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 NewsBritish man throws glass at Thai woman in anger over dog barking | Thaiger

    British man throws glass at Thai woman in anger over dog barking

    A Thai woman demanded a British man to apologise to her in public after he threw a glass at her in a fit of rage over a barking dog on Jomtien Beach in Pattaya on Saturday, March 2. The Thai victim, Amavalee Tongfark, took to Facebook to share the abusive behaviour of the Englishman, identified as Sam, and urged netizens…

  • Thailand NewsRunway blackout: Krabi Airport power failure affects 508 passengers | Thaiger

    Runway blackout: Krabi Airport power failure affects 508 passengers

    Krabi International Airport suffered a power failure on the runway on Saturday night, affecting three flights and 508 passengers. The Acting Director of the Airport Department, Montri Dechasakulsom, reported that a power failure occurred at the third apron of Krabi Airport on Saturday, March 2, preventing aircraft from landing or taking off at the time. Montri said three flights and…

  • Thailand NewsFare play: Thai taxi driver slams cops for toll indulgence | Thaiger

    Fare play: Thai taxi driver slams cops for toll indulgence

    A female Thai taxi driver condemned police officers for indulging two foreign tourists who refused to pay toll fees by covering the costs themselves. The female taxi driver shared a video of when she engaged in an argument with police officers and two foreign women passengers on Facebook. In the video, she refused to accept money from the police and asked…

  • Thailand News2 Chinese men arrested at Bangkok airport for fake Canadian passports | Thaiger

    2 Chinese men arrested at Bangkok airport for fake Canadian passports

    Officers from the Immigration Bureau arrested two Chinese men at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok for attempting to travel to Taiwan on fake Canadian passports. EVA Air check-in staff reported to the immigration police that two Chinese nationals presented their Canadian passports at the counter for the flights to Taipei in Taiwan. According to the flight schedule, the two were…

  • Thailand NewsRolling the cyber dice: Thai police bust online gambling network | Thaiger

    Rolling the cyber dice: Thai police bust online gambling network

    Police from the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau yesterday seized 329 million baht in assets and arrested four suspects in a crackdown on online gambling. Following the crusade to shut down illegal online gambling in Thailand, police investigated a website, Fullplays 39, and discovered it offered online gambling games and had over 200,000 users. The amount of money circulating on the…

  • Thailand NewsChinese man faces 2-year jail for stealing identity of Thai citizen | Thaiger

    Chinese man faces 2-year jail for stealing identity of Thai citizen

    Pattaya Provincial Court sentenced a Chinese man to two years of imprisonment for stealing the identity of a Thai citizen and concealing it for more than 30 years. The 45 year old Chinese suspect is recognised by Thai locals as Iao but also adopts the Thai alias Nitiphat Chokchaitanaporn. The case of identity theft came to light following a raid…

  • Thailand NewsPakistani man arrested for posting nude pictures of Thai ex-wife | Thaiger

    Pakistani man arrested for posting nude pictures of Thai ex-wife

    Immigration Bureau officers arrested a Pakistani man for posting nude pictures of his Thai ex-wife on social media platforms. The immigration police reported the successful crackdowns on illegal foreigners in Thailand at a press conference yesterday, February 29. One of the cases was the arrest of a Pakistani man, 32 year old Shabas (alias), at a rented room in the…

  • Thailand NewsBritish man completes 2,100km charity run for Thai children | Thaiger

    British man completes 2,100km charity run for Thai children

    A British man triumphantly completed his charity run designed to raise funds for orphanages and underprivileged children in Thailand. He achieved this by running from the northernmost to the southernmost district of the country. The Englishman, Chris Russell, launched his charity project, Run Thailand 2,100 KM, in January this year in a bid to donate money to Thai orphanages and…

  • Thailand NewsSerial rapist arrested after sexually assaulting Bangkok schoolgirls | Thaiger

    Serial rapist arrested after sexually assaulting Bangkok schoolgirls

    Police arrested a serial rapist at his condominium in the Bang Sue district of Bangkok yesterday for sexually assaulting at least three schoolgirls in the Bangkok and Nonthaburi provinces. The Thai rapist admitted to being a pedophile and claimed that all the victims consented. A 12 year old victim and her parents filed a complaint at Tung Mahamek Police Station…

  • Thailand NewsThai VietJet cites safety reasons for refusing disabled passengers | Thaiger

    Thai VietJet cites safety reasons for refusing disabled passengers

    Several Thai people with disabilities stepped forward to lodge complaints with the Ministry of Transport, accusing Thai VietJet Air of refusing to accommodate them. The airline responded to the accusations today, February 29, stating that it denied service to certain disabled passengers as a precautionary safety measure. The president of the Association for the Empowerment of Disabled Women (AEDW), Saowaluck…

  • Thailand NewsPhuket parasail operator shells out 400,000 baht to injured Chinese tourist | Thaiger

    Phuket parasail operator shells out 400,000 baht to injured Chinese tourist

    A Thai parasailing operator agreed to pay a Chinese tourist 400,000 baht in compensation after she broke her leg in a parasailing accident on Karon Beach in Phuket on Saturday, February 24. The operator blamed the accident on a change in wind direction and insisted they adhered to strict safety measures. The Chinese woman, Nadahan, took to social media to…

  • Thailand NewsSwedish man arrested for fake euro currency caper in Phuket | Thaiger

    Swedish man arrested for fake euro currency caper in Phuket

    Police arrested a Swedish man in the Patong sub-district of Katu district, Phuket province, after discovering that he exchanged money using fake euro banknotes. Patong Police Station officers received a complaint from an employer at the Violet Money Exchange 2 on Saen Saai Road that a Swedish man was exchanging money using counterfeit euro notes at 1.50pm on February 26.…

  • Thailand NewsBeach blues: Thai woman assaulted by Swiss man in Phuket | Thaiger

    Beach blues: Thai woman assaulted by Swiss man in Phuket

    A female doctor in Thailand is seeking justice after being attacked by a Swiss man for sitting on the staircase of his beachfront villa in Phuket. The foreign man is reported to be the owner of an elephant sanctuary with alleged connections with the high-ranking Thai police. The father of the victim, Chaiyachot Uttamang, took to Facebook to share the…

  • Thailand NewsForeign couple condemned for sex antics on Phuket beach (video) | Thaiger

    Foreign couple condemned for sex antics on Phuket beach (video)

    An allegedly outraged Thai voyeur shared a video capturing a foreign couple having sex on Patong Beach in Phuket on social media platforms. Locals condemned their act and demanded authorities to take action on the matter. The video of the foreign couple was shared on social media by a Thai motorist-cum-voyeur who rode a motorcycle past the scene. The incident…

  • Thailand NewsMysterious death of Russian woman in Chon Buri baffles police | Thaiger

    Mysterious death of Russian woman in Chon Buri baffles police

    Police are investigating the mysterious death of a Russian woman after her body was found on Bang Saray Beach in the Sattahip district of Chon Buri province at 6am today. A Thai man stumbled upon the dead body of a foreign woman while collecting garbage on Bang Saray Beach, today, February 28. The man said he first spotted some belongings…

  • Thailand NewsThai man attempts to kill benefactor over alleged affair with his wife | Thaiger

    Thai man attempts to kill benefactor over alleged affair with his wife

    Police arrested a Thai man in the central province of Lop Buri for attempting to kill his benefactor, over an alleged affair with his wife. The benefactor, a 49 year old Thai man named Thanat, was shot outside a restaurant on Pracha Withi Road in the Khok Samrong sub-district in Lop Buri at about 7.30pm on February 16. Thanat said…

  • Thailand NewsKarma: Thai man killed by Buddha statue during temple rampage | Thaiger

    Karma: Thai man killed by Buddha statue during temple rampage

    A Thai man, who attacked a monk at a temple in Chon Buri province, later died after the sharp head of a Buddha statue pierced his chest during a rampage in the temple’s main hall. Locals suggested that his death appeared to be the swift result of karma. Residents in the Banbung district of Chon Buri province sought assistance from…

  • Thailand NewsChinese man arrested at Bangkok airport with 3,000 grammes of heroin | Thaiger

    Chinese man arrested at Bangkok airport with 3,000 grammes of heroin

    Airport Interdiction Task Force (AITF) officers at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok arrested a Chinese man who attempted to smuggle 3,000 grammes of heroin into Australia. The drugs were concealed in books and powder bottles. The Thai Narcotics Control Board Office (ONCB), stationed in China, reported the drug trafficking plan involving a suspicious Chinese man to the AITF. Further investigation…

  • Thailand NewsThai woman arrested in Cambodia for murder of Taiwanese man | Thaiger

    Thai woman arrested in Cambodia for murder of Taiwanese man

    Thai police coordinated with the Cambodian authorities to arrest a Thai woman at a casino in Poipet City yesterday, for her involvement in the murder of a Taiwanese man. It is reported that three Taiwanese suspects are currently evading capture in Cambodia, while another has returned to Taiwan. An employee at Suvarnabhumi International Airport discovered the dead body of the…

  • Thailand NewsNew Zealand Embassy introduces increased visa fees for Thailand | Thaiger

    New Zealand Embassy introduces increased visa fees for Thailand

    The Royal Thai Embassy in Wellington announced an increase in visa fees for individuals from New Zealand intending to visit Thailand. The new fees will be effective from March 19 onwards. The announcement has caused concern among netizens on social media that there could be a possible visa fee increase for other nationalities. The embassy announced on its official website…

  • Thailand NewsFormer RTP boss and 7 others sued for reducing Red Bull heir’s sentences | Thaiger

    Former RTP boss and 7 others sued for reducing Red Bull heir’s sentences

    The Office of the Attorney General (AGO) filed a lawsuit against former Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police (RTP) Somyot Poompanmoung, and seven other relevant political or judicial figures for allegedly reducing the sentences of hit-and-run suspect Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya, better known as the Red Bull heir. This year marks the 12th anniversary since the Red Bull heir, Boss, successfully evaded…

  • Thailand NewsBurned skeleton: Thai woman arrested for death of girlfriend (video) | Thaiger

    Burned skeleton: Thai woman arrested for death of girlfriend (video)

    Police arrested a Thai woman for the death of her girlfriend after her burned skeleton was discovered at a landfill in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen. The suspect admitted to setting her girlfriend on fire but denied the murder, claiming that her girlfriend died of a congenital illness. The burned skeleton of a woman was discovered at a dump site…

  • Thailand NewsThai woman attacked husband with knife for touching her vagina (video) | Thaiger

    Thai woman attacked husband with knife for touching her vagina (video)

    A Thai woman attacked her husband with a knife after he touched her vagina while they were drinking alcohol together in the Isaan province of Surin. The wife apologised, and the husband forgave her saying the incident kept their relationship lively. Surin Rescue Foundation was alerted to the knife attack at a house in the Mueang district of Surin province…

  • Thailand NewsPhuket taxi rider denies sexually assault of German woman | Thaiger

    Phuket taxi rider denies sexually assault of German woman

    A German woman filed a complaint against a Thai motorcycle taxi rider in Phuket, accusing him of sexual assault. The suspect denied the allegation, claiming that the foreign woman hugged him throughout the ride. The victim, a 37 year old German woman, reported the sexual assault to the Mueang Phuket Police Station yesterday, February 26. The foreign victim said the incident…

  • Thailand NewsBritish woman rescued after falling from Koh Samui waterfall | Thaiger

    British woman rescued after falling from Koh Samui waterfall

    Rescue teams and administrative officers yesterday successfully saved a British woman who fell from the Hin Lad Waterfall on Koh Samui island in the southern province of Surat Thani. The 46 year old British woman, Hema Mantra, sought help from the Koh Samui District Office after slipping and collapsing at the waterfall. She informed officers that she felt pain in…

  • Thailand NewsSuvarnabhumi Airport sorry after train breakdown causes 30-minute delay | Thaiger

    Suvarnabhumi Airport sorry after train breakdown causes 30-minute delay

    Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok issued an apology following a breakdown of the automated people mover (APM) train today, February 23, resulting in passengers being stranded in the underground train station and a 30-minute delay. The driverless APM train operates between the new concourse, Satellite 1 (SAT1), and the main passenger terminal. Today marked the first malfunction since the concourse…

  • Thailand NewsThai transwoman arrested for trying to swindle monk | Thaiger

    Thai transwoman arrested for trying to swindle monk

    Police arrested a Thai transwoman for offering a sex service and trying to swindle 20,000 baht from a monk at the Dong Sam Muen Monastery in the northern province of Lamphun. The 33 year old monk, Phra Kru Winai Dhammawat, collaborated with officers from Ban Hong Police Station to setup the 23 year old transwoman, Charnnarong, leading to her arrest…

  • Thailand NewsRiot fallout: 18 ex-inmates face death sentence in Thailand prison riot | Thaiger

    Riot fallout: 18 ex-inmates face death sentence in Thailand prison riot

    Thong Pha Phum Provincial Court in the central province of Kanchanaburi sentenced 18 former Thai inmates to death following the death of two people and six injuries in a riot in the Thong Phra Phum Prison nine years ago. The death penalty was given to 18 of the 26 inmates involved in the riot that occurred on February 22, 2015.…

  • Thailand NewsSerial rapist remains at large after assaulting boys in Rayong | Thaiger

    Serial rapist remains at large after assaulting boys in Rayong

    Residents in the eastern province of Rayong condemned police for failing to arrest a serial rapist who repeatedly assaulted more than 10 boys in the province for years. Social media influencer Guntouch “Gun” Pongpaiboonwet, yesterday, February 22, accompanied two Thai boys, aged 11 and 14 years old, to Mueang Rayong Police Station to file a complaint against the rapist named…

  • Thailand NewsThai mother exposes school bullying and seeks justice for her son | Thaiger

    Thai mother exposes school bullying and seeks justice for her son

    A Thai mother took to social media to share a bullying incident at a school in the Sriracha district of Chon Buri province and seek justice for her son, who has been a victim of his classmates for years. The mother posted the story of her son on Facebook two days ago, February 20. She revealed to the public that…