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.
  • Pattaya News4 Thai Police under investigation after sending woman to jail for growing 1 cannabis plant | Thaiger

    4 Thai Police under investigation after sending woman to jail for growing 1 cannabis plant

    Four Thai police officers from Sri Racha Police Station in Chon Buri have been sidelined from their present positions as senior police conduct an investigation. The 4 police arrested a woman who grew one cannabis plant at home and sent her to jail for a night. 56 year old Pornpimon Prakobpon was arrested at a rented house in the Sri…

  • Politics NewsPattaya City Mayor election to be re-held in some districts after ballot papers go missing | Thaiger

    Pattaya City Mayor election to be re-held in some districts after ballot papers go missing

    Chon Buri Provincial Election Commission has announced the cancellation of the Pattaya City mayor’s election result on May 22 because ballot papers had gone missing from polling stations in 2 sub-districts. The new election in those sub-districts will be held on June 12. After 10 years of suspension of mayoral elections, the Pattaya City Mayor election was held on May…

  • Pattaya NewsMore than 200 CCTV cameras installed at Koh Larn in Pattaya for public safety | Thaiger

    More than 200 CCTV cameras installed at Koh Larn in Pattaya for public safety

    More than 200 CCTV cameras have been installed at 7 beaches and “risk spots” at Koh Larn Island in Chon Buri to improve the safety of its residents and tourists. The Deputy Secretary Permanent of Pattaya, Kiattisak Siwongchai, today explained that the CCTV cameras, which will be fully operational next month, were installed to ensure the safety of its residents…

  • Central Thailand NewsThai man buys 12 pairs of Converse as offerings to god of wealth | Thaiger

    Thai man buys 12 pairs of Converse as offerings to god of wealth

    A Thai man has bought 12 pairs of Converse sneakers and offered them to the god of wealth in the central province of Ang Thong after his wishes came true. Other locals are now copying the idea, helping the god have his own shoe collection. Yesterday, the media reported that they found a display case placed in front of the…

  • Thailand NewsDeputy PM insists using Thai numerals to keep “uniqueness” | Thaiger

    Deputy PM insists using Thai numerals to keep “uniqueness”

    Following a campaign on Change.org to remove Thai numbers from official documents, Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam said it was “an absurd controversial topic”. He insisted that Thai numbers might be complicated, but it is the way to maintain Thai uniqueness. Thai numerals are written in Thai script in formal documents, not the Arabic numerals used in many other countries. A Thai…

  • Thailand NewsPM Prayut insists no plans to drop face-mask requirement in Thailand | Thaiger

    PM Prayut insists no plans to drop face-mask requirement in Thailand

    Thailand’s PM and Defense Minister, Prayut Chan-o-cha, insists that Thailand has no plans to drop the requirement to wear face-masks. The PM asked the spokesperson to emphasise this point to the residents saying wearing masks was still “a necessary behaviour”. Last week, the Permanent Secretary of the Public Health Ministry, Kiattiphum Wongrajit, said that the ministry proposed to adjust the…

  • Central Thailand NewsTeenagers assault family car in central Thailand, injuring 3 year old | Thaiger

    Teenagers assault family car in central Thailand, injuring 3 year old

    A group of teenagers have assaulted a family of 3 in the central province of Samut Prakan. The teenagers were “throwing a party” in the middle of road at a housing estate in Bang Sao Thong district, and refused to move out of the way of the family’s car. The teenagers threw a rock through the car window, injuring the…

  • Bangkok NewsBangkok’s Bang Khun Tien district offers free sanitary pads to students | Thaiger

    Bangkok’s Bang Khun Tien district offers free sanitary pads to students

    The Bang Khun Tien District Office, near the mouth of Bangkok’s Chao Phraya river, has given away 20,000 sanitary pads to female students in 16 public schools, in line with the policies promised by the incoming Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittphun. Last Sunday, the Director of the Bang Khun Tien District Office, Pongjakarin Thawonpong, told the media that the district office…

  • Crime NewsThai woman allegedly murdered in Oman after being thrown from 4th floor of condo | Thaiger

    Thai woman allegedly murdered in Oman after being thrown from 4th floor of condo

    A Thai woman is claiming that her Omani husband murdered her Thai friend. She claims her friend was thrown from the 4th floor of a condominium in Oman after fighting with her husband. Last Friday, the Facebook user Pawarisa Oil posted a sympathy message to her friend, saying that her friend was thrown from a building in Oman. Pawarisa said…

  • Cannabis NewsSmoking cannabis recreationally is still illegal, warns Department of Public Health | Thaiger

    Smoking cannabis recreationally is still illegal, warns Department of Public Health

    Cannabis smoke is a “public nuisance” and smoking it recreationally – at home or in public – is illegal, warns Thailand’s Department of Public Health. From June 9, growing cannabis plants at home will become legal, but smoking cannabis recreationally will remain a punishable offence. The only prerequisite to legally growing cannabis at home, from June 9, is downloading and…

  • South Thailand NewsStudent hit by motorbike on zebra crossing in front of school in Trang | Thaiger

    Student hit by motorbike on zebra crossing in front of school in Trang

    A female student has been hit by a motorbike while crossing the road at a zebra crossing with a group of friends and teachers in front of a school in the southern province of Trang. The motorbike rider stopped only a minute to check that the young girl was OK then immediately drove away. The dashcam video of the student…

  • Road deathsPolice pickup crashes into motorbike, one teenager dead and another seriously injured | Thaiger

    Police pickup crashes into motorbike, one teenager dead and another seriously injured

    One teenager is dead, and another is seriously injured after a car accident in Pathum Thani province near Bangkok. The victims’ friends claimed that a police pickup was chasing after them and “intentionally” crashed into the victims’ motorbike, causing them to lose control and hit a guard rail. Last night, at 12.30 am, police officers from the Lad Lum Kaew…

  • Thailand NewsThailand to borrow 20 billion baht to maintain fuel subsidies | Thaiger

    Thailand to borrow 20 billion baht to maintain fuel subsidies

    The Office of Fuel Fund plans to borrow 20 billion baht to top up the country’s oil price subsidies as residents and different departments are being increasingly affected by the rising oil price. The fund is seeking inbound loans from the Government Saving Bank and Krungthai Bank. The details are expected to be clear at the end of this month.…

  • Thailand NewsThais in Japan protest in front of PM Prayut’s hotel | Thaiger

    Thais in Japan protest in front of PM Prayut’s hotel

    Thais from a group named UDD Japan gathered in front of a hotel where Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha was staying to protest. The group demanded that the PM resign and release the young political activists out of jail. PM Prayut is in Japan to join the 27th International Conference on the Future of Asia or Nikkei Forum, held until the…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket looks for new groundwater sources to cope with acute water shortages | Thaiger

    Phuket looks for new groundwater sources to cope with acute water shortages

    The Department of Groundwater Resources started a project to explore new groundwater sources in Phuket to cope with the ongoing water scarcity problem in the province. The project is also expected to be a model for other Thai islands to study groundwater resources and water management. The Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Varawut Silpa-Archa, assigned the Groundwater Resources Department…

  • World NewsMan arrested for smuggling durian trees valued at 1 million baht to Laos | Thaiger

    Man arrested for smuggling durian trees valued at 1 million baht to Laos

    A Thai man has been arrested at the Customs Department’s border checkpoint in the northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani. He was caught trying to deliver durian trees, valued at around one million baht, to a customer in Laos. The Head of Chongmek Customs House at the border of Thailand and Laos, Wanlop Suiraksa, told Thai media that they received leaked…

  • South Thailand NewsUPDATE: Cafe serves drinks in “penis” bags in southern Thailand | Thaiger

    UPDATE: Cafe serves drinks in “penis” bags in southern Thailand

    UPDATE: After the eye-catching penis-tea-bag went viral on social media, Chadeen cafe in Songkhla province, southern Thailand, have announced that they are discontinuing the bag moving forward… “We have to apologise to all customers. We will not sell the [penis] bag anymore. It involves many sensitive issues. Thank you everyone for all your interest and support.” Chadeen might not be…

  • Road deathsFrench woman dies riding bicycle in central Thailand | Thaiger

    French woman dies riding bicycle in central Thailand

    A young French woman was killed in a road accident in Ayutthaya province in central Thailand yesterday evening. The 26 year old tourist got confused at an intersection when a green and red light shone at the same time, leading her to drive into oncoming traffic. A man driving a sedan through the green light couldn’t break in time, striking…

  • South Thailand NewsFamily moves out after 14 cobras invade house in southern Thailand | Thaiger

    Family moves out after 14 cobras invade house in southern Thailand

    A family in Songkhla province in southern Thailand moved out of their house on Monday after they discovered 14 cobras living inside with them. The family kept discovering more and more cobras over a period of four days until they had enough, and decided to leave for good. The 43 year old renter of the house, Erawan, said he found…

  • Thailand NewsAmerican cruise company looking for 1,000 Thai service staff | Thaiger

    American cruise company looking for 1,000 Thai service staff

    All aboard! The American cruise company that owns the Princess Cruise, Holland America Line, has visited Thailand’s Department of Employment seeking Thai staff to work onboard. The company says they have more than 1,000 positions available for Thai people saying that the famous Thai smile is perfect for the hospitality industry. The Director-General of the Employment Department, Pirot Choticsathian, welcomed…

  • Bangkok NewsThai PM Prayut questions Chadchart’s 200+ policies for Bangkok | Thaiger

    Thai PM Prayut questions Chadchart’s 200+ policies for Bangkok

    He’s only been elected for 3 days and the sniping has already started. Thailand’s PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has told Thai media that he is ready to work with the incoming Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt. But the PM says he’s curious how Chadchart will achieve the 200 policies he promoted during the election campaign. The PM said Chadchart would be “more powerful…

  • South Thailand NewsCafe serves drinks in “penis” bags in southern Thailand | Thaiger

    Cafe serves drinks in “penis” bags in southern Thailand

    A cafe in Songkhla province, southern Thailand, has come up with a bizarre idea to attract customers… and it seems to be working. Everything about the cafe is completely normal, aside from the fact that they serve drinks in bags that look like penises. Thirsty anyone? Chadeen cafe serves Thai milk tea, green tea, coffee and fruity sodas. With a…

  • Thailand NewsThailand exempts cryptocurrency transfer VAT until 2023 | Thaiger

    Thailand exempts cryptocurrency transfer VAT until 2023

    The Royal Thai Government Gazette has formally announced a VAT exemption for transferring cryptocurrency from now until the end of 2023. The cabinet had approved the exemption of the value added tax, or VAT, for transferring cryptocurrency or digital tokens in March. Yesterday, the decision was passed into Thai law and will be in effect from yesterday until December 31,…

  • Crime NewsFormer air force officer murders ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend in Bangkok | Thaiger

    Former air force officer murders ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend in Bangkok

    A former Royal Thai Air Force officer murdered his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend at a house in Ratchathewi district in Bangkok yesterday morning. The perpetrator broke into the couple’s home and shot dead 24 year old Fah and 25 year old Korakot before fleeing the house. Fah was shot twice in the head and body and Korakot was shot…

  • Northern Thailand NewsThai cult’s food products tested – feces, bacteria and mould detected | Thaiger

    Thai cult’s food products tested – feces, bacteria and mould detected

    An update on the hidden cult commune in the Isaan province of Chaiyaphum… Local health authorities found the cult was operating a food businesses and seized all of the products for further investigation. The test results showed that the food samples from the group contained excessive amounts of mould, Coliform and bacteria, usually found in feces. At the start of…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket opens new prison facility with more space as demand increases | Thaiger

    Phuket opens new prison facility with more space as demand increases

    The Department of Correction has officially opened a new prison in Phuket in response to the increasing number of inmates. The new prison has much more space compared to the former, notoriously small, prison facility in Phuket Town. The inmates have now been moved from the old prison to their new, hopefully temporary, home. The prison has nearly 3,000 inmates…

  • Thailand NewsCommerce Ministry says Thais should sell to Chinese customers on TikTok | Thaiger

    Commerce Ministry says Thais should sell to Chinese customers on TikTok

    The Ministry of Commerce has come up with a cunning plan that Thai people could make more money by selling products, especially clothes, to Chinese people via the popular TikTok app. The ministry also came up with tips and ideas for Thai sellers who want to win new Chinese customers on TikTok. Yesterday, the Director-General of the Department of International…

  • Thailand NewsLuxury Parliamentary Club open for Thai MPs with spa, karaoke and massage rooms | Thaiger

    Luxury Parliamentary Club open for Thai MPs with spa, karaoke and massage rooms

    The recently opened Parliament House of Thailand will have a new luxury Parliamentary Club for House of Representatives MPs and Senators to relax, with a spa, massage, karaoke room, fitness, gyms, ballroom dance and other recreation activities. Yesterday, the Chairman of the Senate committee to Organise Activities for Social Benefit and Recreational Activities of the Senate, Peerasak Porchit, took Thai…

  • Thailand NewsThailand’s genomics centre to launch monkeypox tests in next 2 weeks | Thaiger

    Thailand’s genomics centre to launch monkeypox tests in next 2 weeks

    The Centre of Medical Genomics from Ramathibodi Hospital is developing a Monkeypox test from the genetic codes obtained from Portugal and Belgium. The test will provide the result within 24 hours, and it is expected to be ready for use in the next 2 weeks. The official Facebook page of the Centre of Medical Genomics announced on May 21 that…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket to scoop 20 million baht booty a day after Patong gets green light to party | Thaiger

    Phuket to scoop 20 million baht booty a day after Patong gets green light to party

    Cha-ching! The familiar sound of the cash register is about to ring once again after pubs, bars, and entertainment venues at Patong beach got the green light to reopen. Patong Entertainment Association expects to earn between 10 to 20 million baht per night after the beach resort on the west coast of Phuket Island got the go-ahead to reopen its…