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 NewsHungry monkeys overrun Isaan town, raiding homes and roaming in roads | Thaiger

    Hungry monkeys overrun Isaan town, raiding homes and roaming in roads

    Hungry monkeys have been causing problems for residents in the northeastern province Amnat Charoen. Not hundreds, but thousands of monkeys have moved from a nearby forest to the residential area in search of food, many raiding houses and roaming into the roads, some getting hit by oncoming cars. Residents in the Pana district shared with Thai media that around 2,000…

  • Thailand NewsTAT launches “Holideals” travel promotions with digital tokens as payment | Thaiger

    TAT launches “Holideals” travel promotions with digital tokens as payment

    In a new marketing campaign by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, people will be able to use digital tokens to buy travel packages and vouchers. The “Thailand Holideals” offers packages and vouchers for hotels, restaurants, spas, and for recreational activities. This is the first time the Thai travel industry has allowed travellers pay using digital tokens. The Deputy Manager of…

  • Thailand NewsSandwich seller in Isaan arrested for smuggling amphetamine from Laos | Thaiger

    Sandwich seller in Isaan arrested for smuggling amphetamine from Laos

    The sandwich seller in northeastern province Roi Et was arrested for allegedly smuggling illicit drugs. Police found more than 70,000 amphetamine pills at her home. The 47 year old woman allegedly admitted to the charges, saying selling sandwiches couldn’t cover her family’s expenses and she needed the additional income. Officers from Mueng Roi Et Police Station received a tip that…

  • Thailand NewsThursday Covid Update: 23,618 new cases; provincial totals | Thaiger

    Thursday Covid Update: 23,618 new cases; provincial totals

    49 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 23,070 with 1,372 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 23,618 new Covid-19 cases and 18,939 recoveries. There are now 223,414 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…

  • Thailand NewsElephant carcass missing ivory tusks found at Songkhla national park | Thaiger

    Elephant carcass missing ivory tusks found at Songkhla national park

    The remains of an elephant missing its ivory tusks were found by national park authorities at a mountain in the southern province Songkhla. Officials suspect the elephant was killed by those involved in the illegal ivory trade. Locals found the bones of the elephant on a mountain in the Pa Kabang Reserved Forest in the province’s Sabayoi district. National park…

  • World NewsFamous actor released from jail in Myanmar following sentencing for anti-coup influence | Thaiger

    Famous actor released from jail in Myanmar following sentencing for anti-coup influence

    The famous Burmese model and actor detained by the Myanmar junta for his role in the mass anti-coup protests has been pardoned and released. 25 year old Paing Takhon, who is also famous in Thailand, was arrested last year for his influence in the country’s pro-democracy movement following the February 2021 military coup. He had been charged for dissent against…

  • Thailand NewsThai police raid home suspected of running illegal Korean gambling site | Thaiger

    Thai police raid home suspected of running illegal Korean gambling site

    Thai police raided a home suspected of being the headquarters for an illegal gambling website that swindled more than 100 million baht from Korean victims. Officers arrested four South Korean men and a Thai woman who was renting the home in Samut Prakan, just southeast of Bangkok. The suspects face charges of organising, advertising, and inviting people to join gambling without…

  • Thailand News3 metre long snakes found while clearing land in Bangkok | Thaiger

    3 metre long snakes found while clearing land in Bangkok

    Not one, but three pythons, each around three metres long, were found in an unoccupied plot of land in Bangkok. A worker was using a backhoe to clear the area when he stumbled across the large snakes. Rescuers also found another python and a green viper. They suspect at least 10 more snakes are in the area. The area in in…

  • Covid-19 NewsWednesday Covid Update: 22,197 new cases; provincial totals | Thaiger

    Wednesday Covid Update: 22,197 new cases; provincial totals

    45 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 23,021 with 1,323 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 22,197 new Covid-19 cases and 19,093 recoveries. There are now 218,784 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…

  • World NewsUkrainian and Russian tourists in Thailand face problems with financial transactions, travel | Thaiger

    Ukrainian and Russian tourists in Thailand face problems with financial transactions, travel

    Many Ukrainian and Russian tourists in Thailand have been facing problems with financial transactions and travel following measures launched by various countries banning and blocking services by Russian banks and close airspace to Russian aircraft. Having arrived in Thailand, in the thousands, during February, they’ve now found themselves somewhat stranded by both fallout from the international sanctions as well as…

  • Thailand NewsThai couple arrested for allegedly running fake travel agency advertising trips in Krabi | Thaiger

    Thai couple arrested for allegedly running fake travel agency advertising trips in Krabi

    A couple was arrested in Bangkok for allegedly running a fake travel agency advertising tour packages in the southern province Krabi off the Andaman coast. Reports say the couple had been doing the scam for seven years, scamming tourists out of a total of 100 million baht. Tour packages with accommodation included were advertised on Facebook for costing 2,500 baht…

  • Thailand NewsSpokesperson says Covid-19 treatment budget adjustment will not affect quality of care | Thaiger

    Spokesperson says Covid-19 treatment budget adjustment will not affect quality of care

    Following yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, a spokesperson explained the decision to decrease the budget covering Covid-19 treatment costs, saying the price of some medical supplies have gone down. He told reporters that the budget adjustment will not affect the quality of care for Covid-19 patients. Thai media reports do not mention how much the budget is, but say medical centres and…

  • Phuket NewsCabinet approves budget to make Phuket a “world class health destination” | Thaiger

    Cabinet approves budget to make Phuket a “world class health destination”

    Thai officials plan to make Phuket a “world class health destination.” The Cabinet just approved a 1.411 billion baht budget to develop health and wellness centres on the island and improve medical services. Over 45 acres of state-owned land in Phuket will be used to develop health centres and facilities. The project was expected to take four years to complete…

  • Thailand NewsMP questions submarine purchase from China, says it will be delivered without an engine | Thaiger

    MP questions submarine purchase from China, says it will be delivered without an engine

    A MP from the Pheu Thai Party claims that the submarine that the government recently brought from China will be delivered without an engine after issues with a German supplier. The MP, and also Pheu Thai party leader, Yuttapong Charasathien, is criticising the 12.42 billion baht submarine purchase from a Chinese firm, saying the “deal lacked transparency”. Yuttapong says the…

  • Thailand NewsForeigner’s body found on Koh Larn beach off the coast of Pattaya | Thaiger

    Foreigner’s body found on Koh Larn beach off the coast of Pattaya

    A man’s body was found on a beach on Koh Larn, an island off the coast of Pattaya, this morning. Police have not identified the body, but claim the man “is a foreigner”. At around 8am, the man’s body was found on the island’s Tien Beach. There were wounds on his right eye and eyebrow, and he was wearing two…

  • Covid-19 NewsTuesday Covid Update: 20,420 new cases; provincial totals | Thaiger

    Tuesday Covid Update: 20,420 new cases; provincial totals

    43 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 22,976 with 1,278 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 20,420 new Covid-19 cases and 18,297 recoveries. There are now 215,725 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…

  • Crime NewsDrug suspect claims Thai police assaulted him during questioning | Thaiger

    Drug suspect claims Thai police assaulted him during questioning

    A drug suspect claims Thai police officers assaulted him during interrogation as they were trying to get more information about other drug dealers. He also claims an officer forced his girlfriend to give oral sex when she came to pay bail. The suspect made a complaint with the Anti Corruption Division. A 45 year old suspect and his 19 year…

  • Thailand NewsFrench expat with Alzheimer’s rescued after getting lost in Chiang Mai forest | Thaiger

    French expat with Alzheimer’s rescued after getting lost in Chiang Mai forest

    More than 200 people teamed up for a rescue effort to find a French expat with Alzheimer’s disease who went missing in Chiang Mai. He was found the next morning in an abandoned temple in a forest. The 70 year old man says he was driving to the French Embassy in Chiang Mai when he forgot the way home. His…

  • Thailand NewsBangkok police allegedly shoots and kills colleague on accident while drunk | Thaiger

    Bangkok police allegedly shoots and kills colleague on accident while drunk

    A 50 year old police officer was shot to death at a police station in Bangkok, allegedly by his close colleague who was reportedly drunk and showing off his new guns. A senior police officer told Thai media that the officers were not on duty or in uniform were the shooting occurred. The off-duty officers were lounging an office at…

  • World NewsUkrainians and Russians in Thailand gather in Phuket to call for peace | Thaiger

    Ukrainians and Russians in Thailand gather in Phuket to call for peace

    Ukrainians and Russians in Thailand have been gathering in various locations in Phuket to call for peace and urge to stop the violence. Crowds waved flags and balloons in Ukraine’s national colours yellow and blue as they called for an end to the conflict. This morning, over 80 Ukrainian and Russian tourists and expats were on the roadside by the…

  • Thailand NewsBangkok bridge collapses, officials say mistake made during construction | Thaiger

    Bangkok bridge collapses, officials say mistake made during construction

    A 50-metre bridge in Bangkok collapsed over the weekend, reportedly due to mistakes made by the construction team that affected the structure. The collapse on Udomsuk road impacted traffic as well as the water tap system in the area. No accidents and losses were reported, and it was expected to be repaired within one month. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Secretary Khajit…

  • Thailand NewsSouthern Thailand flooding causes bridge collapse, 6 people reported dead | Thaiger

    Southern Thailand flooding causes bridge collapse, 6 people reported dead

    Six people have been reported dead and one missing after a bridge collapsed due to heavy rains and strong currents in the Deep South province Narathiwat. The bodies were found in a submerged pickup truck. Investigators are still searching for another body. Flooding from heavy rain over the past week has hit several provinces in Thailand’s southern-most region including Narathiwat,…

  • Thailand NewsFire breaks out at Major Cineplex in Bangkok’s Ekkamai area | Thaiger

    Fire breaks out at Major Cineplex in Bangkok’s Ekkamai area

    A cinema in Bangkok’s Ekkamai area caught fire early this morning, with flames spread on the fourth and fifth floor of the theatre. Major Cineplex Sukhumvit was closed when the fire broke out at around 4:43am today. Firefighters are investigating to determine what caused the fire. Early this morning, a vendor outside the cinema was preparing to set up shop…

  • Thailand NewsEthnic group in Southern province complains losing residence due to tourism | Thaiger

    Ethnic group in Southern province complains losing residence due to tourism

    Representatives of the Mani ethnic group in the Southern province of Satun in Thailand have handed a letter to the authorities complaining that they would lose their residence and couldn’t access a better quality of life due to the local tourism industry. The representatives told the authorities they didn’t even have a right to replace a thatched roof with a…

  • Thailand NewsPublic health secretary says “drugs are not snacks, no Favipiravir given if not necessary” | Thaiger

    Public health secretary says “drugs are not snacks, no Favipiravir given if not necessary”

    Previously, the Public Health Ministry had decided to provide the anti-viral drug Favipiravir to more groups of Covid-19 patients, including patients who had only mild symptoms or no symptoms. However, the ministry secretary told Thai media yesterday that the direction has changed, and Favipiravir will be given to Covid-19 patients “only if necessary”. The authorities also warned of side effects…

  • Covid-19 NewsFriday Covid Update: 24,932 new cases; provincial totals | Thaiger

    Friday Covid Update: 24,932 new cases; provincial totals

    41 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 22,809 with 1,111 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 24,932 new Covid-19 cases and 15,774 recoveries. There are now 190,110 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…

  • Thailand NewsIndian mafia member arrested in Pattaya, confirmed no links to Phuket murder | Thaiger

    Indian mafia member arrested in Pattaya, confirmed no links to Phuket murder

    An Indian mafia member was arrested in Pattaya after a red Interpol notice. He was allegedly involved in robbery, murder, human trafficking, ransom and money laundering in India. But Thai police have already confirmed that there is no links between the arrested man and the ‘hit job’ on Indian citizen Jimi “Slice” Sandhu on February 4. The Pattaya suspect reportedly…

  • Thailand NewsPattaya Music Festival postponed due to a rise in Covid-19 cases | Thaiger

    Pattaya Music Festival postponed due to a rise in Covid-19 cases

    Next month’s Pattaya Music Festival 2022 is being postponed due to the surge in Covid-19 cases which hit 1,250 new infections in Chon Buri today. With the recent decision to hold off the music festival, some are worried authorities may also yet again cancel April’s Songkran festival, the massive water fight celebrating the Thai New Year. Pattaya Music Festival was…

  • Thailand NewsTrang residents with Covid complain of lack of food in government’s aid packages | Thaiger

    Trang residents with Covid complain of lack of food in government’s aid packages

    A number of locals in the southern province Trang say provincial authorities have skimped on the aid packages for those in home isolation while they recover from Covid-19. During the 10-day mandatory time in self-quarantine, the residents say authorities have only been giving them instant noodles, canned fish, and rice… not the three meals a day they say they were…

  • Thailand News7 men arrested for allegedly posing as monks, asking for cash donations | Thaiger

    7 men arrested for allegedly posing as monks, asking for cash donations

    Seven men are accused of posing as monks to scam residents in the eastern province Rayong by asking for cash donations. Reports say police found the men carrying fake monk identification cards. The seven “monks” were seen as unconventional as they refused to accept food and other offerings, and only accepted money. A local monk then reported them to the…