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 NewsMan rescued after hanging from cliff overnight, held up by shirt tied to trees

    Man rescued after hanging from cliff overnight, held up by shirt tied to trees

    A man was rescued after he hanged from a high cliff in Phattalung for almost two days, using his shirt to tie himself to the vines, stems, and roots. He was spotted by tourists by the Khao Hua Chang Reservoir and more than 50 people teamed up for the hours-long rescue effort. On Tuesday, 47 year old Amnuay Rattanachotiyo decided…

  • Environment NewsAnother leak found in underwater oil pipeline off the Rayong coast

    Another leak found in underwater oil pipeline off the Rayong coast

    Another oil leak in the pipeline off the coast of Rayong has been reported by the Star Petroleum Refining Public Company, which has sent a letter to the Map Ta Phut Provincial Police Station asking permission to repair the pipe and prevent further environmental damage. Since late January, oil leaking from the pipes have polluted Rayong’s Mae Ramphueng Beach, with…

  • Thailand NewsTeenager allegedly strangles grandmother to death in Isaan

    Teenager allegedly strangles grandmother to death in Isaan

    A teenager in Thailand’s Isaan region, with the help of her boyfriend, allegedly strangled her 62 year old grandmother to death and then dumped the body in a garbage bin, leaving it in a forest by a roadside in another province. Reports in Thai media say the suspects admitted to killing the grandmother because they want to steal 100,000 baht…

  • Covid-19 NewsThursday Covid Update: 17,349 new cases; provincial totals

    Thursday Covid Update: 17,349 new cases; provincial totals

    22 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 22,538 with 840 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 17,349 new Covid-19 cases and 11,561 recoveries. There are now 144,061 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…

  • Phuket NewsTourist questioned by police, Phuket taxi drivers said he was driving a “service vehicle”

    Tourist questioned by police, Phuket taxi drivers said he was driving a “service vehicle”

    A Russian tourist was taken to a police station in Phuket for questioning after local taxi drivers reported that the man was driving throughout the island province, claiming he was picking up passengers. The tourist was just driving his family members, but the car he rented ended up being registered as a service vehicle. Both the owner of the vehicle…

  • Thailand NewsThai woman’s OnlyFans content stolen, officers say she could face pornography charges

    Thai woman’s OnlyFans content stolen, officers say she could face pornography charges

    A Thai woman who posts sexually explicit photos and videos on her OnlyFans account says her content, which was intended only for those who pay for a subscription to her page, was taken without permission and spread for free on a gambling website. She reported the incident to the Thai police, but officers have now put the 25 year old…

  • Thailand NewsSix police officers investigated for allegedly demanding bribes, not reporting drug seizure

    Six police officers investigated for allegedly demanding bribes, not reporting drug seizure

    Six Thai police officers were transferred from their positions and now face disciplinary action after they allegedly demanded a bribe and for not reporting their drug seizure with the department. The officers in the Isaan province Nakhon Phanom allegedly demanded a bribe from a man running a delivery service for the release of two of his employees who had been…

  • Covid-19 NewsTuesday Covid Update: 14,373 new cases; provincial totals

    Tuesday Covid Update: 14,373 new cases; provincial totals

    27 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 22,489 with 791 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 14,373 new Covid-19 cases and 11,551 recoveries. There are now 132,728 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…

  • Pattaya News4 Thai tourists hospitalised after wooden pier breaks in Koh Larn off Pattaya coast

    4 Thai tourists hospitalised after wooden pier breaks in Koh Larn off Pattaya coast

    Four Thai tourists were injured when the railing of a pier broke and they fell onto the rocks around two metres below. The tourists were taking a photo and leaning against the railing of the pier on Koh Larn, an island off the Pattaya coast, when it broke. Three of them are being treated for serious injuries. Reports say those…

  • Thailand NewsMother in Sa Kaeo allegedly drives a motorbike drunk, drops 4 month old baby

    Mother in Sa Kaeo allegedly drives a motorbike drunk, drops 4 month old baby

    A four month old baby was found in the middle of a road in the eastern province Sa Kaeo, which borders Cambodia. Reports say the mother was drunk and accidentally dropped her baby while on a motorbike, but didn’t realise until she had driven home. Locals found the baby lying in the middle of the Suwannasorn Road at around 9pm…

  • Visa InformationFrenchman arrested for allegedly scamming expats in Pattaya out of millions of baht

    Frenchman arrested for allegedly scamming expats in Pattaya out of millions of baht

    A Frenchman is facing fraud charges for allegedly scamming expats in Pattaya out of millions of baht by claiming he had connections with several Thai authorities and promising help with obtaining visas, opening businesses, and buying motorbikes and cars. Reports say he scammed expats out of a total of 6.3 million baht. 58 year old Herve Christian Robert Leonard from…

  • Thailand NewsKoh Phi Phi officials say keep sea clean after pregnant shark trapped in hat dies

    Koh Phi Phi officials say keep sea clean after pregnant shark trapped in hat dies

    The head of Mu Koh Phi Phi National Park is advising people to keep the Andaman Sea clean after divers found a pregnant blacktip reef shark dead, her body stuck in what appears to be part of a woven straw hat that had unravelled and gotten tied up in coral. In a video from the divers, the brim and top…

  • Covid-19 NewsMonday Covid Update: 14,900 new cases; provincial totals

    Monday Covid Update: 14,900 new cases; provincial totals

    26 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 22,462 with 764 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 14,900 new Covid-19 cases and 9,810 recoveries. There are now 129,933 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…

  • Thailand NewsOil still pollutes Rayong beach, Thai tourist says oil on his body after a swim

    Oil still pollutes Rayong beach, Thai tourist says oil on his body after a swim

    Following the second oil leak in Rayong, not only was leaked crude oil still on Mae Ramphueng Beach, but a Thai tourist says water reeked of oil and his body was covered in oily stains after a swim. Another local shared a picture of what looks like a coral-covered with a black strain. Locals say they are worried about the…

  • Thailand NewsThai Health Department warns that trendy “squid shots” can cause food poisoning

    Thai Health Department warns that trendy “squid shots” can cause food poisoning

    Live squid dumped in a shot glass with a spicy Thai sauce, and then consumed while the squid is still squirming, has been a new food trend in Thailand, with many sharing the phenomenon on TikTok and other social media outlets. But the director of the country’s Department of Health is warning people that the so-called “squid shots” could be…

  • Pattaya NewsChon Buri nurse allegedly steals debit card from dying patient, withdraws money

    Chon Buri nurse allegedly steals debit card from dying patient, withdraws money

    Chon Buri police officers arrested a woman working as a nurse at Bang Lamung Hospital for allegedly stealing 4,500 baht from a dying patient. Police say the nurse confessed that she stole a debit card while the patient was unconscious inside an emergency room on February 1 and withdrew money from an ATM the next day. The patient’s family says…

  • Covid-19 NewsFriday Covid Update: 15,242 new cases; provincial totals

    Friday Covid Update: 15,242 new cases; provincial totals

    23 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 22,387 with 689 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 15,242 new Covid-19 cases and 8,955 recoveries. There are now 111,393 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…

  • Phuket NewsAirport CCTV shows 2 suspects of Phuket murder case leaving Thailand

    Airport CCTV shows 2 suspects of Phuket murder case leaving Thailand

    Police say they’ve obtained surveillance camera footage showing the two suspects in the Jimi Sandhu murder case in Phuket preparing to leave the country at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. Sandhu, who was born in India, was a notorious gangster in Canada and was deported for “serious criminality.” He entered Thailand last month by private jet and was found dead with more…

  • Thailand NewsPolice in Phuket find guns suspected to have been used to murder Jimi Sandhu

    Police in Phuket find guns suspected to have been used to murder Jimi Sandhu

    Police have found two guns at a beach in Phuket which they believed were used in the recent murder of 32 year old Jimi “Slice” Sandhu, a notorious gangster from Canada. Sandhu, who was born in India, was deported from Canada for “serious criminality” in 2016. He entered Thailand by private jet on January 27 carrying a fake Canadian passport…

  • Koh Samui NewsCentral Festival Samui opens Covid test centre for Test & Go, Sandbox tourists

    Central Festival Samui opens Covid test centre for Test & Go, Sandbox tourists

    A Covid-19 testing centre has opened on Koh Samui to travellers entering under either the Sandbox or Test & Go travel schemes. Koh Samui Hospital and Bangkok Hospital Samui have teamed up with Central Festival Samui to open the “Samui Swab Centre” to offer convenient Covid-19 RT-PCT tests for tourists who are required to take two tests after entering Thailand.…

  • Phuket NewsGerman celebrity says she was mugged at a Thailand beach, Phang Nga police investigate

    German celebrity says she was mugged at a Thailand beach, Phang Nga police investigate

    While on a trip to Thailand, Cathy Hummels, the wife of German footballer Mats Hummels from Borussia Dortmund, was allegedly mugged. She told German media that she was hit by a stranger and robbed at a beach in Thailand. Some of the reports repeat her claims that she was mugged on the southern island of Phuket, but local police say…

  • Bangkok News28 year old woman’s body parts found in canals off Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River

    28 year old woman’s body parts found in canals off Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River

    Human body parts, including a head, were found in canals connecting to Bangkok’s Cha Phraya River yesterday. Investigating officers say the body is believed to be a 28 year old woman who went missing on Monday. Officers initially launched a murder investigation, but have since said the death was suicide after reviewing CCTV footage which showed a woman jumping off…

  • Songkran NewsSongkran to be cancelled if daily Covid numbers hit 30,000 – DDC

    Songkran to be cancelled if daily Covid numbers hit 30,000 – DDC

    Thailand’s famous water festival Songkran might be cancelled for another year if the daily Covid-19 cases reach 30,000 cases per day, the Department of Disease Control says. The massive water gun fight, celebrating the Thai New Year, was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to coronavirus concerns. The DDC warns that Songkran, which is April 13 to 15 this year,…

  • Thailand NewsGet a Covid test before sex, Thailand’s DDC recommends ahead of Valentine’s Day

    Get a Covid test before sex, Thailand’s DDC recommends ahead of Valentine’s Day

    Before getting intimate on Valentine’s Day, get tested for Covid-19. That’s the recommendation from Thailand’s Department of Disease Control. Authorities are advising couples to undergo a rapid antigen Covid-19 test before having sex. The DDC director-general Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai expressed his concerns today that there might be an uptick in Covid-19 cases following Valentine’s Day. While couples are out on dates…

  • Covid-19 NewsWednesday Covid Update: 13,182 new cases; provincial totals

    Wednesday Covid Update: 13,182 new cases; provincial totals

    24 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 22,344 with 646 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 13,182 new Covid-19 cases and 8,571 recoveries. There are now 98,830 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…

  • Thailand NewsPolice officer in northern Thailand arrested for assaulting restaurant staff, damaging property

    Police officer in northern Thailand arrested for assaulting restaurant staff, damaging property

    An off-duty police officer was caught on CCTV cameras assaulting a man in the northern province of Lamphun and then going back after the fight to damage a car. Reports in Thai media say the officer refused to leave the restaurant after a night of drinking and also sexually assaulted a female staff. The officer works under the Crowds Control…

  • Thailand NewsPark officials make changes after overcrowding at Naga Cave

    Park officials make changes after overcrowding at Naga Cave

    Park officials at the popular destination for Thai tourists, Naga Cave, are stepping up to limit the number of visitors after the site was so crowded with visitors that hundreds were stuck on the mountain waiting to get down. Following the incident, Phu Lanka National Park officials set stricter measures and made changes to staffing. Yesterday, the Ministry of Natural…

  • Thailand NewsThai police track down, arrest suspect in bank robbery case

    Thai police track down, arrest suspect in bank robbery case

    Police arrested a man suspected of robbing a bank in the central province Saraburi and running off with around 210,000 baht in cash. In an expedited investigation, with local police promising to find the suspect within the week, officers tracked down and arrested 33 year old Weerachai Auttaparp at his house about 10 kilometres from the bank. Videos from the…

  • Thailand NewsCat sits on sports car, owner demands 100,000 baht to pay for scratches

    Cat sits on sports car, owner demands 100,000 baht to pay for scratches

    The owner of a luxury sports car has reportedly filed a lawsuit against their neighbour claiming 100,000 baht in damages after a cat climbed and sat on top of their black and yellow Lotus sports car, causing some scratches. The story was widely shared in Thailand and the latest reports say the owner has since apologised, adding that he doesn’t…

  • Thailand NewsPolice search for bank robber who stole more than 200,000 baht in cash

    Police search for bank robber who stole more than 200,000 baht in cash

    Police are searching for a man who robbed a bank in the central province of Saraburi and ran off with 210,000 baht in cash. Officers say they want to make an arrest within the next seven days and have offered a 10,000 baht reward to anyone who has information that leads to an arrest. Thai media says the man was…