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 NewsThai rapist remains at large after drugging and raping 15 year old girl | Thaiger

    Thai rapist remains at large after drugging and raping 15 year old girl

    A Thai mother demanded a punishment on a rapist who drugged and sexually assaulted her 15 year old daughter in Rayong province in 2024. The 52 year old victim’s mother met the commander of the Rayong Provincial Police, Pramote Ngampradit, to seek justice after the rape case had no development since it occurred in July of 2024. The suspect remains…

  • Thailand NewsPeople’s Party MP candidate sues Thai woman for staging vote-buying | Thaiger

    People’s Party MP candidate sues Thai woman for staging vote-buying

    A parliamentary candidate from the People’s Party in Saraburi province announced legal action against a woman who admitted staging a fake vote-buying incident to attract attention on social media. The controversy began on Monday, January 12, when a Thai woman posted a photo on her Facebook account, Rungnapa Kotphuthorn. The image showed a 1,000-baht banknote placed together with a election…

  • Phuket News6 boat workers at Chalong Bay Pier in Phuket tested positive for drugs | Thaiger

    6 boat workers at Chalong Bay Pier in Phuket tested positive for drugs

    Phuket Tourist Police intensified safety measures at Chalong Bay Pier following a fatal speedboat accident involving a drug-fuelled driver, with random drug tests revealing that six boat workers tested positive for illegal substances. Officers from Phuket Tourist Police, Marine Police, Chalong Police Station, and Marine Department Region 5 jointly announced stricter controls targeting drug use among workers in the tourism…

  • Thailand NewsDeath toll rises to 22 in Korat train crash after crane collapse | Thaiger

    Death toll rises to 22 in Korat train crash after crane collapse

    Local rescue teams reported this afternoon, January 14, that the death toll from a train accident in Nakhon Ratchasima, also known as Korat, rose sharply from four to 22, with more than 50 people injured. The fatal incident occurred at around 9am on a railway line in the Baan Thanon Kot community in the Sikhiu district of Nakhon Ratchasima. The track…

  • Bangkok NewsThai man attacks 3 Cambodian nationals after repeated ‘ladyboy’ taunts | Thaiger

    Thai man attacks 3 Cambodian nationals after repeated ‘ladyboy’ taunts

    A Thai worker at a cannabis shop in Bangkok physically attacked Cambodian customers after allegedly enduring repeated harassment and being mocked as a “ladyboy”. The shop owner released CCTV footage of the incident, which occurred at around 2am on Sunday, January 11, saying he wanted justice for his employee. The video shows the 26 year old shop worker, Jirayu, rushing…

  • Pattaya NewsRussian mother flies to Pattaya to search for son missing with US$10,000 | Thaiger

    Russian mother flies to Pattaya to search for son missing with US$10,000

    A Russian mother travelled to Pattaya to search for her son, who has been missing since January 7 after reportedly carrying US$10,000 in cash, or about 320,000 baht. The 51 year old Russian woman, Olga, gave an interview to Thai media through an interpreter in the early hours of today, January 14, expressing deep concern for the safety of her…

  • Pattaya NewsNaked Belgian man seriously injured after fall from Pattaya hotel | Thaiger

    Naked Belgian man seriously injured after fall from Pattaya hotel

    A Belgian man sustained serious injuries after falling from the seventh floor of a hotel in Pattaya while naked in the early hours of today, January 13. Officers from Mueang Pattaya Police Station, along with rescuers from Sawang Borriboon Dhammastan Rescue Foundation, were notified of the incident at around 2.30am. The fall occurred at a hotel located on Soi Buakhao,…

  • Phuket NewsRussian drug dealers arrested during ‘mushroom temple’ raid in Phuket | Thaiger

    Russian drug dealers arrested during ‘mushroom temple’ raid in Phuket

    Police arrested two Russian men and seized around 10 kilogrammes of magic mushrooms during a raid on a property dubbed the “Mushroom Temple” in the Rawai district of Phuket today, January 13. A Russian woman managed to escape from the arrest. Officers from Chalong Police Station launched the operation after receiving complaints that Russian nationals were illegally selling magic mushrooms…

  • Thailand NewsThai woman killed after saving colleague from loader accident in Phrae | Thaiger

    Thai woman killed after saving colleague from loader accident in Phrae

    A Thai woman lost her life in a tragic workplace accident in Phrae province after sacrificing herself to save a colleague from being struck by a loader at an agricultural product store. Officers from Mueang Phrae Police Station were alerted to the fatal incident at around 2.30pm yesterday, January 12. Police arrived at the agricultural product store in the Mae…

  • Thailand NewsThai teacher allegedly abuses autistic, cutting and locking him in locker | Thaiger

    Thai teacher allegedly abuses autistic, cutting and locking him in locker

    A Thai mother accused police of delaying an investigation into the alleged physical abuse of her autistic son, who was reportedly cut with a sharp ruler and locked inside a locker by a teacher at a school in Nonthaburi province. The 45 year old mother, identified only as A, sought assistance from Porramate Chaipatcharakunpong, an adviser to the Education Minister,…

  • Pattaya News36 foreigners arrested in Pattaya for illegal work, overstay, and drugs | Thaiger

    36 foreigners arrested in Pattaya for illegal work, overstay, and drugs

    Police raided an accommodation building in Pattaya yesterday, January 12, arresting 36 foreigners for illegal entry, working without permits, visa overstays, and drug use. Officers from the Chon Buri Provincial Immigration Bureau, together with Tourist Police, launched the operation as part of a wider crackdown on illegal foreign nationals aimed at improving safety and restoring confidence among residents and tourists.…

  • Thailand NewsCar and skeleton recovered from canal, linked to missing Thai man | Thaiger

    Car and skeleton recovered from canal, linked to missing Thai man

    Police yesterday, January 12, recovered a sedan from an irrigation canal in Kanchanaburi, along with a human skeleton believed to belong to a Thai man who went missing more than two years ago. Officers from Tha Muang Police Station were alerted to a submerged vehicle in an irrigation canal in the Tha Muang district at around 9.30am. The discovery was…

  • Thailand NewsPolice rule out murder in deadly house fire in Chiang Mai | Thaiger

    Police rule out murder in deadly house fire in Chiang Mai

    Police insisted that the deadly house fire in Chiang Mai province that killed a family of five was an accident, while criticising some media outlets for spreading misleading and unverified information. The tragedy occurred on January 8, when a fire broke out at a two-storey home in the Pa Dad sub-district of Chiang Mai. Five family members, including five year…

  • Thailand NewsAmazing Thailand x LISA teaser drops ahead of full film release | Thaiger

    Amazing Thailand x LISA teaser drops ahead of full film release

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) released the teaser for its latest tourism advertising film featuring Thai-born K-pop star Lalisa Manobal on Friday, January 9. The full film is scheduled to launch on January 28. TAT first announced Lisa as its global tourism ambassador in October, encouraging fans to look forward to a campaign showcasing Thailand’s most beautiful destinations through…

  • Phuket NewsForeign man exposes himself to Thai woman in Phuket car park | Thaiger

    Foreign man exposes himself to Thai woman in Phuket car park

    A Thai woman exposed a foreign man after he exposed his genitals in front of her in the Kamala area of Phuket yesterday, January 11. The woman shared photos of the foreign suspect with the Phuket Times Facebook page. In the images, the man was seen wearing a light blue Hawaiian shirt left unbuttoned and white shorts. He was standing…

  • Thailand NewsItalian man slammed for insulting Thai taxi driver comparing him to dog | Thaiger

    Italian man slammed for insulting Thai taxi driver comparing him to dog

    Thai and international netizens condemned an Italian man after he posted a video insulting a Thai taxi driver for eating from a plastic bag, allegedly comparing the driver to a dog. The Italian tourist shared the video on his Facebook account yesterday, Saturday, January 11, along with a caption written in Italian. The caption was later translated as, “Enjoy travelling…

  • Bangkok NewsThai police strangled in Bangkok traffic dispute, suspect still at large | Thaiger

    Thai police strangled in Bangkok traffic dispute, suspect still at large

    A Thai man remains at large after strangling a police officer during a road rage incident in the Don Mueang area of Bangkok on Thursday, January 8. The injured officer, Police Sergeant Satawat Seirattanapong, shared CCTV footage and details of the incident on his Facebook page on Friday, January 9, one day after the altercation. The confrontation reportedly occurred on…

  • Crime NewsThai man and 9 foreigners arrested during Chon Buri gambling den raid | Thaiger

    Thai man and 9 foreigners arrested during Chon Buri gambling den raid

    Immigration Bureau officers raided an illegal gambling den at a luxury housing estate in Chon Buri on Saturday, December 10, arresting 10 suspects, including one Thai national and nine foreigners. The raid followed information obtained from a Chinese man identified as Dahua, who had previously been arrested for illegally selling laughing gas, or nitrous oxide. Dahua reportedly sold the substance…

  • Crime NewsDrug suspect escapes after police officer grants ‘farewell’ release | Thaiger

    Drug suspect escapes after police officer grants ‘farewell’ release

    A police officer in Nakhon Si Thammarat was dismissed from government service after releasing his friend, a detained drug suspect, who later escaped from custody. The officer claimed the suspect deceived him by saying he wanted to say goodbye to his family before imprisonment. The suspect, Ekkaluck Datepalit, was arrested on Saturday, January 10, for possession of a Category 1…

  • Thailand NewsNarathiwat imposes curfew after attacks at 11 petrol stations in Deep South | Thaiger

    Narathiwat imposes curfew after attacks at 11 petrol stations in Deep South

    Narathiwat province is under a nightly curfew following a series of bombings and fires at petrol stations across three Deep South provinces on Saturday, January 10. Explosions and fires were reported at 11 petrol stations in the provinces of Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat late on Saturday night. All of the affected petrol stations belong to the same operator, PTT. According…

  • Thailand NewsRussian teen killed after speedboat hits fishing boat in Krabi | Thaiger

    Russian teen killed after speedboat hits fishing boat in Krabi

    A Russian tourist lost her life and at least 11 others were injured after a speedboat collided with a fishing boat in the sea off Krabi yesterday, January 11. Authorities later found methamphetamine (Yaba), cannabis, and kratom aboard the speedboat, and the driver tested positive for drugs. Officers from the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre were alerted to the collision…

  • Koh Samui NewsRussian extortion suspect caught relaxing at Koh Samui luxury hotel | Thaiger

    Russian extortion suspect caught relaxing at Koh Samui luxury hotel

    Police arrested a Russian man on the resort island of Koh Samui in Surat Thani yesterday, January 8, for extorting 1 million rubles, or nearly 400,000 baht, from a car dealership chief executive in Russia. The arrest followed a request for cooperation from the Russian Embassy in Thailand, which asked Thai authorities to help locate and detain the suspect, identified…

  • Thailand NewsForeign motorcyclist clashes with Thai rider during traffic jam | Thaiger

    Foreign motorcyclist clashes with Thai rider during traffic jam

    A video of a heated road argument between a foreign motorcyclist and a Thai rider has gone viral, showing them exchanging pushes during heavy traffic congestion. The dispute came to public attention after the Facebook page เจ๊ม้อย v+ shared footage of the incident yesterday, January 8. The exact location of the altercation was not disclosed, and the identities of both…

  • Thailand NewsPawnshop officer arrested over multi million baht gold theft in Trang | Thaiger

    Pawnshop officer arrested over multi million baht gold theft in Trang

    Police arrested a pawnshop officer today, January 9, for a gold theft at a municipal pawnshop in Trang province, a case that caused estimated losses of more than 5 million baht. The investigation began after an officer from the Mueang Trang Municipality Pawnshop filed a complaint with Mueang Trang Police Station on Tuesday, January 6. The officer reported that more…

  • Chiang Mai NewsSuspicion raised in Chiang Mai house fire that kills family of 5 | Thaiger

    Suspicion raised in Chiang Mai house fire that kills family of 5

    Police launched a deeper investigation into a deadly house fire in Chiang Mai province that claimed the lives of five family members, after officials raised concerns that the blaze may not be an accident. The fire broke out at around midnight yesterday, January 8, at a two-storey house in the Pa Dad sub-district of Chiang Mai. All five occupants were…

  • Thailand NewsMissing Nonthaburi woman contacts father, says she flees abuse and double life | Thaiger

    Missing Nonthaburi woman contacts father, says she flees abuse and double life

    A Thai woman, who was reported missing after boarding a pink taxi in Nonthaburi, contacted her father, saying she fled her home to escape domestic abuse and her husband’s double life. The case first drew public attention after 44 year old Thai man Kosin Chatlertchai appealed to the online community for help in locating his wife, 30 year old Thai…

  • Pattaya NewsChinese suspect in call centre scam and South Korean murder arrested in Pattaya | Thaiger

    Chinese suspect in call centre scam and South Korean murder arrested in Pattaya

    Officers from Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) arrested a Chinese man in Pattaya for his involvement in a call centre scam operation and the murder of a South Korean student in a neighbouring country. The arrest was carried out yesterday, January 8, by CIB officers working alongside the Anti Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (ACIB), in coordination with South Korean authorities.…

  • Bangkok NewsRival students open fire on Bangkok road, injuring 2 teens and innocent woman | Thaiger

    Rival students open fire on Bangkok road, injuring 2 teens and innocent woman

    A shooting broke out on a Bangkok road yesterday, January 8, following a conflict between two groups of college students, leaving two teenagers and an innocent woman injured. The incident occurred at around 5.30pm at the Nida-Seri Thai Intersection in Bueng Kum district. Gunfire erupted while vehicles were stopped at a red light, triggering panic among motorists and causing heavy…

  • Thailand NewsHidden camera exposes Thai resort staff using guest’s personal items | Thaiger

    Hidden camera exposes Thai resort staff using guest’s personal items

    A Thai woman issued a public warning after discovering that resort staff secretly used her personal belongings while she was away from her room. The woman shared footage of the incident on her TikTok account, @hydemylxu03, yesterday, January 7. She did not disclose the name or exact location of the resort, but many netizens speculated it was in Nakhon Ratchasima province…

  • Bangkok NewsWat Arun issues apology, tightens rules for photographers after complaints | Thaiger

    Wat Arun issues apology, tightens rules for photographers after complaints

    Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan issued an official apology following public backlash over the behaviour of some local photographers accused of disturbing visitors for personal gain. Wearing Thai traditional costumes while visiting temples has become increasingly popular among both Thai and foreign tourists. Wat Arun is one of the most favoured locations for photo sessions, thanks to its iconic prang tower…