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.
  • Koh Samui News3 British nationals illegally run bar on Koh Samui using Thai nominees | Thaiger

    3 British nationals illegally run bar on Koh Samui using Thai nominees

    Three British nationals linked to the illegal operation of an entertainment venue on Koh Samui, an island in Surat Thani province, with two Thai women acting as nominees. Surat Thani Immigration officers yesterday, November 26, filed a complaint at Bo Phut Police Station against 60 year old British woman Maxine Lisa Schwander and two Thai women, Ladda and Jirichuda. Schwander…

  • Bangkok News2 Japanese men arrested in Bangkok over Yakuza-linked drug trafficking | Thaiger

    2 Japanese men arrested in Bangkok over Yakuza-linked drug trafficking

    Officers from the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) arrested two Japanese men involved in a transnational drug trafficking network and seized more than 2 million baht in assets. A South Korean suspect linked to the group remains at large. The arrests were part of an international operation between Thailand, Japan and South Korea to dismantle a major organised…

  • Pattaya NewsRussian man dies after birthday fishing trip accident in Pattaya | Thaiger

    Russian man dies after birthday fishing trip accident in Pattaya

    A search team yesterday, November 26, discovered the body of a Russian man near Koh Larn in Pattaya after he reportedly fell into the sea during a birthday fishing trip with friends. A group of four Russian tourists rented a boat for a fishing trip near Nuan Beach on Koh Larn on Monday evening, November 24, to celebrate the 61st…

  • Bangkok NewsWitnesses chase fleeing Pakistani man who kills old Thai woman on zebra crossing | Thaiger

    Witnesses chase fleeing Pakistani man who kills old Thai woman on zebra crossing

    A Pakistani motorcyclist fatally struck an elderly Thai woman on a zebra crossing in the Rat Burana district of Bangkok yesterday, November 26, and tried to flee but was chased down by witnesses. Rat Burana Police Station officers and rescuers from the Ruam Katanyu Foundation rushed to the zebra crossing on Pracha Uthit Road, near Soi Pracha Uthit 4, after…

  • Thailand NewsMalaysian woman searches for missing husband amid Hat Yai floods | Thaiger

    Malaysian woman searches for missing husband amid Hat Yai floods

    A Malaysian woman is searching for her husband, who went missing during the severe flooding in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province. She said she has been unable to contact him since Sunday, November 23. The woman, Cherie Kim, gave an interview to Channel 8, sharing her husband’s photo with the media in hopes of finding clues to his whereabouts. The…

  • Thailand NewsFamily seeks urgent help as rescued man tries to stab them in Hat Yai | Thaiger

    Family seeks urgent help as rescued man tries to stab them in Hat Yai

    Flood victims in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province, are pleading for help after a man they rescued from floodwaters allegedly attempted to stab them inside their home. Facebook user, Poonphisa Kaewin, posted an urgent plea yesterday, November 26, asking authorities and rescuers to assist a family living in a three-storey house in Area 8 of Hat Yai. She wrote… “Urgent!…

  • Thailand NewsGovernment reports 33 deaths in floods in 7 southern provinces | Thaiger

    Government reports 33 deaths in floods in 7 southern provinces

    The Emergency Flood Crisis Operations Centre reported yesterday, November 26, that the death toll from flooding in southern provinces was at 33. Officials expect the situation in each affected province to improve within the next five days. The centre’s spokesperson, Siripong Angkasakulkiat, said seven southern provinces remain impacted: Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Trang, Satun, Pattani and Yala. According to…

  • Thailand NewsRescue teams face gunfire and threats while assisting Hat Yai flood victims | Thaiger

    Rescue teams face gunfire and threats while assisting Hat Yai flood victims

    Rescue teams from other provinces reported threats and gunfire while assisting flood victims in “Area 8” in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province, which remains heavily flooded. Rescue teams from across Thailand travelled to the South, especially Songkhla, to support local responders in helping residents affected by the severe floods. Many people have been without food and clean drinking water since…

  • Thailand NewsThai man denies involvement in partner’s fatal fall from Nonthaburi condo | Thaiger

    Thai man denies involvement in partner’s fatal fall from Nonthaburi condo

    A Thai man denied an involvement in the death of his partner, who fell from the seventh floor of a condominium in Nonthaburi province on Monday, November 24. Pak Kret Police Station officers launched an investigation into the death of 44 year old Somphop, who was found lifeless on the ground floor of a condominium in Ban Mai sub-district, Pak…

  • Thailand NewsHat Yai boat owner criticised for charging 50,000 baht for flood rescue | Thaiger

    Hat Yai boat owner criticised for charging 50,000 baht for flood rescue

    A Thai rescuer criticised a boat owner in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province, for allegedly charging a 50,000 baht fee from a rescue volunteer who was trying to rent a vessel to help flood victims. Facebook user Sun Tanapol Kongboonvijit shared the story on November 24, saying his friend, Punchita Vanapitakvong, encountered the incident while searching for a boat during…

  • Thailand NewsMalaysian man’s affair exposed after being stranded with mistress in Hat Yai floods | Thaiger

    Malaysian man’s affair exposed after being stranded with mistress in Hat Yai floods

    A Malaysian man’s secret affair was exposed after he and his mistress became trapped in a hotel during the severe flooding in the Hat Yai distict of Songkhla province. The adultery scandal of a Malaysian bank manager gained attention after his wife’s friend named Zara shared the details on the Threads platform on November 24. Zara clarified that she did not tell…

  • Thailand NewsTMD under fire for calling private weather alert ‘fake news’ before severe floods | Thaiger

    TMD under fire for calling private weather alert ‘fake news’ before severe floods

    The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) is facing public backlash after accusing a private weather-alert Facebook page of spreading fake news about “great flooding” in southern Thailand, only for the flooding to materialise as predicted. The Facebook page ที’ ลมฟ้าอากาศ, run by an anonymous meteorologist, issued a warning on November 18 predicting major flooding in the South. The page shared a rainfall…

  • Thailand NewsChaos in Hat Yai floods as reports of helicopter crash spark confusion | Thaiger

    Chaos in Hat Yai floods as reports of helicopter crash spark confusion

    A helicopter in a flood rescue mission allegedly crashed near Sikarin Hospital in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province, today. Local police confirmed receiving a report about the accident, while another government agency dismissed the claim as fake news. The incident reportedly occurred at around 11am and local journalists stated that the helicopter went down near the hospital while supporting rescue…

  • Thailand NewsSingaporean family praises Thai hero for helping their father in Hat Yai floods | Thaiger

    Singaporean family praises Thai hero for helping their father in Hat Yai floods

    A Singaporean family praised a Thai man as a hero after he helped their 74 year old father, who became separated from his relatives during the severe flooding in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province. The 50 year old son, Vincent Toh, told Singapore’s Channel News Asia (CNA) about the unexpected ordeal his family faced during their holiday in Songkhla. The…

  • Thailand NewsHat Yai Hospital denies rumour of 100 deaths following power cut in floods | Thaiger

    Hat Yai Hospital denies rumour of 100 deaths following power cut in floods

    Hat Yai Hospital urged netizens not to share fake news after a Thai woman claimed more than 100 patients had died following an electricity cut during the severe flooding in Songkhla. A Thai woman posted on her Facebook account yesterday, November 25, saying she visited Hat Yai Hospital to collect the body of a relative and found that over 100…

  • Crime News‘Help me first’: Hat Yai man fires 3 shots to threaten rescuers over delayed rescue | Thaiger

    ‘Help me first’: Hat Yai man fires 3 shots to threaten rescuers over delayed rescue

    A Thai man stranded in severe flooding in Hat Yai, Songkhla province, fired three shots into the air to threaten rescuers on jet skis over what he believed was a delayed rescue. One of the rescuers, from Surat Thani province, posted about the incident on his Facebook account, Tee Inkjet, describing the confrontation during an operation at around 8pm yesterday,…

  • Bangkok NewsInstagram ‘hi-so’ conman accused of raping at least 4 women in Bangkok | Thaiger

    Instagram ‘hi-so’ conman accused of raping at least 4 women in Bangkok

    A Thai man claiming to be a wealthy high-society figure is accused of sexually assaulting at least four women after luring them to isolated areas in Bangkok, according to a report filed with non-profit organisation Saimai Survive on November 24. Two victims, a 19 year old university student and a 25 year old employee of a private company, sought help…

  • Thailand NewsFormer Miss Universe owner denies fleeing debt and legal charges | Thaiger

    Former Miss Universe owner denies fleeing debt and legal charges

    JKN Global Group denied accusations that the company’s CEO and former owner of the Miss Universe Organisation (MUO) attempted to flee the country to avoid debt repayment and multiple legal charges. Political activist Sondhi Limthongkul accused the former MUO owner, Jakapong “Anne” Jakrajutatip, of escaping debt obligations and legal complications after JKN entered bankruptcy and began business rehabilitation proceedings. According…

  • Thailand NewsGoogle Maps location leads police to online gambling network suspect | Thaiger

    Google Maps location leads police to online gambling network suspect

    Police in Chiang Rai arrested a 30 year old Thai man on Sunday, November 24, after tracing a suspicious Google Maps pin labelled “the office of the leading gambling website in Thailand.” Officers from the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau conducted a thorough investigation into an online gambling network known as gsa9game, which reportedly had more than 20,000 members. Most users…

  • Thailand NewsTourists urged to stop rock stacking at natural attractions in Thailand | Thaiger

    Tourists urged to stop rock stacking at natural attractions in Thailand

    Rangers at Khao Laem Ya-Mu Ko Samet National Park in the eastern province of Rayong urged tourists to stop stacking rocks while visiting natural attractions, warning that the seemingly harmless activity can seriously affect local ecosystems. The park’s official Facebook page shared information about the negative impacts of rock stacking yesterday, November 24, to raise awareness among visitors and request…

  • Pattaya NewsLivestream causes fight between South Korean and Chinese men in Pattaya | Thaiger

    Livestream causes fight between South Korean and Chinese men in Pattaya

    Footage of a physical confrontation between two foreign men, Chinese and Korean, in Pattaya, has circulated online, though some locals claim the incident occurred some time ago. Several local news Facebook pages shared the video yesterday, November 24. In the footage, the shirtless Chinese man repeatedly punched the South Korean man, who was wearing a beige T-shirt, in the middle of…

  • Thailand NewsThai actress apologises over debt scandal, promises to repay creditors | Thaiger

    Thai actress apologises over debt scandal, promises to repay creditors

    A Thai actress, who initially denied any involvement in a 400-million-baht fraud allegation, later admitted to borrowing money from friends and others to invest in her businesses, which ultimately proved unsuccessful. The Facebook page ท่านเปา had reported the alleged 400-million-baht fraud involving a leading Thai actress, but it did not reveal the actress’s name or provide any evidence, claiming that…

  • Thailand News6 Vietnamese nationals arrested in illegal and unhygienic ice cream factory | Thaiger

    6 Vietnamese nationals arrested in illegal and unhygienic ice cream factory

    Police raided a rented house in Nonthaburi province yesterday and arrested six Vietnamese nationals after receiving complaints that the property was secretly converted into an illegal and unhygienic ice cream factory. Residents in the Sao Thong Hin sub-district of Bang Yai district reported to the Bang Yai District Justice Centre that a group of foreigners rented a house and turned…

  • Thailand NewsAmerican man dies from severe arm cut in Krabi resort | Thaiger

    American man dies from severe arm cut in Krabi resort

    A 45 year old American man was found dead in his resort room in Krabi yesterday, November 24, with a severe cut to his arm that police believe caused fatal blood loss. Officers from Ao Nang Police Station were alerted by resort staff and arrived at the accommodation in Ao Thalane, Mueang district, to find the man, Thomas, deceased in…

  • Thailand NewsThai boy suffers severe burns helping teacher burn wasp hive | Thaiger

    Thai boy suffers severe burns helping teacher burn wasp hive

    A family in Ayutthaya demanded accountability after an 11 year old boy suffered severe burns while helping his teacher remove a wasp hive by burning it. The family shared photos of the injured boy on Facebook to highlight what they say is the school’s lack of responsibility, while the boy has been under treatment for over two weeks at the…

  • Thailand NewsThai transwomen report foreign man for filming and sharing their videos without consent | Thaiger

    Thai transwomen report foreign man for filming and sharing their videos without consent

    Thai transwomen in the Nana area of Bangkok urged netizens to report Instagram account of a foreign man, accusing him of recording and posing their videos without permission, sparking negative and sexist comments. A transwoman took to online community to condemn a foreign man, whose nationality remains undisclosed, for filming and sharing videos across various social media platforms without consent.…

  • Thailand NewsLibyan woman in Chiang Rai arrested for visa overstay and disturbance report | Thaiger

    Libyan woman in Chiang Rai arrested for visa overstay and disturbance report

    A Libyan woman was arrested for overstaying her visa after repeatedly causing a disturbance to her neighbours at a dormitory in Chiang Rai province. Officers from Tourist Police Division 2 detained the woman on Friday, November 21, for overstaying her visa by 897 days, or more than two and a half years. She was arrested at a dormitory in Rob…

  • Crime NewsAyutthaya tuk tuk driver with criminal history steals from Indian couple | Thaiger

    Ayutthaya tuk tuk driver with criminal history steals from Indian couple

    Police arrested a tuk tuk driver in Ayutthaya province for stealing a bag containing 8,000 baht in cash from an Indian couple yesterday, November 23. The 43 year old Indian victim, Rushabh Vuay, and his wife filed a theft complaint at Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Police Station. Vuay told police through a tour guide that he and his wife were…

  • Pattaya NewsIndian man allegedly hires Pattaya nightclub guards to assault taxi rider | Thaiger

    Indian man allegedly hires Pattaya nightclub guards to assault taxi rider

    An Indian man allegedly hired Thai security guards from a Pattaya nightclub to assault a motorcycle taxi rider on Saturday, November 22, but the attackers mistakenly targeted the wrong person. The involved guards later surrendered themselves to the police. CCTV footage of the incident, shared on the Facebook page of Jack Phodaeng, showed a group of more than ten men…

  • Thailand NewsTourist wanted for feeding wristband to sea tutle in Similan Islands | Thaiger

    Tourist wanted for feeding wristband to sea tutle in Similan Islands

    The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) is searching for a tourist who fed a sea turtle a rubber wristband during a diving trip in Mu Ko Similan National Park, Phang Nga province. The incident was shared on Facebook on Friday, November 21, by Thai tourist Supawinee Tangphithak, who posted footage showing an unidentified tourist feeding a…