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 News‘Mr Spray’ wanted for defacing Koh Pha Ngan with political graffiti | Thaiger

    ‘Mr Spray’ wanted for defacing Koh Pha Ngan with political graffiti

    Residents and local business operators on Koh Pha Ngan in Surat Thani province called on police to take action against “Mr Spay“, a foreign man who spray-painted political slogans on public and private property across the island. Residents told reporters that the man spray-painted messages such as “Save Gaza” and “Libre” on traffic signs, electricity poles, and walls belonging to…

  • Pattaya NewsForeign man flags sea pollution off Jomtien Beach in Pattaya | Thaiger

    Foreign man flags sea pollution off Jomtien Beach in Pattaya

    A foreign man drew widespread attention on social media after posting footage showing wastewater being discharged into the sea off Jomtien Beach in Pattaya, prompting an investigation by Thai authorities. The foreign man, believed to be a French national, Herve Dejean, shared a video and several photos of wastewater pools on Jomtien Beach on his Facebook account on Sunday, February…

  • Phuket NewsFrench couple deported and blacklisted after sex on Phuket tuk tuk | Thaiger

    French couple deported and blacklisted after sex on Phuket tuk tuk

    A French couple are facing deportation and blacklisting from Thailand after being arrested for engaging in a sexual act while travelling on a tuk tuk in Phuket last month. The case came to light after a Thai motorist, who was driving behind a tuk tuk on Patong Hill in Phuket on January 29, noticed the inappropriate behaviour of a foreign…

  • Thailand NewsThief slashes vocational student’s neck and steals motorcycle in Chon Buri | Thaiger

    Thief slashes vocational student’s neck and steals motorcycle in Chon Buri

    Police in Chon Buri province are continuing a manhunt for a suspect who slashed the neck of a vocational student and stealing his motorcycle yesterday, February 2. The suspect initially pretended to be a hitchhiker before turning on the victim during the journey. Officers from Huay Yai Police Station were alerted to the knife attack and motorcycle theft in the…

  • Thailand NewsChiang Rai man arrested for stalking TikTok star and issuing death threats | Thaiger

    Chiang Rai man arrested for stalking TikTok star and issuing death threats

    Police arrested a Thai man in Chiang Rai province for stalking a female TikTok star and issuing death threats against her and her family. The arrest took place on Saturday, January 31, following a complaint filed by the victim and her parents. The victim, a 19 year old TikToker identified only as A, along with her parents, reported the case…

  • Thailand NewsMentally ill man caught sexually abusing dog near Buriram school | Thaiger

    Mentally ill man caught sexually abusing dog near Buriram school

    A mentally ill Thai man sexually abused a stray dog near a school in Buriram province, sparking panic and concern among parents and guardians of young students. The superintendent of Nongki Police Station, Nathee Sukuna, told local media that he had assigned an investigation team to look into the case after videos of the incident were shared widely on social…

  • Bangkok NewsThai man lures 16 year old boy into creating swinger sex videos | Thaiger

    Thai man lures 16 year old boy into creating swinger sex videos

    Police arrested an 18 year old man at a condominium in Bangkok for luring a 16 year old boy into creating pornographic videos and distributing them on the OnlyFans platform. Officers from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) and International Protection Alliance (IPA) conducted an investigation into two X accounts after finding the accounts inviting online users to subscribe to an…

  • Thailand News3 Thai victims injured after 1-tonne traffic sign collapses in Saraburi | Thaiger

    3 Thai victims injured after 1-tonne traffic sign collapses in Saraburi

    A large traffic sign collapsed onto a motorcycle on the Friendship Highway in Saraburi province, leaving three victims in serious injuries. Police suspected that the incident was caused by stolen bolts securing the sign’s support pole. The accident occurred in the afternoon on Saturday, February 1, along the Friendship Highway in the Pak Phiao sub-district of Saraburi province. Police officers…

  • Bangkok NewsArmed thief steals over 10 million baht in gold from Sukhumvit mall | Thaiger

    Armed thief steals over 10 million baht in gold from Sukhumvit mall

    Police successfully identified a suspect in a late-night robbery at a gold shop inside a shopping mall on Soi Sukhumvit 50 in Bangkok, in which gold accessories worth more than 10 million baht and around 170,000 baht in cash were stolen. The commander of Metropolitan Police Division 5, Wittawat Chinkham, told the media that the robbery took place at around…

  • Aviation NewsAOT to raise passenger service charge for international flights from May | Thaiger

    AOT to raise passenger service charge for international flights from May

    Airports of Thailand (AOT) confirmed plans to increase the passenger service charge (PSC) for international departures in May this year. While the increase will largely affect foreign travellers, AOT insisted that it will not reduce the number of international visitors to Thailand. The chief executive officer of AOT, Paweena Jariyathitipong, told local media that the PSC for passengers departing on international…

  • Thailand NewsPublic backlash erupts over ECT mistakes in advance voting | Thaiger

    Public backlash erupts over ECT mistakes in advance voting

    Public criticism mounted against officials from the Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) following a series of mistakes reported during Thailand’s advanced voting yesterday, February 1. The ECT scheduled February 1 for advance voting ahead of the official General Election on February 8. It is designed to allow eligible Thai citizens who live outside their registered home provinces, or who are…

  • Thailand NewsTruck snags wires and pulls down 70 power poles in Samut Prakan | Thaiger

    Truck snags wires and pulls down 70 power poles in Samut Prakan

    A truck snagged on communication wires and later pulled down more than 70 electricity poles along a road in the Bang Pu area of Samut Prakan province today, January 30, causing widespread power outages in the area and nearby. Officers from Bang Pu Police Station were alerted to the accident at around 1pm. The incident occurred on a bridge at…

  • Thailand NewsDrug suspect abandons girlfriend in police chase on Ayutthaya road | Thaiger

    Drug suspect abandons girlfriend in police chase on Ayutthaya road

    A Thai drug user sped off on his motorcycle to escape police and continued fleeing even after his girlfriend fell from the vehicle. He did not get far and was arrested shortly afterwards. Footage from a police body camera went viral on Thai social media and was reposted by several news outlets. The video shows a man wearing a black…

  • Thailand NewsPattaya rolls out colour-coded beach umbrellas to boost seaside views | Thaiger

    Pattaya rolls out colour-coded beach umbrellas to boost seaside views

    Pattaya introduced new rule assigning specific umbrella colours to beach chair operators, saying the move will improve orderliness and create a more attractive seaside view for visitors. The mayor of Pattaya City, Porramate Ngampichate, shared the update on his official Facebook page yesterday, January 29, stating that umbrella colours and designs above beach chairs across the city would be standardised…

  • Pattaya NewsAmerican motorcyclist killed in Pattaya head-on crash with SUV | Thaiger

    American motorcyclist killed in Pattaya head-on crash with SUV

    An American motorcyclist lost his life after crashing into an SUV in the opposite lane on a road in Pattaya last night, January 29. Officers from Nong Prue Police Station and rescuers from Sawang Borriboon Dhammastan Foundation were alerted to the fatal accident on Pong Overpass above Number 35 Road in the Bang Lamung district at around 10pm. Upon arrival,…

  • Pattaya NewsSwiss national among 30 arrested in Pattaya drug crackdown | Thaiger

    Swiss national among 30 arrested in Pattaya drug crackdown

    Officers from the Bang Lamung District Office arrested 30 drug suspects, including a Swiss national, during a major crackdown at two accommodation sites in central and northern Pattaya on Monday, January 26. District officials launched the first raid at Boom Boom House apartment in central Pattaya after receiving repeated complaints from local residents. The residents reported that the accommodation became…

  • Pattaya NewsBelgian man injured after power bank explodes at Pattaya bar | Thaiger

    Belgian man injured after power bank explodes at Pattaya bar

    A Belgian man suffered burn injuries to his left leg after a power bank exploded while he was drinking at a bar on Pattaya Walking Street yesterday, January 29. Pattaya City officials were alerted to the incident at around 3am. The injured man was identified as 58 year old Belgian national Segers Frank Willem C., who sustained burn wounds on…

  • Pattaya NewsPattaya taxi rider criticised after arguing with Russian women over fare | Thaiger

    Pattaya taxi rider criticised after arguing with Russian women over fare

    A Pattaya app-based motorcycle taxi rider took to social media to condemn two Russian women for refusing to pay an additional fare for travelling together, but many netizens disagreed with him and instead condemned the rider for breaking traffic laws by carrying two passengers on a single motorcycle. The rider, whose identity has not been disclosed, shared a video online showing…

  • Krabi NewsIllegal paragliding leaves British tourist injured on Krabi cliff | Thaiger

    Illegal paragliding leaves British tourist injured on Krabi cliff

    A British man sustained leg injuries after illegally paragliding within Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park in Krabi province and crashing into a cliff at a height of around 60 to 70 metres above the ground. National park rangers discovered the paragliding accident while conducting a routine patrol near Ton Sai Beach, in the western area of Ao Railay,…

  • Bangkok NewsIranian man arrested for pickpocketing Chinese tourist in Bangkok | Thaiger

    Iranian man arrested for pickpocketing Chinese tourist in Bangkok

    Police arrested an Iranian man after he tricked a Chinese national into showing his money before pickpocketing him at an MRT station in Bangkok. The Chinese victim filed a complaint with Huai Khwang Police Station after the incident occurred while he was waiting for a train at MRT Rama 9 Station. According to the victim, the suspect appeared to be…

  • Thailand News4 year old boy brutally assaulted by grandmother’s boyfriend | Thaiger

    4 year old boy brutally assaulted by grandmother’s boyfriend

    Police rescued a four year old boy from a forest in Lop Buri province after he was assaulted by his grandmother’s boyfriend and abandoned after the man believed the child had died. The boy’s grandmother, 57 year old Banjong, sought help from officers at Chaibadan Police Station at around 3.30pm on Monday, January 26. She reported that her grandson, Pipo,…

  • Thailand NewsThai woman vanishes after travelling to Laos with American ex-husband | Thaiger

    Thai woman vanishes after travelling to Laos with American ex-husband

    A Thai-born American man becomes the main suspect in the disappearance of his Thai ex-wife after they travelled to Laos together. He denied any involvement and said he will only speak through a lawyer. The missing woman is 45 year old Thatsanee Saelee, a Thai national from the Hmong ethnic group. According to her son, Winyu, Thatsanee lost contact with him…

  • Thailand NewsThai singer breaks down on stage after father critically injured in car accident | Thaiger

    Thai singer breaks down on stage after father critically injured in car accident

    The father of a Thai singer is in critical condition after a pickup truck crashed into his motorcycle in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok yesterday, January 28. The singer later broke down in tears on stage, saying doctors had told her that her father has only a 10% chance of survival. Officers from Chaiyaphruek Police Station, emergency medical staff from Pak…

  • Phuket NewsPakistani man caught and beaten for stealing cannabis in Phuket | Thaiger

    Pakistani man caught and beaten for stealing cannabis in Phuket

    Cannabis shop owners and witnesses in Phuket chased after and assaulted a Pakistani man after he stole a jar of cannabis from a store in Patong before handing him over to police. A female cannabis shop owner filed a complaint with officers at Patong Police Station yesterday, January 28, after a group of tourists, reported to be Pakistani nationals, stole…

  • Pattaya NewsPattaya taxi driver seeks justice after foreign brawl damages rented car | Thaiger

    Pattaya taxi driver seeks justice after foreign brawl damages rented car

    A Thai taxi driver condemned a group of foreigners in Pattaya for refusing to take responsibility after their physical altercation caused damage to his rented vehicle. The taxi driver, Adisorn Wongprakob, shared footage of the fight on his Facebook account on January 22. In the caption, he wrote… “They all ran away after fighting and causing damages to my car.…

  • Thailand NewsThai man escapes death after stray bullets hit pillow while sleeping | Thaiger

    Thai man escapes death after stray bullets hit pillow while sleeping

    A Thai man narrowly escaped injury after two stray bullets were fired into his home in Ayutthaya province and struck his pillow while he was sleeping on January 20. He later made the incident public after police failed to provide any update on the case. The victim, 31 year old Weerasak Wichitkarnpana, shared photos of the damage to his house…

  • Chiang Mai NewsSpanish woman and Thai vendor critically injured in Chiang Mai car crash | Thaiger

    Spanish woman and Thai vendor critically injured in Chiang Mai car crash

    A Spanish woman and a Thai food vendor sustained serious injuries after a Grab driver crashed his electric car near the old city moat in Chiang Mai this morning, January 28. Locals who witnessed the accident at around 7.40am alerted officers from Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station and rescue teams to assist the victims. The Spanish woman and a Thai…

  • Bangkok NewsPolice bust Thai-Vietnamese mule account gang during Bangkok meetup | Thaiger

    Police bust Thai-Vietnamese mule account gang during Bangkok meetup

    Police arrested a Vietnamese national and four Thai suspects in Bangkok on Monday, January 26, while they were meeting to purchase mule bank accounts for scam operations. Officers from Sutthisan Police Station received a tip-off that a criminal gang involving Thai and Vietnamese nationals was persuading people to sell their bank accounts. Police believed the accounts were being used for…

  • Pattaya NewsPattaya women report groping and stalking by same motorcyclist | Thaiger

    Pattaya women report groping and stalking by same motorcyclist

    A Thai woman demanded police tighten security measures after a man groped her breast while she was walking along a roadside in Pattaya before speeding away on a motorcycle. Two other women later shared similar experiences, with one reporting that she was stalked by the same suspect. One of the victims, 35 year old Bee, shared CCTV footage of the…

  • Koh Samui NewsDanish man steals land deeds from Chinese victim on Koh Samui | Thaiger

    Danish man steals land deeds from Chinese victim on Koh Samui

    Police arrested a Danish man after he stole a safe containing land and property documents worth around 100 million baht from a luxury villa owned by a Chinese national on Koh Samui before fleeing to Krabi. The Chinese victim filed a complaint with Bor Phud Police Station after discovering that a safe was stolen from the luxury villa in Soi Khao…