Petch Petpailin

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 NewsThai Army lifts ban on Lazada to help country boost economy

    Thai Army lifts ban on Lazada to help country boost economy

    The Royal Thai Army has lifted a boycott of the e-commerce platform Lazada. The company, owned by the Alibaba Group, was banned from delivering parcels to military premises all over the country for 42 days because of an offensive advert that insulted the Thai Royal Family, and disabled people. Last month Lazada goods were banned from entering Royal Thai Army…

  • Bangkok NewsBMTA bus driver uses umbrella to keep rain out of his cab

    BMTA bus driver uses umbrella to keep rain out of his cab

    A bus driver has embarrassed his bosses at Bangkok Mass Transit Authority by driving his vehicle while holding an umbrella over his head to keep the rain off. The bus driver uploaded the picture of himself on Facebook to show his bosses the old bus he drives desperately requires some much-needed maintenance. Unsurprisingly the post went viral. The picture was…

  • Thailand NewsThai government to launch info about privacy laws to help small business

    Thai government to launch info about privacy laws to help small business

    The government is to launch 8 law declarations before the end of the month regarding the Personal Data Protection Act, especially aimed at helping small and medium size enterprises. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha assigned the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, and relevant departments, to help the nation’s SMEs understand the PDPA because it’s new to Thailand. The PDPA was officially…

  • Bangkok NewsChadchart’s plan to complete a cable project started in 1984

    Chadchart’s plan to complete a cable project started in 1984

    Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt revealed a plan to complete a project to rid the metropolis of its eyesore cables that was first started in 1984. Chadchart revealed a 2-part plan to finish the 38 year old project to remove the city’s messy power cables, replace them with new, and bury them beneath the ground. The 56 year old governor yesterday…

  • Tourism NewsFare hike on ferries to Koh Samui and Koh Pha Ngan from July 1

    Fare hike on ferries to Koh Samui and Koh Pha Ngan from July 1

    Surat Thani province in the south of Thailand announced that fares of ferry services to Koh Samui and Koh Pha Ngan would increase from July 1 onwards due to the rising diesel price. The report revealed that fares had not been raised in more than 14 years. Following the meeting between Surat Thani officials and representatives from ferry businesses on…

  • Thailand NewsThai hackers target high-ranking official in 200,000 baht swindle

    Thai hackers target high-ranking official in 200,000 baht swindle

    Cyber police yesterday swooped to arrest a Thai hacker group who targeted a high-ranking government official in a more than 200,000 baht swindle. The cyber punks managed to gain access to a Facebook account belonging to former government official, Suthee Pattanayongyot, who used to serve the Judiciary of Thailand. One of the hackers, Somchai Saenthilert, pretended to be Suthee, contacted…

  • Thailand News2 Thai monks break habit of a lifetime to fight over offerings

    2 Thai monks break habit of a lifetime to fight over offerings

    The Buddhist vow of refraining from harmful actions was momentarily lost on one monk who beat up another for standing too close to him. The incident occurred early Wednesday morning in front of Bang Yai City Market when the pair got into a quarrel of which monk should stay and which monk should leave. Apparently, there is an unwritten agreement…

  • Thailand NewsThai female lawyers fight for right to wear trousers to court

    Thai female lawyers fight for right to wear trousers to court

    The Human Rights Lawyers Association today will submit another letter to the Office of the Thai Bar Under the Royal Patronage after Thai female lawyers failed to get a response to their right to wear trousers in court petition. The group of Thai female lawyers addressed a petition, for their right to wear trousers in court, to the Thai Bar…

  • Thailand NewsThai national football coach apologises for inappropriate touching

    Thai national football coach apologises for inappropriate touching

    Thailand national football team assistant manager, Vitoon Chomchaypol, has apologised after a video emerged of him on social media touching his players inappropriately and using sexual language. The incident happened at a party on June 14 held in honour of the team after they failed to qualify from the group stage at the AFC U-23 Asian Cup in Uzbekistan. The…

  • Thailand NewsMuslim groups discuss legislation contrary to their religious beliefs

    Muslim groups discuss legislation contrary to their religious beliefs

    Twenty-five Muslim organisations met yesterday to discuss the government’s new cannabis law and other legislation contrary to their religious beliefs. The religious groups met at Baan Nuer Mosque Hall in the southern province of Songkla, to set up an Unethical Laws and Regulations Opposition Association, in opposition to the new law to decriminalise cannabis on June 9, same-sex marriage proposals,…

  • Pattaya NewsChinese man swindled out of a million baht climbs 20 metre tsunami tower in Pattaya

    Chinese man swindled out of a million baht climbs 20 metre tsunami tower in Pattaya

    A Chinese man suffered a mental breakdown and climbed a 20 metre tsunami warning tower in Pattaya after being swindled out of a million baht. The 51 year old man, named Qin, climbed the warning tower, located on Jomtien Beach near Jomtien Night Market, because he was scared after being threatened by men with whom he’d conducted a business deal.…

  • Cannabis NewsDemocrat MP gives blessing for party-goers to get high

    Democrat MP gives blessing for party-goers to get high

    Democrat Party MP, Kanok Wongtrangarn believes the nation’s party zones should be allowed to throw “ganja parties” to draw in more tourists in a bid to boost the Thai economy. Kanok, who quit as deputy leader in April after the party failed to take stronger action over a sex-abuse case, says specific areas, like the Koh Pha Ngan Full Moon…

  • Thailand NewsLabour Minister confirms 300 jobs axed by Shopee Thailand

    Labour Minister confirms 300 jobs axed by Shopee Thailand

    The Labour Minister, Suchart Chomklin, confirmed yesterday’s report on the Shopee redundancies was accurate. He says 300 jobs are being axed, but insisted the Labour Ministry would help ensure sacked workers are looked after in accordance to employment legislation. The Singaporean company Sea announced during a town hall meeting yesterday of the planned layoff for one of its core businesses,…

  • South Thailand NewsMuslim students in southern Thailand protest against decriminalisation of cannabis

    Muslim students in southern Thailand protest against decriminalisation of cannabis

    Students, teachers, and the board of Santiwit Songkla Technological College, in the southern province of Songkla, have condemned the government’s decision to decriminalise cannabis in Thailand. The college yesterday called upon all MPs, especially Muslims, and relevant agencies, who supported the bill to decriminalise cannabis on June 9, to reconsider their decision and think about the future effects the drug…

  • Crime NewsThai tourist robbed of more than 65,000 baht in assets in Pattaya

    Thai tourist robbed of more than 65,000 baht in assets in Pattaya

    A 24 year old woman was robbed while on a vacation with her family on Koh Larn Island in Pattaya. Nantapak Saelim’s shoulder bag containing over 65,000 baht in cash and jewellery was stolen from outside of her Airbnb holiday home on Friday night while she was inside the accommodation with her husband and 2 daughters. The Thai woman admitted…

  • Pattaya NewsPattaya residents unhappy with new storm drainage project

    Pattaya residents unhappy with new storm drainage project

    Pattaya residents are unhappy with the launch of a new project to solve flooded roads during Thailand’s rainy season. The city government plans to install the storm drainage system along Sukhumvit Road, with the first phase expected to start next month. The Pattaya Public Relations Department’s official Facebook page yesterday announced the first phase of the storm drainage system begins…

  • Bangkok NewsBMTA promises to solve public bus shortage

    BMTA promises to solve public bus shortage

    Bangkok Mass Transit Authority promises to solve the public bus shortage after people in the city made complaints on social media. The BMTA director responded to the criticism and called for patience. He says they are working to improve bus routes and increase bus staff and added commuters will see an improvement in a month. รถเมล์ไทยแฟนคลับ Rotmaethai, which means public…

  • World NewsShopee fires 50% of its Thai staff

    Shopee fires 50% of its Thai staff

    E-commerce platform Shopee today announced 50% of its Thai staff are being fired alongside employees from Indonesia and Vietnam. The company, under the Singaporean tech group Sea, did not give a reason for the mass redundancies. DealStreetAsia reported that Shopee has informed all staff on the redundancy hit list to pack up their stuff and wait for an official termination…

  • Northern Thailand NewsWoman gets justice after washing her laundry in public

    Woman gets justice after washing her laundry in public

    A woman’s appeal for justice through social media has been successful after she was beaten by a member of the local authority in the La Haan Sai district of the Isaan province of Buriram. Wichuda told the media that she was assaulted by a member of Buriram’s Subdistrict Administrative Organization because she complained about the plumbing. The 27 year old…

  • Pattaya NewsThai woman drowns while taking diving lessons in Chon Buri

    Thai woman drowns while taking diving lessons in Chon Buri

    A 35 year old Thai woman drowned yesterday while taking a diving lesson near Koh Juang in the Sattahip district of Chon Buri. The woman, Hathaya Rimpanawet, was diving with other students offshore when a strong current pulled her beneath the water with a 10 kilogram counterweight attached to her wrist. The woman’s diving instructor, Tararat Thianpajeekun, says he, and…

  • Thailand NewsThailand warms to drop temperature checks

    Thailand warms to drop temperature checks

    The Ministry of Public Health will suggest to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration to remove temperature measurement devices and checkpoints from all the country’s airports and other locations throughout Thailand because there is no evidence proving that the checks prevent the spread of coronavirus. The Head of the Health Technical Office from the Ministry of Public Health, Rungruang Kitphati,…

  • Transport NewsPattaya locals question new zig-zag lines on roads

    Pattaya locals question new zig-zag lines on roads

    New zig-zag lines painted on roads in Pattaya have left locals scratching their heads. So much so that a man posted pictures on social media last week questioning what they were. The man had never come across any zig-zag lines when he was learning to drive. The local man from Pattaya posted pictures of the zig-zag lines in a Facebook…

  • Northern Thailand NewsMan changes surname to “Ganjaram” to celebrate cannabis decriminalisation

    Man changes surname to “Ganjaram” to celebrate cannabis decriminalisation

    A Thai man in the Isaan province of Buriram has changed his surname to “Ganjaram” to celebrate the decriminalisation of cannabis in Thailand. He says his pregnant wife had already checked the surname’s meaning and found it had a good essence, and added his newborn baby, expected to born on June 22, will be proud of him. On Friday, one…

  • Thailand NewsMinimum Thai wage up to 650 baht for 16 careers

    Minimum Thai wage up to 650 baht for 16 careers

    The Thai Royal Gazette has now officially announced the increase of the minimum Thai wage for workers in 16 careers, focusing on workers in construction, service and industrial industries. The wage is increased up to 650 baht per day from the former rate of about 313 – 336 baht per day. The policy was launched on June 10 and would…

  • Thailand NewsThailand’s Digital Economy Minister ‘clarifies’ about the posting of crime pics or videos online

    Thailand’s Digital Economy Minister ‘clarifies’ about the posting of crime pics or videos online

    Thailand’s Digital Economy and Society Minister, Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn, is warning crime witnesses that spreading pictures or videos of the incidents via online channels ‘could’ violate the new Personal Data Protection Act or PDPA. The minister says the safer way to help victims is to hand the evidence to the police officers. Thailand officially operated the PDPA or the Personal Data…

  • Northern Thailand NewsFamous Thai cyclist killed in road accident in Thailand

    Famous Thai cyclist killed in road accident in Thailand

    Famous Thai cyclist Nirantra Phramthong was killed yesterday in a road accident in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima. The 53 year old was struck by a 10-wheel truck at 8.10am at the construction site of an elevated road junction on the special highway linking Bang Pa In with Nakhon Ratchasima and died instantly. The 41 year old truck driver,…

  • Thailand NewsSurvey reveals Thais want to drop outdoor mask rules and extend nightlife to 2am

    Survey reveals Thais want to drop outdoor mask rules and extend nightlife to 2am

    A National Institute of Development Administration survey revealed nearly half of all Thai people agree that the country should drop the outdoor mask rules mandate, and nearly 50% of those polled agreed to extend nightlife hours from 12am to 2am. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday informed Thai media that he thought many Thai people were still scared of catching the…

  • Thailand NewsFormer Thai pop star reveals his new business – collecting the faces of dead people

    Former Thai pop star reveals his new business – collecting the faces of dead people

    A former famous Thai pop star may not be making hit records anymore but he’s fine with that now he has a new line of business – collecting the faces of dead people. Jakkapong “Jill” Karnsomphot, one half of the 90s pop combo, Jack-Jill, with his twin brother Jakkaphan “Jack” Karnsomphot, collect the dried facial skins of dead people who…

  • Bangkok NewsSuvarnabhumi increases check-in counters in preparation for high season tourists

    Suvarnabhumi increases check-in counters in preparation for high season tourists

    Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport is increasing the number of check-in counters in preparation for an upcoming surge of tourists. But the ‘surge’ is still a few months away. The nation’s capital city is expecting around 70,000 travellers to arrive per day, and for it to increase to 100,000 people per day during the high season. Suvarnabhumi Airport General Manager, Kittipong Kittikachon,…

  • Bangkok NewsBangkok Marathon returns to city after 2 year pandemic absence

    Bangkok Marathon returns to city after 2 year pandemic absence

    The Bangkok Marathon returns to the city for the 33rd time on November 20 after a 2 year absence. Due to social distancing measures and other Covid-19 prevention-related restrictions, most big events and concerts in Thailand were cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak. But now measures have been relaxed people in Thailand can look forward to enjoying more events and…