year and one…

  • Thailand NewsMythical creature Naga announced as a symbol of Thai culture

    Mythical creature Naga announced as a symbol of Thai culture

    The Cabinet announced yesterday that the mythical creature Naga will be used as a symbol of Thai culture to promote the kingdom’s creative economy. The Prime Minister’s Office spokesperson, Ratchada Thanadirek reported the news to the gathering Thai press pack yesterday that the Cabinet agreed to use the mythical giant serpent, Naga or Phraya Nak in Thai, as a symbol…

  • Thailand NewsChiang Mai to have rubber-tyred tram in 2028

    Chiang Mai to have rubber-tyred tram in 2028

    The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) revealed its plans to finish a rubber-tyred tram project in Chiang Mai by 2028. Construction is expected to start in 2025 with a budget of 9.3 billion baht. The Chiang Mai Mass Rapid Transit project was started in 1994 but the MRTA suspended the project to focus on transport in Bangkok. The…

  • World NewsMan in bunny ears blamed for Halloween stampede in Seoul

    Man in bunny ears blamed for Halloween stampede in Seoul

    Survivors from the tragic Halloween stampede in South Korea‘s capital Seoul said a man wearing bunny ears and his friends are to blame for the tragedy for encouraging people to push each other. The death toll from the Halloween event in the Itaewon district of Seoul on Saturday, October 29 climbed to 156 today according to a report by South…

  • Thailand NewsFirst AI crosswalk in Thailand installed in Nonthaburi

    First AI crosswalk in Thailand installed in Nonthaburi

    The very first artificial intelligence (AI) Smart Crosswalk was installed in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok. Plans for more AI smart systems at pedestrian crossings are in the pipeline at some high-risk spots in Bangkok. According to a study by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, almost 90% of vehicles don’t stop at a zebra crossing in Bangkok. Questions on road safety…

  • Bangkok News200 policemen raid 6 entertainment venues in Bangkok

    200 policemen raid 6 entertainment venues in Bangkok

    Over 200 police officers took advantage of the seasonal Halloween celebration to raid six entertainment venues in Bangkok to search for drugs, illegal guns, and underage partygoers. The raids weren’t as successful as they hoped with only two people testing positive for drugs. At the order of the Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police (RTP), Torsak Sookwimon, and Surachate…

  • Thailand NewsDishonest taxi driver keeps 70,000 baht found in his cab

    Dishonest taxi driver keeps 70,000 baht found in his cab

    A passenger filed a complaint to the police against an alleged dishonest taxi driver in Samut Prakarn province near Bangkok after he refused to return the 70,000 baht he found in the cab back to its owner. The taxi driver asked his friend to pretend the cash was hers and kept the money for himself. The passenger, 43 year old…

  • Crime NewsPolice seize 6 safes from illegal Chinese karaoke venue

    Police seize 6 safes from illegal Chinese karaoke venue

    UPDATE Officers seized six safes from the illegal Jin Ling Chinese karaoke venue in the Sathorn area of Bangkok as the investigation continues. One of the safes was packed with a mixed drug called Happy Water, which is made by dissolving ecstasy, methamphetamine, diazepam, caffeine, and tramadol – in hot water or mixing them with sweetened drinks. Another one that was opened…

  • Thailand NewsThai officers uncover police corruption & drug use

    Thai officers uncover police corruption & drug use

    Several Thai officers from the Lad Yao Police Station in the central province of Nakhon Sawan sent a letter to the Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police (RTP), Torsak Sookwimon, revealing mass corruption and drug-related activities in their department. Last Saturday, October 29, Thai media reported that a non-commissioned police officer from Lad Yao Police Station sent five complaints…

  • Thailand News5 security guards on drugs arrested for robbing army residence

    5 security guards on drugs arrested for robbing army residence

    Five security guards were arrested yesterday after they robbed an army residence in Bangkok. The thieves stole four lightning rods worth 200,000 baht but only received 16,000 baht for the stolen goods. The group also tested positive for drugs. A soldier in charge of the security of army condominiums, inside the Royal Thai Armed Forces headquarters in the Don Mueng district…

  • World NewsMalaysian man fined 99,000 baht after a wheelspin damages parked cars

    Malaysian man fined 99,000 baht after a wheelspin damages parked cars

    A Malaysian man showboating in his luxury car was fined about 100,000 baht for causing damage to four parked cars after a wheelspin in Songkhla province in the south of Thailand. Four Thai car owners reported to police on Friday that their cars had been damaged by rocks after a Malaysian tourist drifted his 5-million baht luxury car, a dark…

  • Phuket NewsMurderer surrenders after stabbing wrong man in Phuket

    Murderer surrenders after stabbing wrong man in Phuket

    A murderer surrendered to police after stabbing a man to death in front of a grocery store in Phuket on Saturday. The killer claimed that he stabbed the wrong person, thinking that the man he murdered was his enemy. The alleged murderer, 35 year old Pannawit, stabbed 49 year old Charoen Panngen on Saturday morning in front of a shopping…

  • Thailand NewsGamblers allegedly cheated & attacked at casino in Bangkok

    Gamblers allegedly cheated & attacked at casino in Bangkok

    Two gamblers filed complaints to police saying that they were attacked at a casino in Bangkok run by a Chinese man. One of the gamblers reckons Bangkok has more than 100 gambling dens in the city despite gambling being illegal in Thailand, and that police insist there are zero casinos in the city. The founder of the non-profit organisation Saimai…

  • Thailand NewsMalaysian man arrested in Bangkok for smuggling liquor

    Malaysian man arrested in Bangkok for smuggling liquor

    A Malaysian man was arrested yesterday after police discovered he smuggled liquor from abroad and manufactured alcohol with fake brand-name labels to sell in Bangkok. Police from the Patrol and Special Operation Division discovered the illegal activities of a 55 year old Malaysian man named Chan when they raided his house in the Min Buri district of Bangkok yesterday at…

  • Crime NewsChinese tycoon busted in drug party donated 3 million baht to govt

    Chinese tycoon busted in drug party donated 3 million baht to govt

    Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin admitted that the Chinese businessman busted in the illegal drug party in Bangkok this week donated three million baht to Palang Pracharath Party last year, but added that the donation was rendered legally. The police raided a Chinese karaoke venue named Jin Long which was secretly operating outside legal hours in the Sathorn area of Bangkok…

  • Thailand News2022 World Cup will be free to watch in Thailand

    2022 World Cup will be free to watch in Thailand

    Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan confirmed that every football fan in Thailand would be able to watch the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar for free. The Deputy PM had meetings with the Sports Authority of Thailand and the National Sports Development Fund yesterday. Discussions took place on how to develop Thai sports over the next three years, the latest…

  • Thailand News4 men arrested in connection with death of a Chinese woman

    4 men arrested in connection with death of a Chinese woman

    A Thai man, two Chinese men, and a Vanuatu man were arrested for covering up the death of a Chinese woman who died from a drug overdose after visiting a nightclub in Bangkok. The Chinese media reported on Saturday, September 17 that a 32 year old Chinese woman, You Zhue Hua, travelled to Thailand and disappeared. The media speculated that…

  • Thailand NewsPoverty in Thailand has been halved says govt

    Poverty in Thailand has been halved says govt

    The Ministry of Interior insists that 1.9 million poor families have been rescued by the Thai government and that the state has halved the poverty problem in Thailand. The Permanent Secretary of the Interior Ministry, Suttipong Juncharoen, said poverty is a problem residents have to face and that the government cannot solve the problem by itself. Suttipong announced that the…