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 NewsOrdination ceremony concert goes on despite flood | Thaiger

    Ordination ceremony concert goes on despite flood

    “The show must go on,” as the old adage goes, and this was certainly the case at a recent ordination ceremony under threat of flooding in Pathum Thani province near Bangkok. The owner of a lighting and sound company, Moo, was hired to set up a concert stage for an ordination ceremony at Samakiyaram Temple in the central province of…

  • Thailand NewsDisabled lottery seller swindled out of one million baht | Thaiger

    Disabled lottery seller swindled out of one million baht

    A lottery ticket seller with a disability filed a complaint with the police yesterday after a man, pretending to be the President of the Association of the Disabled Union of Thailand, lured her into investing one million baht in lottery tickets. The Secretary of Punyaphat Foundation for Persons with Disabilities yesterday filed a complaint on behalf of the 36 year…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket taxis drivers promise to quit fighting rivals | Thaiger

    Phuket taxis drivers promise to quit fighting rivals

    Representatives of taxi drivers in Phuket met with provincial officials to acknowledge proposals to avoid fights recently reported in the media. Following a recent fight between a traditional taxi driver and an app-based driver in the Kamala district last weekend, Phuket authorities decided to host a meeting to urge local taxi drivers to focus on the reputation of the province.…

  • World NewsMiss Ukraine slams Miss Grand International promoter | Thaiger

    Miss Ukraine slams Miss Grand International promoter

    Ukrainian Beauty queen Olga Vasyliv slammed Miss Grand International 2022 promoters as politically insensitive after they assigned a hotel room for her to share with her Russian counterpart Ekaterina Astashenkova. The Thai-based beauty pageant, Miss Grand International, is promoted by famous Thai media celebrity Nawat Itsaragrisil. The pageant was founded in Thailand in 2013 amid a political crisis in the…

  • Thailand NewsTangmo defendant repays vow with 5-metre Ultraman figure | Thaiger

    Tangmo defendant repays vow with 5-metre Ultraman figure

    A defendant from the Tangmo case, Tanupat “Por’’ Lerttaweewit, repaid a vow he made at a famous temple in the southern part of Thailand by offering a 5-metre Ultraman figure. Thai netizens believe he made a wish related to the Tangmo case after Tangmo’s mother agreed to accept compensation and dropped murder charges. The Kom Chad Luek platform reported that…

  • Thailand NewsFather & 2 year old son shot in Chiang Mai | Thaiger

    Father & 2 year old son shot in Chiang Mai

    A father and his two year old son were shot while riding a motorcycle in Chiang Mai in the early hours of this morning. The man died at the scene while his son is in critical condition. Officers from Chai Prakarn Police Station were notified of the incident on Mae Khi Road in the Si Dong Yen sub-district, Chai Prakan…

  • Northern Thailand NewsMother seeks justice after a monk slapped her son | Thaiger

    Mother seeks justice after a monk slapped her son

    The mother of a 17 year old schoolboy slapped by a monk in a Buddhist ethics camp in the Isaan province of Udon Thani wants justice for the assault. The provincial chief monk says his subordinate’s action did not violate monk rules. The child’s 33 year old mother, Waranya, is furious with the monk and seeks justice. She urged the…

  • Thailand NewsWoman abandons home after police ignore four burglaries | Thaiger

    Woman abandons home after police ignore four burglaries

    A homeowner in the Lat Phrao area of Bangkok has abandoned her property after a spate of break-ins ignored by police left her fearing for her life. A picture of the thieves breaking into her house is currently circulating on social media. The Let Me Know If You Wanna Be Famous (อยากดังเดี๋ยวจัดให้รีเทิร์น 5.2) Facebook account posted pictures of the thieving…

  • Thailand NewsPrayut plans to contact citizens hit by power cuts via radio | Thaiger

    Prayut plans to contact citizens hit by power cuts via radio

    Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha suggests officials warn locals about flash floods via radio as Thailand did 11 years ago in flooding in 2011. The 68 year old wants to use the radio to update citizens on the news should they lose their electricity. The prime minister joined a meeting via zoom yesterday to discuss how to manage the flooding situation and…

  • Thailand NewsThai industries want to produce energy to combat rising costs | Thaiger

    Thai industries want to produce energy to combat rising costs

    A survey by the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) revealed that Thailand’s industrial sector wants to produce its own electricity to combat the rising cost of energy but they need government support to make it work. The Office of the Energy Regulatory Commission announced in August this year that the fuel adjustment rate for electricity would be raised to about…

  • World News3-year jail term for carrying crops, fruit & veg into Japan | Thaiger

    3-year jail term for carrying crops, fruit & veg into Japan

    The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan warned travellers against carrying fresh fruits, vegetables, and crops into the country without permission. Anyone who fails to follow the instructions could face imprisonment of three years and a fine of 1 million yen, or about 263,000 baht. Japan is strict on imports, especially for plants and crops, in a bid…

  • Thailand NewsInnocent man jailed 7 months for 15.8 million baht theft demands justice | Thaiger

    Innocent man jailed 7 months for 15.8 million baht theft demands justice

    An innocent man jailed for over seven months has filed a miscarriage of justice complaint against the police after being blamed for stealing diamond rings worth 15.8 million baht. The innocent man, Pisit Suwannapim, is demanding justice from the Anti-Corruption Division Police after being jailed for seven months and ten days in Thon Buri Remand Prison. The 54 year old…

  • Thailand NewsNuan the cat feline good about upcoming APEC meeting | Thaiger

    Nuan the cat feline good about upcoming APEC meeting

    A purr-fect Instagram post by the Foreign Affairs Ministry to promote the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Thailand went viral because of the department’s choice of the presenter – a cat. The APEC mascot is a cat called Nuan. Nuan was featured on the official Instagram account of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand yesterday, October 2, and…

  • Thailand NewsForeigners anger Chiang Mai locals for kissing in temple | Thaiger

    Foreigners anger Chiang Mai locals for kissing in temple

    A foreign couple enraged Chiang Mai locals after a picture emerged of them kissing beside the famous Wat Si Suphan temple. Wat Si Suphan in the northern province of Chiang Mai became even more popular this week after its 500 year old stupa, or chedi, collapsed. The Thai media reported locals and foreigners swarmed to the historic building this week to…

  • Northern Thailand News30 trail runners stuck in Isaan forest due to flash flood | Thaiger

    30 trail runners stuck in Isaan forest due to flash flood

    Thirty trail runners in the Ultra-Trail Phu Kradueng Wake Up Run 2022 were stuck in the Phu Kradueng National Park in the Isaan province of Loei due to a perilous flash flood last Saturday. Fortunately, all runners were rescued and are safe. One of the runners, Itthipol Samutthong, sounded the alarm on his Facebook account at 9.03pm, Saturday, October 1.…

  • Thailand NewsAirspace over Bangkok airport closed for airforce parade | Thaiger

    Airspace over Bangkok airport closed for airforce parade

    Airspace over Don Mueng International Airport in Bangkok is closed for an hour tomorrow for a traditional and honorary air parade by the Royal Thai Air Force (RTF). The RTF received a lot of criticism from Thai netizens for the ceremony over Don Mueng Airport but insists it goes ahead to honour a retiring Air Force chief and welcome a…

  • Thailand NewsPolice ignore cheating antics of drunk Bangkok cabbie | Thaiger

    Police ignore cheating antics of drunk Bangkok cabbie

    An outraged Thai woman took to social media after police refused to punish an allegedly drunk, chain-smoking Bangkok cabbie who guzzled alcohol while driving and overcharged her brother. Supunsa Hombanyen posted videos of the slovenly drunk taxi driver on her TikTok account, @mildhom, yesterday. She said… “On September 27, 2022, my brother took a taxi from Morchit in Bangkok to…

  • Thailand NewsThai woman says she will kill herself unless compensated | Thaiger

    Thai woman says she will kill herself unless compensated

    An angry Thai woman stormed into City Hall yesterday and screamed at Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt that she would kill herself if she didn’t get 500,000 baht compensation for an injury she sustained four years ago. The furious woman, Sutasinobon (surname reserved), told Chadchart she got her leg stuck in one of the city’s sewers, she is still in pain,…

  • Northern Thailand NewsWoman’s body in luggage found floating in Mekong River | Thaiger

    Woman’s body in luggage found floating in Mekong River

    Royal Thai Marine Corps police yesterday found a suitcase stuffed with the body of a dead woman floating in the Mekong River in the Isaan province of Nakhon Phanom. Officers from Nakhon Phanom Provincial Marine Police Station fished the luggage out of the Mekong about 20 metres away from the station’s dock. Officers from That Phanom Police Station, That Phanom Crown…

  • Thailand News2 Thai knights in shining armour aid lost foreign child in Pattaya | Thaiger

    2 Thai knights in shining armour aid lost foreign child in Pattaya

    Two Thai men became knights in shining armour when they went to assist a young foreign girl lost, wandering alone late at night down a dark quiet road in Pattaya. Thai netizens hailed their efforts to overcome a difficult situation and help a frightened child. One of the men, 23 year old Phoommiphat Chaichana, posted a video of the incident…

  • Crime NewsBMA reveals Bangkok druggies buy yaba online | Thaiger

    BMA reveals Bangkok druggies buy yaba online

    The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) yesterday revealed that the majority of the capital’s drug users are of a young working age and they buy their illegal narcotics online. The Deputy Permanent Secretary of the BMA, Wantanee Wattana, reported that the statistics gathered between October 2020 and August 2022 showed that most drug users among the capital’s residents were aged between…

  • Thailand NewsThailand pays 3.8 billion baht for first train hub in hospital | Thaiger

    Thailand pays 3.8 billion baht for first train hub in hospital

    A budget of 3.8 billion baht has been approved to build Thailand’s first train station inside a hospital. The train station is intended to serve as a transportation hub with a medical centre at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok. The deputy spokesperson of the Prime Minister’s Office, Ratchada Thanadirek, reported yesterday that the very first train station for health and public…

  • Pattaya NewsThai lotto winners reward ghosts with pricey Japanese feast | Thaiger

    Thai lotto winners reward ghosts with pricey Japanese feast

    Two 10-million baht lottery winners spent 300,000 baht of their fortune turning a graveyard in Chon Buri into a Japanese restaurant to reward ghosts for giving them the lucky numbers. The couple yesterday evening transformed the Tri Kunnatham Foundation graveyard in the Nong Ree sub-district of Chon Buri province into a pop-up sushi bar and served Japanese food to 5,000…

  • Thailand NewsKnife-wielding tuk tuk driver says he is the victim in brawl over passengers | Thaiger

    Knife-wielding tuk tuk driver says he is the victim in brawl over passengers

    An 84 year old tuk tuk driver claimed that he was attacked by younger drivers because of a row over passengers. The alleged offenders defended themselves saying they were threatened by a knife first. The elderly tuk tuk driver, Pichit Sawanwijit, filed a complaint at Mueng Udon Thani Police Station saying he was attacked by three younger tuk tuk drivers…

  • Northern Thailand NewsNaga Fireball Festival is coming to Isaan on October 10 | Thaiger

    Naga Fireball Festival is coming to Isaan on October 10

    Organisers of the annual Naga Fireball Festival are hoping the gala will once again recapture the imagination of all visitors after a couple of barren Covid-19 pandemic years. The festival is back in the Isaan province of Nong Khai on October 10 and promotors are predicting a bonanza event that will help boost the provincial economy by 70% to 80%.…

  • Thailand NewsOff-duty officer fires shots & fights with Bangkok cabbie | Thaiger

    Off-duty officer fires shots & fights with Bangkok cabbie

    A road rage incident between a Bangkok taxi driver and an allegedly drunk off-duty police officer saw shots fired and a bout of fisticuffs on the hard shoulder of a motorway. The taxi driver, Thongchai Baanyam, filed a complaint with the police soon after the incident in Bangkok last night. The 42 year old told police that the reportedly drunk…

  • Thailand News169 Thai police officers dismissed for serious violations | Thaiger

    169 Thai police officers dismissed for serious violations

    The Royal Thai Police (RTP) revealed that 169 officers were dismissed this year due to serious disciplinary violations while another 215 officers were punished and disciplined. The Office of the Police Commission met with caretaker Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan yesterday for an overview of the RTN’s fiscal year for the last meeting of 2022. The meeting discussed human resource management, salaries,…

  • Thailand NewsAmerican told to stop riding go-kart in Chiang Mai | Thaiger

    American told to stop riding go-kart in Chiang Mai

    Police and residents in Chiang Mai urged an American man to stop riding his yellow single-seat go-kart on a public road after highlighting the danger he poses to himself and others. A dash cam video of the yellow single-seat go-kart was uploaded to Thai social media on September 21. The kart is seen dashing down the left lane of the…

  • Thailand NewsDogs abandoned by foreigner in Chiang Mai are adopted | Thaiger

    Dogs abandoned by foreigner in Chiang Mai are adopted

    UPDATE The two Thai ridgeback dogs, which were said to have been abandoned by a foreign owner in Chiang Mai, were adopted by a Thai family. The dogs will be moved to a new home in the nearby province of Lampang. Thai dog lovers who live in the same village, Nam Pueng Village, contacted the owner of the house where…

  • Thailand NewsVegetarian Festival on Yaowarat Road starts today | Thaiger

    Vegetarian Festival on Yaowarat Road starts today

    Great news for those living on the veg, the Vegetarian Festival is back on Yaowarat Road in Bangkok after a two-year pandemic absence. Vegetarians from all over “vegiverse” can get down to the “beet” and “shake the mushroom” from today until October 4. Thai-Chinese people all over the country celebrate the vegetarian festival, or Kin Jay in Thai, every year…