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.
  • Bangkok NewsScottish man missing after arriving in Bangkok for holiday and volunteer work | Thaiger

    Scottish man missing after arriving in Bangkok for holiday and volunteer work

    A 58 year old Scottish man lost contact with his family after arriving in Bangkok earlier this month, prompting friends and expat communities to help search for him across Thailand. A missing person poster for 58 year old Scottish national Kenny Robertson is circulating widely on social media. According to information shared by his family and friends, Robertson arrived at…

  • Hua Hin NewsThai man arrested in murder and robbery of Hua Hin hotel receptionist | Thaiger

    Thai man arrested in murder and robbery of Hua Hin hotel receptionist

    Hua Hin police officers arrested the murderer who killed and robbed a hotel receptionist, after tracking him down near a railway line around five kilometres from the crime scene. The brutal killing was reported at around 3.15am yesterday, January 19, at Best LD Hotel, located in Soi Hua Hin 88/1. The victim, 35 year old Wirin, was working as a…

  • Thailand NewsThai influencer demands probe into sister’s death in Sisaket | Thaiger

    Thai influencer demands probe into sister’s death in Sisaket

    A Thai social media influencer demanded a thorough investigation into the death of his younger sister after her body was found in a canal in Sisaket province, saying the discovery of her bloodstained underwear and a hidden mobile phone raised doubts. Officers from Mueang Sisaket Police Station were alerted to a suspected suicide at White Bridge above the Samran Canal…

  • Thailand NewsDJ-photographer held over sexual assault claims from models and DJs | Thaiger

    DJ-photographer held over sexual assault claims from models and DJs

    Officers from the Investigation Division of the Metropolitan Police Bureau (IDMB) arrested a DJ and photographer in Ayutthaya this afternoon, January 20, following complaints from five models, female DJs, and an ex-girlfriend who accused him of sexual assault and physical abuse. The case came to public attention after the victims appeared on the Channel 3 news programme Hone Krasae yesterday,…

  • Pattaya NewsChinese man arrested in Pattaya luxury condo for selling Pod K | Thaiger

    Chinese man arrested in Pattaya luxury condo for selling Pod K

    Police arrested a Chinese man at a condominium in Pattaya yesterday, January 19, for distributing ketamine-laced vape liquid, commonly known in Thailand as Pod K. Officers from Mueang Pattaya Police Station and Chon Buri Provincial Police launched a joint operation dubbed “Clip the Wings,” aimed at cracking down on illegal items and narcotics circulating in the resort city. During the…

  • Thailand News5 women accuse Thai DJ-photographer of sexual assault and abuse | Thaiger

    5 women accuse Thai DJ-photographer of sexual assault and abuse

    Five Thai women accused a man who worked as both a photographer and DJ of sexually assaulting and physically abusing them after luring them into sexy photoshoots or DJ training sessions. The allegations came to light after one of the victims, a female DJ known as Aris, publicly exposed the man’s behaviour on social media on January 16. Aris said she…

  • Pattaya NewsSouth Korean man reports pickpocketing by Pattaya transwoman and woman | Thaiger

    South Korean man reports pickpocketing by Pattaya transwoman and woman

    A South Korean tourist filed a police complaint after losing his mobile phone, cash, and credit cards in a pickpocketing incident involving a Thai transwoman and another woman in Pattaya. The complaint was lodged at Mueang Pattaya Police Station at around 11.30pm last night, January 19. The victim, a 64 year old South Korean man identified as Hong, was accompanied…

  • Hua Hin NewsManhunt launched after hotel receptionist beaten to death in Hua Hin robbery | Thaiger

    Manhunt launched after hotel receptionist beaten to death in Hua Hin robbery

    A manhunt is under way after a hotel receptionist was brutally beaten to death with an iron bar during a robbery at a hotel in Hua Hin, Prachuap Kiri Khan province. The killing was reported to officers at Hua Hin Police Station at around 3.15am yesterday, January 19. The murder took place at Best LD Hotel, located in Soi Hua…

  • Thailand NewsQuestions raised after ITD wins safety award despite deadly construction accidents | Thaiger

    Questions raised after ITD wins safety award despite deadly construction accidents

    The Department of Labour Protection and Welfare came under heavy criticism after it emerged that Italian-Thai Development (ITD) received a national safety award despite a series of deadly construction accidents. Public scrutiny intensified following the recent crane collapse in Nakhon Ratchasima, which struck a passenger train, and another collapse on Rama II Road near Bangkok. Both incidents resulted in deaths…

  • Thailand NewsThai mother says hospital delay leads to death of her newborn baby | Thaiger

    Thai mother says hospital delay leads to death of her newborn baby

    A 23 year old Thai woman demanded accountability from a state hospital in Udon Thani province, claiming medical staff left her waiting in critical condition for more than three hours, a delay she believed led to the death of her newborn son. The grieving mother, Nattawadee “Nan” Komonwanich, reached out to Thai social media influencer Phanumart “Piak” Jitwasinkul, in an…

  • Thailand NewsThai musician killed on Korat road after conflict with rival band | Thaiger

    Thai musician killed on Korat road after conflict with rival band

    Police today, January 19, arrested five suspects in connection with the murder of a drummer in Nakhon Ratchasima province, following a long-running conflict between their music bands. The victim, 47 year old Phichate, the drummer and leader of the Rai Kart music band, was found dead at 4.47am on Saturday, January 18, on Dan Khuntod–Thepharak Road in the Dan Khuntod…

  • Thailand NewsThai police caught taking bribes and freeing Chinese suspects | Thaiger

    Thai police caught taking bribes and freeing Chinese suspects

    One Thai police officer was dismissed from service, while four others remain under investigation, over allegations of taking bribes and unlawfully releasing Chinese suspects wanted by Chinese authorities. The corruption scandal came to light after Ma Guangxu, also known as Ah-hang, disappeared from a detention facility earlier this month. The Chinese national was held in custody pending deportation to China, where…

  • Bangkok NewsBangkok homeless man steals luxury bag from Chinese tourist | Thaiger

    Bangkok homeless man steals luxury bag from Chinese tourist

    Police arrested a Thai homeless man for snatching a luxury bag from a Chinese tourist outside a restaurant in Bangkok’s Yan Nawa area on Friday, January 16. The Chinese victim filed a theft complaint with Yannawa Police Station at around 9.45pm. She told officers that she had been dining at a restaurant on Narathiwat Ratchanakarin Road and briefly left her belongings…

  • Phuket NewsDanish woman breaks arm and leg while hiking in Phuket | Thaiger

    Danish woman breaks arm and leg while hiking in Phuket

    A Danish couple sought assistance from rescuers after the woman suffered broken bones to her arm and leg during a hiking trip along the Ton Sai–Bang Pae route in Phuket. Rescuers from Guardians of Life Medical & Rescue received a distress call from the foreign couple on Friday, January 16, reporting an accident on the popular hiking trail. The incident…

  • Phuket NewsThai man loses diamond ring in Phuket EDM festival, ruining proposal plan | Thaiger

    Thai man loses diamond ring in Phuket EDM festival, ruining proposal plan

    A Thai man lost a diamond ring worth about 300,000 baht and multiple credit cards to a pickpocket at an EDM music festival in Phuket on Saturday, January 17, shattering his plan to propose to his girlfriend. The victim’s girlfriend shared details of the incident on her Facebook account, Acare Alice, yesterday, January 18. The theft reportedly occurred during the…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket hotel security guard arrested for attempted break-in of DJ’s room | Thaiger

    Phuket hotel security guard arrested for attempted break-in of DJ’s room

    Police arrested the head of a hotel’s security guards in Phuket on Saturday, January 18, after he attempted to break into the room of a female DJ late at night earlier this week. The victim, Thai DJ Mirinda Malinrattanawadee, took to her Facebook account to demand accountability from a hotel in Phuket after an unidentified man tried to enter her…

  • Chiang Mai NewsJapanese man arrested after viral reviews on his illegal matcha stall | Thaiger

    Japanese man arrested after viral reviews on his illegal matcha stall

    Online food reviews led to the arrest of a Japanese man for operating a matcha ice cream shop without permission in Chiang Mai. The apprehension later sparked a heated online debate, with some netizens accusing authorities of discrimination. The Japanese man, 39 year old Junichi, was operating a small matcha ice cream stall outside Yang Kwang Temple, located in the city…

  • Thailand NewsFormer PM Thaksin may be released on parole in May | Thaiger

    Former PM Thaksin may be released on parole in May

    The former Prime Minister (PM) of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra, may be eligible for release on parole in May, according to the Department of Corrections. Thaksin returned to Thailand in August and was taken into custody before being transferred to the 14th floor of the Police General Hospital under special detention arrangements. His hospital stay triggered widespread public debate, with critics…

  • Phuket NewsSteel bar dropped from condo crane pierces through Phuket home | Thaiger

    Steel bar dropped from condo crane pierces through Phuket home

    A steel bar reportedly fell from a crane at a high-rise condominium construction site and pierced through a home near Surin Beach in Phuket on the night of Wednesday, January 14. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, despite the close call. The female homeowner shared a video of the shocking incident on social media, showing a long steel bar embedded through…

  • Thailand NewsPM Anutin orders termination and blacklisting of Italian-Thai Development | Thaiger

    PM Anutin orders termination and blacklisting of Italian-Thai Development

    Thailand’s Prime Minister (PM) Anutin Charnvirakul ordered the Ministry of Transport to terminate construction contracts with Italian-Thai Development (ITD) and blacklist the contractor, following a series of deadly infrastructure accidents that sparked intense public backlash. The decision comes in the wake of two high-profile tragedies: the crane collapse onto a passenger train in Nakhon Ratchasima and the crane accident on Rama…

  • Crime News3 missing passengers in Korat crane-train collision found alive | Thaiger

    3 missing passengers in Korat crane-train collision found alive

    A medical official confirmed yesterday, January 15, that three people previously reported missing after a construction crane collapsed onto a passenger train in Nakhon Ratchasima were found safe and receiving treatment at hospital. The deadly incident occurred on Wednesday, January 14, when a crane from the elevated railway construction for the Bangkok–Nong Khai high-speed train collapsed onto a moving passenger…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket unveils ‘Dheveena’ sea goddess sculpture as new landmark | Thaiger

    Phuket unveils ‘Dheveena’ sea goddess sculpture as new landmark

    Phuket unveiled a new landmark, “Dheveena,” a large-scale public sculpture installed along the seafront at Saphan Hin Park in the Wichit sub-district, as part of the Thailand Biennale 2025. The fourth edition of the Thailand Biennale returned to Phuket on November 29 last year and will run for five months until April 30 this year. Under the theme “Eternal Kalpa,”…

  • Pattaya NewsChinese man spotted roaming around Pattaya after robbing real estate agent | Thaiger

    Chinese man spotted roaming around Pattaya after robbing real estate agent

    Pattaya police are continuing their manhunt for a Chinese man wanted for robbing a fellow Chinese woman, after the suspect was spotted on CCTV at a convenience store near Jomtien Beach today, January 15. The victim, 35 year old Chinese real estate agent Yang Wang, filed a complaint with Nong Prue Police Station after the robbery occurred at around midnight…

  • Pattaya NewsSuicide suspected after Canadian man dies in Pattaya condo fall | Thaiger

    Suicide suspected after Canadian man dies in Pattaya condo fall

    Police are investigating the death of an elderly Canadian man who fell from a condominium in Pattaya today, January 15, with officers suspecting the incident to be a suicide. Officers from Mueang Pattaya Police Station were called to investigate the death of 86 year old Canadian national George Eugene at a condominium located along Jomtien Beach this morning. Rescuers from…

  • Thailand NewsRoyal Thai Army admits 8 drunk soldiers beat conscript to death | Thaiger

    Royal Thai Army admits 8 drunk soldiers beat conscript to death

    The Royal Thai Army admitted that eight soldiers physically assaulted three conscripts at Sura Dham Pithak Military Camp in Nakhon Ratchasima, resulting in the death of one of the victims. The case came to public attention after the family of a 21 year old private, Krittanon Phonchantuek, spoke out on social media to condemn the abuse inside the military camp.…

  • Pattaya NewsUAE tourist loses 14,500 baht to foreign pickpockets in Pattaya | Thaiger

    UAE tourist loses 14,500 baht to foreign pickpockets in Pattaya

    A tourist from the United Arab Emirates lost around 14,500 baht in cash after being pickpocketed by two foreign men in Pattaya yesterday, January 14. The victim, 45 year old Mohamed Abdelkaliq Abdalla Khadim Almaazmi, filed a complaint with Mueang Pattaya Police Station at around 7am on Tuesday, January 13, after realising that cash had gone missing from his trouser…

  • Thailand NewsPeople’s Party MP candidate arrested over alleged online gambling links | Thaiger

    People’s Party MP candidate arrested over alleged online gambling links

    Police arrested a Member of Parliament (MP) candidate from the People’s Party yesterday, January 14, at his home in Bangkok over alleged involvement in an online gambling network and money laundering. Officers from the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) raided the residence of 32 year old Ratchapong “Pond” Soisuwan at around 5.30pm. The property is located in Nuan Chan Village,…

  • Thailand News2 killed as crane collapses onto 2 vehicles on Rama II Road | Thaiger

    2 killed as crane collapses onto 2 vehicles on Rama II Road

    At least two people were killed after a construction crane collapsed onto two vehicles travelling along Rama II Road in Samut Sakhon province near Bangkok this morning, January 15. The fatal incident occurred at around 9.25am outside the Paris Garden Hotel in the Tha Chin sub-district. The crane was part of a bridge construction project above Rama II Road, one…

  • Thailand NewsITD accepts responsibility after crane collapse kills 31 in Korat | Thaiger

    ITD accepts responsibility after crane collapse kills 31 in Korat

    Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited (ITD) issued an official statement expressing condolences and accepting responsibility following a crane collapse that struck a passenger train in Nakhon Ratchasima province on Tuesday morning, January 14. The fatal incident occurred at around 9am when a construction crane from the elevated Bangkok–Nong Khai high-speed railway project collapsed onto the Bangkok–Ubon Ratchathani passenger train as…

  • Bangkok NewsBus passengers clash after woman criticises driver over delays in traffic jam | Thaiger

    Bus passengers clash after woman criticises driver over delays in traffic jam

    A heated argument broke out between two passengers on a public bus in Bangkok after a woman repeatedly complained about slow driving during heavy traffic congestion, sparking irritation among fellow commuters. A witness shared a video of the incident on TikTok account @gotobedwithnext yesterday, January 13. The footage showed a woman dressed entirely in black engaging in a verbal confrontation…