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 NewsFriday Covid Update: 21,808 new cases; provincial totals | Thaiger

    Friday Covid Update: 21,808 new cases; provincial totals

    128 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 27,520 with 5,822 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 21,808 new Covid-19 cases and 19,826 recoveries. There are now 190,780 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of the new cases recorded today,…

  • Thailand NewsPolice allegedly selling dodgy ‘special tickets’ allowing Burmese to stay in Thailand | Thaiger

    Police allegedly selling dodgy ‘special tickets’ allowing Burmese to stay in Thailand

    Four police officers from the main city Samut Sakhon Police Station, south west of central Bangkok, were dismissed from their positions after being reported for allegedly selling “special tickets” to trafficked Burmese migrants. The tickets required Burmese migrant workers to pay a monthly fee of 500 baht and carry the tickets everywhere to avoid arrest. On April 19, Thai media…

  • Northern Thailand NewsUPDATE: Autopsy indicates political activist ‘likely’ to have committed suicide | Thaiger

    UPDATE: Autopsy indicates political activist ‘likely’ to have committed suicide

    Following a report on the mysterious death of a political activist and finance officer of the Move Forward Party, the autopsy indicates he died due to a lack of oxygen. His mother has conceded that her child could have committed suicide, but she still couldn’t think of any reasons why he would have done so. The body of 27 year…

  • Northern Thailand NewsUPDATE: Daughter has contacted missing family, police suspect economic hardship | Thaiger

    UPDATE: Daughter has contacted missing family, police suspect economic hardship

    Following the report on the missing family in the central province of Sukhothai, Thai media has updated the story that the daughter has been able to contact her family today and everyone was safe. However, she didn’t share more details about where her family was or why they had been impossible to contact. Police speculate that it may have been…

  • Thailand News200,000 Covovax vaccines from India expected to arrive in Thailand today | Thaiger

    200,000 Covovax vaccines from India expected to arrive in Thailand today

    The Ministry of Public Health reports that Thailand will receive 200,000 Covovax vaccines from India today. Public Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, will be on call to receive the vaccine delivery personally. The Director-General of the Disease Control Department, Dr. Opas Kankawinpong says that the Covovax vaccines were donated by the QUAD, or the countries that agreed on Quadrilateral Security Dialogue…

  • Thailand NewsThursday Covid Update: 21,931 new cases; provincial totals | Thaiger

    Thursday Covid Update: 21,931 new cases; provincial totals

    129 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 27,392 with 5,694 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 21,931 new Covid-19 cases and 24,619 recoveries. There are now 188,926 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of the new cases recorded…

  • Northern Thailand NewsThai policemen accused of faking crimes to advance their careers | Thaiger

    Thai policemen accused of faking crimes to advance their careers

    A woman has claimed a group of 17 police officers in the Isaan province of Amnat Charoen invented a ‘fake crime’ involving her to advance their careers. She claimed she had been working as a ‘spy’ for the local police for more than 20 years. But the officers wanted to get promoted, so they conspired with her, insisting that the…

  • Northern Thailand NewsPolitical activist and Move Forward member found hanged in Isaan province | Thaiger

    Political activist and Move Forward member found hanged in Isaan province

    A male political activist and finance officer of the Move Forward Party has been found dead in the Isaan province of Nakhon Ratchasima. Initial reports suggest that he hanged himself at a bus stop near a police booth in front of the district office. But his mother believes her child was murdered as wounds and “mysterious evidence” have been identified.…

  • Crime News10 more women accuse embattled politician Prinn of sexual abuse in Bangkok | Thaiger

    10 more women accuse embattled politician Prinn of sexual abuse in Bangkok

    Ten more women have come forth to accuse former Democrat Party deputy leader Prinn Panitchpakdi of sexual abuse, as the sex scandal involving a senior politician continues to grow. The latest accuser, who has been described as a “well-known” 30 year old woman, alleged that Prinn had sexually assaulted her 14 years ago, about four months after they first met.…

  • Phuket NewsThai tourist praises Phuket’s taxi for offering perfect city tour at only 50 baht | Thaiger

    Thai tourist praises Phuket’s taxi for offering perfect city tour at only 50 baht

    A Thai tourist has praised a taxi driver in Phuket for the “perfect city tour at a reasonable price of only 50 baht for a round trip”. The glowing praise might confirm that Phuket still welcomes domestic tourists with affordable services. Or perhaps the tourist got lucky! At the beginning of this year, one Phuket taxi driver became an unwilling…

  • Thailand NewsRoyal Thai Police issue their own report card – solving more than 600 cases this year | Thaiger

    Royal Thai Police issue their own report card – solving more than 600 cases this year

    The Royal Thai Police have announced that they have successfully solved 631 crime cases and other ‘issues’ for residents this year. 147 more cases are still waiting to be solved or ‘fixed’. Some of the outstanding cases would be transferred to the relevant departments as they were beyond the police’s abilities and responsibilities. Yesterday, the Assistant Commission General, Prachuap Wongsook,…

  • Thailand NewsPM spokesperson praises Lisa, BamBam and Milli for promoting Thai government’s ‘soft power’ | Thaiger

    PM spokesperson praises Lisa, BamBam and Milli for promoting Thai government’s ‘soft power’

    The PM’s spokesperson has praised Lisa and Bambam from K-Pop brands Blackpink and Got7, together with a young Thai rapper Mill, for helping the government promote Thailand’s ‘soft power’. The spokesperson said those artists revealed Thailand’s soft power to the international eyes according to the government measure. Last year, Lisa from Blackpink joined the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival…

  • Bangkok NewsTwo women stabbed with box cutter at CentralWorld shopping mall in Bangkok | Thaiger

    Two women stabbed with box cutter at CentralWorld shopping mall in Bangkok

    Yesterday, officers from Pathum Wan Police Station arrested a man who used a box cutter to stab two women at CentralWorld, a famous shopping mall in Bangkok. The suspect claimed he visited the mall to find a job and had no explanation for his actions. At about 4 pm, staff of the famous Bangkok shopping centre reported to the police…

  • Pattaya NewsKoh Kham locals celebrate post-Songkran tradition — ‘Carrying Girls into the Sea’ | Thaiger

    Koh Kham locals celebrate post-Songkran tradition — ‘Carrying Girls into the Sea’

    Koh Kham, located near Koh Sichang in Chon Buri province, held a traditional activity to celebrate the post-Songkran tradition of “Aum Sao Long Nam” — or “Carrying Girls into the Sea”. The event is traditionally held annually on April 18 following the Songkran festival. Yesterday marked the first time the event has been held in the past two years due…

  • Thailand NewsOfficers insist total traffic accidents, deaths during ‘Seven Dangerous Days’ is “not so bad” | Thaiger

    Officers insist total traffic accidents, deaths during ‘Seven Dangerous Days’ is “not so bad”

    Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, or DDPM, has announced that the total traffic accidents and injuries during last week’s “Seven Dangerous Days” had actually reduced, compared to the average for the past three years, even though the number of deaths this year had increased. According to a summary of the data, from April 11 to 17, there were…

  • Phuket NewsThailand DSI seizes counterfeit luxury goods in Phuket valued at more than 50 million baht | Thaiger

    Thailand DSI seizes counterfeit luxury goods in Phuket valued at more than 50 million baht

    Officers from Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation raided warehouses in Phuket on Monday, where they seized more than 100,000 counterfeit items valued at more than 50 million baht. The director of the Intellectual Property Department under the DSI investigated 5 warehouses that were reported to have stockpiled counterfeit goods. Authorities found fake luxury brand goods stored in 5 warehouses, including…

  • Thailand NewsPolice raid illegal ‘casino’ on Koh Samui located near police station | Thaiger

    Police raid illegal ‘casino’ on Koh Samui located near police station

    Officers from Bor Put police station in Koh Samui raided an illegal “casino” located in the middle of the island yesterday evening. They were joined by the island’s mayor, Chayapon Intarasupa. Those running the operation allegedly allowed people to gamble in different games to win money, according to reports. Thai media reported that the illegal gambling centre was a one-story…

  • Thailand NewsRescue worker shot dead after rival volunteer groups brawl in Bangkok | Thaiger

    Rescue worker shot dead after rival volunteer groups brawl in Bangkok

    A volunteer rescue worker has died, after reportedly receiving a lethal gunshot wound to the chest during a street brawl that broke out between two rival volunteer foundations on Sunday in Bangkok. Officers from Thonglor Police Station investigated Kasam Rat Road in front of Lotus’s Rama 4 branch in Bangkok yesterday, after receiving a report of a fight between two…

  • Phuket NewsThai man and 78 year old foreign stepfather arrested over child sex abuse in Phuket | Thaiger

    Thai man and 78 year old foreign stepfather arrested over child sex abuse in Phuket

    A Thai man and his foreign stepfather have been arrested for allegedly engaging in child sex crimes and sexual abuse in Phuket. Police say the Thai man pretended to be a swimming coach and lured male children less than 15 years old into swimming at his stepfather’s house for potential sexual exploits. More than 15 children were reportedly involved in…

  • Phuket NewsHotel and bar staff protest on Phuket’s Bangla Road after viral video prompts crackdown | Thaiger

    Hotel and bar staff protest on Phuket’s Bangla Road after viral video prompts crackdown

    The disgruntled staff of a Phuket hotel that was being used for late night parties have staged a protest on Phuket’s Bangla Road Walking Street, after their hotel was ‘outed’ for violating Thailand’s alcohol sales laws under current Covid-19 restrictions. The hotel had been operating as a defacto nightlife venue, assumedly away from the hustle bustle and attention of Bangla…

  • Thailand NewsThailand goes crazy for mango sticky rice, after Thai rapper Milli’s Coachella stunt | Thaiger

    Thailand goes crazy for mango sticky rice, after Thai rapper Milli’s Coachella stunt

    Mango sticky rice is in the international spotlight after a young Thai rapper promoted the popular dessert during her raunchy performance at the Coachella music festival. Now the Cultural Promotion Department is planning to propose that mango stick rice is “an intrinsic part of Thai culture”, to be included on the list of Thailand’s ‘UNESCO intangible cultural heritage’. The 19…

  • Songkran NewsDeputy PM’s illegal Songkran banners removed by highway officers on ‘Road to Isaan’ | Thaiger

    Deputy PM’s illegal Songkran banners removed by highway officers on ‘Road to Isaan’

    Thailand highway officers in the central province of Saraburi have been busy removing Songkran holiday banners from Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan on Tuesday. The officers said the banners, adorned with the smiley face of the 76 year old Deputy PM and party powerbroker, were not approved to be installed along the roadside and might annoy drivers and cause accidents. Aside…

  • Songkran NewsDrink driving claims 70% of traffic violations at start of Songkran’s ‘7 Dangerous Days’ | Thaiger

    Drink driving claims 70% of traffic violations at start of Songkran’s ‘7 Dangerous Days’

    The Department of Probation is releasing its statistics for the first day of driving violations administered by the court during the “Seven Dangerous Days of Songkran” from April 11 – 17. On Monday, the court issued 459 fines, 328 of which were for drink driving cases. The top three provinces with the most drunken drivers were Nonthaburi, Ubon Ratchathani and…

  • Thailand NewsFloods cause mass buffalo starvation at Thale Noi park in southern Thailand | Thaiger

    Floods cause mass buffalo starvation at Thale Noi park in southern Thailand

    More than 200 dead water buffaloes have been found floating today at the Thale Noi Waterfowl Park in the southern Thai province of Pattalung. Prolonged flooding in the region had destroyed the grasses that the buffalo rely on for food. Without it, they starved to death. Local authorities quickly rescued another 300 buffaloes, giving them dry grass and supplementary food…

  • Covid-19 NewsThailand’s DDC to reduce quarantine for high-risk cases from 7 days after Songkran | Thaiger

    Thailand’s DDC to reduce quarantine for high-risk cases from 7 days after Songkran

    Thailand’s Department of Disease Control, or DDC, has agreed to reduce the quarantine period for people residing in the kingdom who are at “high-risk” of infection after being in contact with confirmed cases of Covid-19. Starting after the Songkran festival, the quarantine period for high-risk people in Thailand will be reduced from 7 days to “5+5” days. This means those…

  • Bangkok NewsUPDATE: Bangkok airport claims Test & Go crowding was temporary, problem already fixed | Thaiger

    UPDATE: Bangkok airport claims Test & Go crowding was temporary, problem already fixed

    Suvarnabhumi International Airport has responded to the complaint from a Thai YouTuber about the seemingly chaotic crowds of international travellers arriving under the Test & Go entry scheme on Sunday. He said that people coming into the arrivals hall didn’t know where to go, couldn’t find their hotel transport, the awaiting hotel shuttles were randomly crowded behind barriers and it…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket shuts down ATK checkpoints at Bangla Walking Street from tomorrow | Thaiger

    Phuket shuts down ATK checkpoints at Bangla Walking Street from tomorrow

    The ATK checkpoints at the entrance of Bangla Walking Street in Phuket will be shut down from tomorrow onwards, according to the Patong Entertainment Association. The checkpoints have been operating since January this year. Today, the President of Patong Entertainment Association shared with Thai media that the two ATK checkpoints at the entrance and exit of Bangla Road or Bangla…

  • Thailand NewsOklahoma woman searches for Thai mother, nearly 50 years after US family adopts her | Thaiger

    Oklahoma woman searches for Thai mother, nearly 50 years after US family adopts her

    An American woman is searching for her Thai mother, who is believed to live in the Isaan province of Ubon Ratchathani. She says her father was an American soldier who met her mother when he was based in Thailand during the Vietnam War. In March of this year 49 year old Kristy Sinsara Hudsud, an American singer and songwriter, started…

  • World NewsBusinesses blame high ‘entry fees’ for deterring travellers at Thai-Malaysia border | Thaiger

    Businesses blame high ‘entry fees’ for deterring travellers at Thai-Malaysia border

    The reopening of the Thai-Malaysian border this month raised the hopes of local business owners around the border areas, who thought it would boost the economy in southern Thailand, and the northern states of Malaysia as well. However, things seem to be moving more slowly than expected, with merchants blaming the 5,000-7,000 baht “entry fees” as being too expensive for…

  • Thailand NewsThai YouTuber complains about Test & Go: ‘Foreigners won’t come back if facing this…’ | Thaiger

    Thai YouTuber complains about Test & Go: ‘Foreigners won’t come back if facing this…’

    After reportedly seeing crowds of tourists left waiting for hotels at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, a Thai YouTuber has voiced his discontent about Thailand’s unpopular Test & Go entry scheme. He said the system was a mess, with hotel staff having to shout to finding their guests, while tourists searched for the logos of their hotels, “as if they were playing…