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.
  • World NewsLaos to ban public from holding foreign currencies | Thaiger

    Laos to ban public from holding foreign currencies

    The Central Bank of Laos plans to ban residents from holding foreign currencies to address problems such as inflation, and the depreciation of the Kip. The Laotian Times yesterday reported that the Governor of the Central Bank of Laos, Sonexay Sitphaxay, promised to solve foreign exchange problems during a press conference on May 27. The governor acknowledged public concern regarding…

  • Bangkok NewsBMTA promises to solve public bus shortage | Thaiger

    BMTA promises to solve public bus shortage

    Bangkok Mass Transit Authority promises to solve the public bus shortage after people in the city made complaints on social media. The BMTA director responded to the criticism and called for patience. He says they are working to improve bus routes and increase bus staff and added commuters will see an improvement in a month. รถเมล์ไทยแฟนคลับ Rotmaethai, which means public…

  • World NewsShopee fires 50% of its Thai staff | Thaiger

    Shopee fires 50% of its Thai staff

    E-commerce platform Shopee today announced 50% of its Thai staff are being fired alongside employees from Indonesia and Vietnam. The company, under the Singaporean tech group Sea, did not give a reason for the mass redundancies. DealStreetAsia reported that Shopee has informed all staff on the redundancy hit list to pack up their stuff and wait for an official termination…

  • Northern Thailand NewsWoman gets justice after washing her laundry in public | Thaiger

    Woman gets justice after washing her laundry in public

    A woman’s appeal for justice through social media has been successful after she was beaten by a member of the local authority in the La Haan Sai district of the Isaan province of Buriram. Wichuda told the media that she was assaulted by a member of Buriram’s Subdistrict Administrative Organization because she complained about the plumbing. The 27 year old…

  • Northern Thailand NewsThai OnlyFans couple who turned holiday resort into a porn shoot wanted by police | Thaiger

    Thai OnlyFans couple who turned holiday resort into a porn shoot wanted by police

    Police are looking for a Thai OnlyFans couple who turned the popular holiday resort of Wang Nam Khiao into a porn shoot setting. Three of the couple’s sex tapes were circulated online yesterday in secret group chats in the popular Thai Line application. The videos, which soon went viral, feature the couple having sex in a resort room with a…

  • Thailand NewsThailand warms to drop temperature checks | Thaiger

    Thailand warms to drop temperature checks

    The Ministry of Public Health will suggest to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration to remove temperature measurement devices and checkpoints from all the country’s airports and other locations throughout Thailand because there is no evidence proving that the checks prevent the spread of coronavirus. The Head of the Health Technical Office from the Ministry of Public Health, Rungruang Kitphati,…

  • Transport NewsPattaya locals question new zig-zag lines on roads | Thaiger

    Pattaya locals question new zig-zag lines on roads

    New zig-zag lines painted on roads in Pattaya have left locals scratching their heads. So much so that a man posted pictures on social media last week questioning what they were. The man had never come across any zig-zag lines when he was learning to drive. The local man from Pattaya posted pictures of the zig-zag lines in a Facebook…

  • Northern Thailand NewsMan changes surname to “Ganjaram” to celebrate cannabis decriminalisation | Thaiger

    Man changes surname to “Ganjaram” to celebrate cannabis decriminalisation

    A Thai man in the Isaan province of Buriram has changed his surname to “Ganjaram” to celebrate the decriminalisation of cannabis in Thailand. He says his pregnant wife had already checked the surname’s meaning and found it had a good essence, and added his newborn baby, expected to born on June 22, will be proud of him. On Friday, one…

  • Northern Thailand NewsMae Sot district proposed as site of Thailand’s 1st official casino | Thaiger

    Mae Sot district proposed as site of Thailand’s 1st official casino

    An Entertainment Complex Committee, set up by the government, has proposed Mae Sot district in the northern province of Tak as an ideal location for Thailand’s first legal entertainment complex, with a casino. The committee has announced that they’ve gathered all information from their survey, both negative and positive, and is ready to submit the findings to the Thai cabinet.…

  • Thailand NewsThailand’s Digital Economy Minister ‘clarifies’ about the posting of crime pics or videos online | Thaiger

    Thailand’s Digital Economy Minister ‘clarifies’ about the posting of crime pics or videos online

    Thailand’s Digital Economy and Society Minister, Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn, is warning crime witnesses that spreading pictures or videos of the incidents via online channels ‘could’ violate the new Personal Data Protection Act or PDPA. The minister says the safer way to help victims is to hand the evidence to the police officers. Thailand officially operated the PDPA or the Personal Data…

  • Northern Thailand NewsFamous Thai cyclist killed in road accident in Thailand | Thaiger

    Famous Thai cyclist killed in road accident in Thailand

    Famous Thai cyclist Nirantra Phramthong was killed yesterday in a road accident in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima. The 53 year old was struck by a 10-wheel truck at 8.10am at the construction site of an elevated road junction on the special highway linking Bang Pa In with Nakhon Ratchasima and died instantly. The 41 year old truck driver,…

  • Thailand NewsSurvey reveals Thais want to drop outdoor mask rules and extend nightlife to 2am | Thaiger

    Survey reveals Thais want to drop outdoor mask rules and extend nightlife to 2am

    A National Institute of Development Administration survey revealed nearly half of all Thai people agree that the country should drop the outdoor mask rules mandate, and nearly 50% of those polled agreed to extend nightlife hours from 12am to 2am. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday informed Thai media that he thought many Thai people were still scared of catching the…

  • Pattaya NewsNightlife operators blame officials for unfinished work on Pattaya Walking Street | Thaiger

    Nightlife operators blame officials for unfinished work on Pattaya Walking Street

    Business operators on Pattaya Walking Street have blamed the authorities for causing a public nuisance and spoiling the city’s reputation because of an unfinished road renovation project. The Pattaya Walking Street Business Association insist the road needs to be completed faster than the current schedule, and more street lights installed, if it is to save face with the public. In…

  • Bangkok NewsSuvarnabhumi increases check-in counters in preparation for high season tourists | Thaiger

    Suvarnabhumi increases check-in counters in preparation for high season tourists

    Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport is increasing the number of check-in counters in preparation for an upcoming surge of tourists. But the ‘surge’ is still a few months away. The nation’s capital city is expecting around 70,000 travellers to arrive per day, and for it to increase to 100,000 people per day during the high season. Suvarnabhumi Airport General Manager, Kittipong Kittikachon,…

  • Bangkok NewsBangkok Marathon returns to city after 2 year pandemic absence | Thaiger

    Bangkok Marathon returns to city after 2 year pandemic absence

    The Bangkok Marathon returns to the city for the 33rd time on November 20 after a 2 year absence. Due to social distancing measures and other Covid-19 prevention-related restrictions, most big events and concerts in Thailand were cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak. But now measures have been relaxed people in Thailand can look forward to enjoying more events and…

  • Thailand NewsJoe Ferrari: From high profile police chief and luxury vehicle collector to a life in prison | Thaiger

    Joe Ferrari: From high profile police chief and luxury vehicle collector to a life in prison

    Former Nakhon Sawan provincial police chief, Thitisan Utthanaphon, aka. Joe Ferrari, was in the media spotlight today after he was sentenced to a life in prison for the torture and murder of an alleged drug trafficker. The 41 year old, along with six of his colleagues, was caught torturing a man to death on a CCTV camera leaked on Thai…

  • Thailand NewsThailand exempts entry visa for Saudi tourists allowing 30-day stay | Thaiger

    Thailand exempts entry visa for Saudi tourists allowing 30-day stay

    Thailand yesterday moved a step further to its future relationship with the kingdom of Saudi Arabia when it announced a 30-day visa exemption will be available to all Saudi citizens. Saudis can now enter Thailand and stay for 30 days without applying for a visa before departure. The move comes as both nations step up to restore diplomatic relations which…

  • Transport NewsAngry central Thai locals go bananas over poor road conditions | Thaiger

    Angry central Thai locals go bananas over poor road conditions

    Residents in Ang Thong, in central Thailand, are so angry with officials in the Department of Rural Roads about the treacherous state of their roads that they have planted banana trees in the cracks of the tarmac in protest. Ang Thong locals have reported the dangerous conditions of their highways, roads and thoroughfares, to officials on a number of occasions…

  • Northern Thailand NewsRestaurant feels heat from police after expanding business into bus stop | Thaiger

    Restaurant feels heat from police after expanding business into bus stop

    A restaurant was left with a sour taste in its mouth after being warned about expanding its business into a nearby bus stop. Local police officials were notified by a Facebook blogger, ขาเกือบพลิก, who complained that a restaurant in the northeastern province of Khon Kaen had taken over a bus stop and was serving food to customers. The Facebook page,…

  • Bangkok NewsFrench Thai kickboxer makes a dick of himself | Thaiger

    French Thai kickboxer makes a dick of himself

    French Muay Thai Kickboxer, Jimmy Vienot, unintentionally made a bit of an idiot of himself after his recent triumph over Petchmorakot Petchyindee at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok. The Frenchman, who defeated Petchmorakot on May 20, wanted, มวยไทย, meaning Muay Thai, inked on his arm, but the result came back not just wrong, but terribly wrong. Instead, a communication…

  • Bangkok NewsPenny-pinching government owe 150 police officers more than 1 million baht in overtime | Thaiger

    Penny-pinching government owe 150 police officers more than 1 million baht in overtime

    Government House security police yesterday acknowledged they are still owed more than 1 million baht for special overtime services from last year. Some 150 police officers, from the Supervision Division 4 of the Special Branch Bureau 3, who take care of Government House security, say they informed their superiors in the relevant departments about their missing salary but claim that…

  • World NewsSingapore hails Thailand a leading digital nation in ASEAN | Thaiger

    Singapore hails Thailand a leading digital nation in ASEAN

    The Digital Economy and Society Minister, Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn, travelled to Singapore yesterday to sign a digital partnership agreement with Singapore’s Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong. Chaiwut, together with the Thai ambassador to Singapore, and the Thai PM’s secretary, met with Gan Kim Yong and agreed to promote 8 items on the MoU agenda, including digital transformation, e-commerce policies,…

  • Thailand NewsUPDATE: GT200 bomb detectors only good enough to be used as a ‘cat poop scoop’ | Thaiger

    UPDATE: GT200 bomb detectors only good enough to be used as a ‘cat poop scoop’

    UPDATE Royal Thai Army spokesperson, Santipong Thammapiya, yesterday announced that the investigation into GT200 bomb detectors has officially ended. Santipong says the NSTD had completed its examination of 320 devices, and the budget spent investigating it, and concluded that the Royal Thai Army would have to return around 3 million baht from the 7.5 million baht budget allocated to the…

  • Thailand NewsSexy makeover of Thai wealth goddess ‘Nang Kwak’ goes viral | Thaiger

    Sexy makeover of Thai wealth goddess ‘Nang Kwak’ goes viral

    A tattoo artist’s controversial sexy makeover of a Thai goddess on his Facebook page has gone viral. Tattoo artist Ajarn Joe changed the traditional costume on a Thai wealth goddess, ‘Nang Kwak,’ to a sexy dress and it lit the blue touch paper on social media. The response to the post has been mixed, with some passionately defending the makeover…

  • Thailand NewsCannabis penalties to be quashed from Thursday | Thaiger

    Cannabis penalties to be quashed from Thursday

    Thailand’s Courts of Justice announced that suspects and prisoners on charges related to cannabis use and possession would be freed after cannabis and hemp are removed from the Public Health Ministry’s Category 5 drug list. But as we slowly learn the details of cannabis in Thailand, post June 9, we are learning that it’s not all clear and plain sailing…

  • Thailand NewsGovernment official expects Thailand’s first monkeypox case to happen at Pride Parade | Thaiger

    Government official expects Thailand’s first monkeypox case to happen at Pride Parade

    A government official expects Thailand to record its first monkeypox case on Sunday at the nation’s first official Pride Parade in Bangkok. The Bangkok Naruemit Pride Parade, which will traverse the length of Silom Road, starts at Maha Uma Devi Temple on Pan Road, at 4pm. The parade plans to bring together the LGBTQ community, activists and allies, and help further…

  • Thailand NewsWoman feared prison if she took photos of burglary due to new PDPA law | Thaiger

    Woman feared prison if she took photos of burglary due to new PDPA law

    A Thai woman witnessed thieves break into a neighbour’s house but didn’t take any pictures of the burglars for fear of going to prison under the new Personal Data Protection Act. The 23 year old admitted she was too scared to take photos of the criminals’ faces because she was afraid of being sued under the new PDPA law which…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket drops outdoor face mask requirement | Thaiger

    Phuket drops outdoor face mask requirement

    Wearing a mask in outdoor public spaces will no longer be a requirement in Phuket province, effective from yesterday, June 1. Medical or cloth face masks will still be required to be worn indoors, in crowded spaces and in badly ventilated spaces. The mask requirement – indoors and outdoors – is still in effect in all other provinces around the…

  • Bangkok NewsFormer Deputy Bangkok Governor says the city has already spent most of the 2022 budget | Thaiger

    Former Deputy Bangkok Governor says the city has already spent most of the 2022 budget

    The Deputy Leader of the Democrat Party and former deputy Bangkok governor, Samart Ratchapolsitte (2004 – 2006), said Bangkok has only of 94 million baht left in its budget, and it might be insufficient for the new Bangkok governor Chandchart Sittiphun to achieve his announced policies. According to the media, Bangkok receives a budget of around 80 billion baht per…

  • 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…