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 NewsTaiwanese actress warns tourists to be aware of Thailand’s ‘bastard police’ | Thaiger

    Taiwanese actress warns tourists to be aware of Thailand’s ‘bastard police’

    A famous Taiwanese actress warned foreign tourists coming to Thailand to be aware of the kingdom’s “bastard police!” The actress revealed on social media that the Royal Thai Police (RTP) extorted 27,000 baht from her and her friends on fake, trumped-up charges while they were travelling in Thailand at the beginning of this month. The Thai Facebook page Hello Taiwan!…

  • Thailand News2 Chinese tourists injured after fight at bar in Chiang Mai | Thaiger

    2 Chinese tourists injured after fight at bar in Chiang Mai

    Two Chinese citizens were injured after two groups of Chinese tourists brawled at the end of a boxing match at a bar in Chiang Mai. The fight also caused a heavy backlog of traffic near Tha Phae Gate. Members of the Ruamlanna Chiang Mai Rescue Association rushed to the bar on Loi Kroh Road near Chiang Mai Old City after…

  • World NewsThailand and Cambodia argue over origin of Muay Thai kickboxing | Thaiger

    Thailand and Cambodia argue over origin of Muay Thai kickboxing

    A row has sparked between Thailand and Cambodia over the origin of Muay Thai. As a result, Thailand has withdrawn from the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games). Cambodia, the host country of the 2023 SEA Games, changed the name of the kickboxing competition from Muay Thai to Kun Khmer and stated that the origin of Muay Thai is Cambodian. The…

  • Thailand NewsMonkeys in central Thailand being trafficked abroad | Thaiger

    Monkeys in central Thailand being trafficked abroad

    A caretaker of the Khao Nor Temple in the central province of Nakhon Sawan urges authorities to investigate wildlife traffickers after the temple’s monkeys disappeared and over 50 tranquillizer darts were discovered in the area. Khao Nor Temple is a popular attraction among domestic tourists. Thais usually visit the area to climb the limestone mountain inside the temple and enjoy…

  • World NewsMalaysian victims accuse Royal Thai Police of soliciting bribes of over 100,000 baht | Thaiger

    Malaysian victims accuse Royal Thai Police of soliciting bribes of over 100,000 baht

    Two Malaysian victims told local media that corrupt Royal Thai Police solicited bribes of 100,000 baht to return their stolen cars which were taken from their native country and driven to Thailand. The Malaysian news agency, The Star, reported that the cars were stolen from Malaysia and shipped to Thailand. The media also added that RTP officers were involved in…

  • Thailand NewsThailand VIP packages offered on Chinese e-commerce platform Taobao | Thaiger

    Thailand VIP packages offered on Chinese e-commerce platform Taobao

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) insists no VIP service packages or fast passes have been made available for purchase in China despite a Thai travel blogger revealing that those services and elite visas are indeed available to buy on the Chinese e-commerce platform Taobao. Thai police are already under fire over the scandalous video of three police officers escorting…

  • Northern Thailand News12 year old girl abused and abandoned by family in Isaan | Thaiger

    12 year old girl abused and abandoned by family in Isaan

    A 12 year old girl physically abused by her stepfather and grandparents was left abandoned on a roadside in the Isaan province of Nong Bua Lamphu. Fortunately, a warm-hearted local took pity on the girl and helped to find her aunt. Rattiya Anusuriya found the abandoned 12 year old alone and shivering in front of her house in the Na…

  • Crime NewsMP says cannabis helps reduce Yaba addicts in Bangkok | Thaiger

    MP says cannabis helps reduce Yaba addicts in Bangkok

    Bhumjaithai Party MP Suphachai Jaismut believes the legalising of cannabis has led to a decrease in the use of methamphetamine (also known as Yaba) in Bangkok. Suphachai posted on Facebook yesterday that, “Ganja comes, Yaba goes away.” The Bhumjaithai Party MP admitted that he never expected legalising cannabis would decrease the use of methamphetamine. He initially focused on its potential…

  • Thailand News3 Chinese men deported for illegally opening restaurant in Bangkok | Thaiger

    3 Chinese men deported for illegally opening restaurant in Bangkok

    Police yesterday raided a Chinese restaurant operating illegally in Bangkok and arrested three Chinese men found working there. They were fined, deported, and put on Thailand’s blacklist. Immigration Bureau officers raided the Chaosan Osha Chinese restaurant on the Rama 9 Road in the Huay Kwang district of Bangkok. Officers reported that they found three Chinese citizens at the restaurant. A 35…

  • Thailand NewsDLT increases fines for motorists who fail to stop at zebra crossings | Thaiger

    DLT increases fines for motorists who fail to stop at zebra crossings

    The Department of Land Transport (DLT) increased the fine for motorists failing to stop at a zebra crossing from 1,000 baht to 4,000 baht. The DLT will also deduct one point from an offender’s driving license. A survey conducted last year by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, and the Thai Roads Foundation, revealed that almost 90% of vehicles in Bangkok…

  • Thailand NewsThai woman savagely bitten by boyfriend after refusing to go boozing with him | Thaiger

    Thai woman savagely bitten by boyfriend after refusing to go boozing with him

    A Thai woman filed a complaint at Pan Thong Police Station in Chon Buri after her boyfriend savagely bit her face after she refused to go boozing with him. She said she was worried that the case would be ignored because her boyfriend had a close connection with a senior police officer. The woman, identified as Bee, told the media…

  • Thailand NewsSuicidal woman fished out of river alive after floating for 10 hours | Thaiger

    Suicidal woman fished out of river alive after floating for 10 hours

    A woman attempted suicide by jumping into the Mae Klong River in the central province of Samut Songkram. She reportedly attempted to drown herself but floated for 10 hours before being fished out by a rescue team. Baan Koh Restaurant owner Wichai Tiamcharoen contacted a rescue team after the 45 year old saw the body of a woman floating near…

  • Northern Thailand NewsMan to join monkhood after surviving mini bus accident that claimed 11 victims | Thaiger

    Man to join monkhood after surviving mini bus accident that claimed 11 victims

    A 20 year old man who survived a mini bus accident on the Friendship Highway in the Isaan province of Nakhon Ratchasima is planning to join the monkhood to pray for the 11 victims who were killed in the accident. The white mini bus, which was travelling from Amnart Charoen to Bangkok, overturned and caught fire at 9.30pm last Saturday,…

  • Thailand NewsFreerunning Frenchmen warned by police after thrillseeking exploits in Thailand | Thaiger

    Freerunning Frenchmen warned by police after thrillseeking exploits in Thailand

    Police warned five thrill-seeking Frenchmen that they face fines and time in prison if they are caught freerunning on residential buildings in Thailand. Trang Provincial Police received complaints from locals yesterday of the Frenchmen, aged between 25 and 30, filming their freerunning (also known as parkour) exploits over eight residential buildings in the southern province of Trang. Residents told police…

  • Thailand NewsBesotted Thai man begins 1,200 kilometre journey on foot to propose to girlfriend | Thaiger

    Besotted Thai man begins 1,200 kilometre journey on foot to propose to girlfriend

    A besotted Thai man has started a 1,400 kilometre journey across Thailand on foot with the goal of proposing to his girlfriend – who he met on social media five months ago – on Valentine’s Day. He set off from his home in Nakhon Nayok province in central Thailand and is aiming to reach his girlfriend’s house in Satun province…

  • Northern Thailand NewsApproval sought for 70 million baht junk boat-shaped skywalk in northeast Thailand | Thaiger

    Approval sought for 70 million baht junk boat-shaped skywalk in northeast Thailand

    Government officials in northeast Thailand are seeking approval for a 70 million baht budget for a new boat-shaped skywalk in the Isaan province of Sa Kaeo called the “Khao Chakan Skywalk.” The Khao Chakan Skywalk will be made of glass and made in the shape of a “junk” sailboat, a type of classical Chinese sailing ship used in Southeast Asian…

  • Thailand NewsSubdistrict accountant swindles 15 million baht in government funds | Thaiger

    Subdistrict accountant swindles 15 million baht in government funds

    An accountant for Lad Yao subdistrict in Nakhon Sawan province, central Thailand, was arrested yesterday for swindling 15 million baht in government funds to pay back her gambling debt and repay loan sharks. Police officers from the Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) arrested a female accountant, 41 year old Phatchara, at the Lad Yao sub-district office in Nakhon…

  • Northern Thailand NewsFerris wheel cabin door falls off and knocks out Isaan man | Thaiger

    Ferris wheel cabin door falls off and knocks out Isaan man

    A young Thai man was attending the Red Cross Fair in Buriram province, northeast Thailand, last week when a 20 kilogramme Ferris wheel cabin door fell on top of him from a height of 10 metres and knocked him out. A rescue team rushed to the event in Lam Prai Mart district to give first aid to 21 year old…

  • Northern Thailand NewsWoman working at karaoke bar in Thailand vanishes in suspicious circumstances | Thaiger

    Woman working at karaoke bar in Thailand vanishes in suspicious circumstances

    Police are trying to locate a woman who went missing in strange circumstances after leaving the karaoke bar she works at with a male customer five days ago in Leoi province in northeast Thailand. The manager at Bai Fern Karaoke Bar filed a missing persons report with the police on Wednesday, January 18, three days after 38 year old Phantiwa…

  • Thailand NewsMan found dead after cycling nearly 70 kilometres to find job | Thaiger

    Man found dead after cycling nearly 70 kilometres to find job

    A man was found dead at a bus stop in the Isaan province of Roi Et after cycling nearly 70 kilometres to find a job. It is believed he had a heart attack. Locals also reported that he got hit by a car the day before he died but refused treatment. Officers from Mueang Roi Et Police Station were notified…

  • Thailand NewsPolice wife accused of swindling 110,000 baht from Burmese novice | Thaiger

    Police wife accused of swindling 110,000 baht from Burmese novice

    The wife of a police officer has been accused of swindling 110,000 baht from a 10 year old Burmese novice monk. The Ministry of Justice awarded the child the allowance after his father was jailed for murdering his mother. The arresting officer took pity on the boy, named Marwin, and asked his wife to submit guardianship forms so they could…

  • Thailand News8 million MOPH webpages hacked by gambling websites | Thaiger

    8 million MOPH webpages hacked by gambling websites

    The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) closed approximately eight million official government-related webpages after they were hacked by illegal gambling websites. MOPH Information and Communication Technology Centre Director Anan Kanoksin told Thai media that illicit online gambling websites have been illegally squatting on government platforms after they sat idle for months. The illegal gambling websites were able to squat on…

  • Thailand News2 excise officers arrested in 300,000 baht ransom kidnapping case | Thaiger

    2 excise officers arrested in 300,000 baht ransom kidnapping case

    Two excise officers and one of their friends were arrested yesterday after they kidnapped a phone shop worker and held her to a 300,000 baht ransom in the central province of Samut Prakarn. A Chinese man, Wu Yiwen, filed a complaint at Mueang Samut Prakarn Police Station yesterday at 3.30pm. The 31 year old said the kidnapping incident happened at…

  • Thailand NewsMan arrested for stealing over 10 million baht in valuables at a fitness centre | Thaiger

    Man arrested for stealing over 10 million baht in valuables at a fitness centre

    A thief who stole over 10 million baht of valuables from a businessman at a fitness centre two weeks ago was arrested yesterday. The man pretended to be a fitness centre customer, stole safety box keys, and duplicated the keys to complete a series of thefts. On Tuesday, January 10, 35 year old businessman, Sathit, filed a complaint at Mueang Nonthaburi…

  • Thailand NewsUniversity student shot dead on a Bangkok footpath | Thaiger

    University student shot dead on a Bangkok footpath

    Two unidentified gunmen shot dead a university student in a drive-by shooting while the victim was walking on a Phaya Thai Road footpath in Bangkok on Saturday. Police are still searching for the gunmen. A security camera in front of the Faculty of Pharmacy of Chulalongkorn University captured the shooting incident on Saturday, January 14 at about 8.40pm. Two men…

  • Thailand NewsSchoolgirl receives warning letter after violating school rules by wearing a wedding dress | Thaiger

    Schoolgirl receives warning letter after violating school rules by wearing a wedding dress

    A schoolgirl received a warning letter from her school for violating the rules by wearing makeup and a wedding dress to advertise a wedding studio owned by her family. The story went viral on social media with netizens slating the school. The owner of the Nong Mee Wedding Studio in the central province of Lopburi shared pictures of his sister…

  • Thailand News66 year old monk accused of raping 12 year old novice | Thaiger

    66 year old monk accused of raping 12 year old novice

    A 66 year old monk is on the run from a temple in the central province of Prachin Buri after being accused of raping and sexually abusing a 12 year old novice for more than six months. The scandal emerged after the novice visited a hospital due to a complaint about an anus infection. The 12 year old was sent to…

  • Thailand NewsDrowsy driver crashes sedan into cyclists killing 1, injuring 10 | Thaiger

    Drowsy driver crashes sedan into cyclists killing 1, injuring 10

    A drowsy driver fell asleep behind the wheel of his sedan and crashed into a group of cyclists on the road in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. One cyclist was killed and 10 were injured. A security camera on the Nakhon Si Thammarat-Surat Thani Road in the Sichon district clearly shows the incident that happened at 7am on…

  • Thailand NewsPolice raid illegal Chinese electronic waste warehouses | Thaiger

    Police raid illegal Chinese electronic waste warehouses

    Police raided three warehouses after receiving an air pollution complaint from locals in Pathum Thani province near Bangkok. Officers found a huge amount of electronic waste in the warehouses and discovered that two of them were operated illegally by Chinese citizens. Police from Lam Luke Ka Police Station and officers from the Pathum Thani Provincial Industry Office raided the three…

  • Thailand NewsNational Park officers in Koh Samet accused of extortion | Thaiger

    National Park officers in Koh Samet accused of extortion

    A member of Parliament accused Mu Koh Samet National Park officers of extorting nearly 2 million baht per year from public transport drivers and business owners on Samet Island in the eastern province of Rayong. Khaosod reported yesterday, that Okas Thai Party MP (or Thai Opportunity Party), Damrong Pichate, recently gave an interview to a news programme about money extortion…