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.
  • Phuket NewsOverpriced mangosteens in Phuket go viral on Tiktok – how much per kilo!? | Thaiger

    Overpriced mangosteens in Phuket go viral on Tiktok – how much per kilo!?

    A Thai TikToker has shared a video of a street vendor in Phuket selling mangosteens at the rather steep price of 500 baht per kilogram, considered too expensive for Thai people (or anyone for that matter). The Tiktoker said she didn’t mean to offend the seller by claiming that the price was ridiculously high, but merely sought out other people’s…

  • Thailand NewsMonks host funeral for scarecrow named ‘Covid’ to ward off disease | Thaiger

    Monks host funeral for scarecrow named ‘Covid’ to ward off disease

    Well, anything is worth a try at this stage! Monks at a temple in the central Thai province of Suphan Buri have hosted the funeral for a scarecrow, which was named “Mr. Covid Omicron”. Thai locals believed this ceremony could help ward off evil, which is Covid-19 in this case. Residents were scared and worried about the spread of Covid-19…

  • Covid-19 NewsTuesday Covid Update: 18,363 new infections, provincial totals | Thaiger

    Tuesday Covid Update: 18,363 new infections, provincial totals

    35 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 22,691 with 993 of those fatalities since the start of this year. The CCSA has recorded 18,363 new Covid infections and 15,651 recoveries. There are now 169,074 people in Thailand currently being treated for Covid-19. Out of the new cases recorded today, 31…

  • Pattaya NewsRoyal Thai Navy sailor reports “being abused” by senior officer | Thaiger

    Royal Thai Navy sailor reports “being abused” by senior officer

    A sailor in the Royal Thai Navy has made a formal complaint to police that his senior “abused him”. The seaman surmised that his senior might have been dissatisfied with his cooking skills and how he cut the vegetables. He told police he was hit on the head and ordered to go through a range of punishments. After discussing with…

  • Thailand NewsPM Prayut insists former police investigator into human trafficking in Thailand can return from exile | Thaiger

    PM Prayut insists former police investigator into human trafficking in Thailand can return from exile

    Following the human trafficking of Rohingya people at the border of Thailand and Malaysia reported yesterday, PM Prayut declared that Thailand “was serious about human trafficking”, and the situation was “improving”. He also said that the former Thai policeman in exile in Australia, who shared the story about the case back in 2015, left the country “by himself “and insisted…

  • Thailand NewsOil company gets approval to seal oil leak on underwater pipeline in Rayong | Thaiger

    Oil company gets approval to seal oil leak on underwater pipeline in Rayong

    Following the oil leaks found polluting Rayong’s beaches, Star Petroleum Refining officers shared with Thai media that the company will repair and seal another spot on the underwater pipeline tomorrow. The company filed a request with the Mab Ta Phut Provincial Police Station and the Marine Department for permission to fix the leak and it has now been approved. This…

  • Thailand NewsMonk allegedly fires shots at residents in Northern Thailand | Thaiger

    Monk allegedly fires shots at residents in Northern Thailand

    A monk allegedly fired shots at residents nearby a temple in the northern province Mae Hong Son yesterday. Reports say the monk fled the scene, but was later found and forced to leave monkhood. Officers searched the monk’s living quarters and found airsoft guns with equipment to modify the pellet guns as well as ammunition. The monk had gotten into…

  • Thailand NewsPublic bus hits motorbike stopped for pedestrians at zebra crossing in Bangkok | Thaiger

    Public bus hits motorbike stopped for pedestrians at zebra crossing in Bangkok

    A motorbike driver who stopped at a zebra crossing to yield pedestrians the right of way was hit from behind by an oncoming public bus. Thais on social media have been sharing a CCTV video clip of the accident. Pedestrian safety has been in the spotlight in Thailand after the fatal accident last month where a police officer sped and…

  • Thailand NewsCelebrity, influencer mothers to be hired by Health Ministry to inspire couples to have babies | Thaiger

    Celebrity, influencer mothers to be hired by Health Ministry to inspire couples to have babies

    Thailand wants women to have more babies and authorities plan to hire influencer mothers and celebrity parents to help inspire young couples to have children. The Public Health Ministry is leading the effort following reports that the birth rate in Thailand dropped to its lowest level in the past 50 years. In the past, the average Thai woman would have…

  • Thailand NewsMP sheds light on high-profile human trafficking case, head officer in exile in Australia | Thaiger

    MP sheds light on high-profile human trafficking case, head officer in exile in Australia

    The story of a major human trafficking case involving Rohingya people being trafficked through Thailand and to the Malaysian border was brought back to light after an MP told another side of the story. During a general debate in parliament, he discussed how a former police officer, who is now living in exile in Australia, led the investigation which then…

  • Crime News7 arrested for alleged sex with underage girls, police looking for more suspects | Thaiger

    7 arrested for alleged sex with underage girls, police looking for more suspects

    Seven people were arrested for allegedly having sex with underage girls in the southern province of Surat Thani. A 14 year old girl also faces human trafficking charges for allegedly enticing other teen girls into prostitution. With one of the suspects being the son of a politician, Police Lieutenant General Surachate Hakparn, known as “Big Joke,” says all suspects will…

  • Thailand NewsMore oil found on different beaches in Rayong | Thaiger

    More oil found on different beaches in Rayong

    Following the report on another leak found in the underwater pipeline yesterday, the Rayong governor said that – for a third time – oil had seeped out of the pipes and slicks had rented up on various beaches, including Laem Mae Pim and Laem Charoen Beaches. Local fishers say oil slicks were found at around five nautical miles from the…

  • Thailand NewsMore than 100 monkeys tied in bags, trapped in cages rescued from home | Thaiger

    More than 100 monkeys tied in bags, trapped in cages rescued from home

    More than 100 baby macaque monkeys were found at an abandoned home in Saraburi, some tied up in bags. One was dead. Some locked in plastic carriers were weak from hunger and thirst. Police suspect the home was being for storage by a wildlife smuggling gang preparing to transport and sell the monkeys across the border where the animals would…

  • Thailand NewsMan rescued after hanging from cliff overnight, held up by shirt tied to trees | Thaiger

    Man rescued after hanging from cliff overnight, held up by shirt tied to trees

    A man was rescued after he hanged from a high cliff in Phattalung for almost two days, using his shirt to tie himself to the vines, stems, and roots. He was spotted by tourists by the Khao Hua Chang Reservoir and more than 50 people teamed up for the hours-long rescue effort. On Tuesday, 47 year old Amnuay Rattanachotiyo decided…

  • Environment NewsAnother leak found in underwater oil pipeline off the Rayong coast | Thaiger

    Another leak found in underwater oil pipeline off the Rayong coast

    Another oil leak in the pipeline off the coast of Rayong has been reported by the Star Petroleum Refining Public Company, which has sent a letter to the Map Ta Phut Provincial Police Station asking permission to repair the pipe and prevent further environmental damage. Since late January, oil leaking from the pipes have polluted Rayong’s Mae Ramphueng Beach, with…

  • Thailand NewsTeenager allegedly strangles grandmother to death in Isaan | Thaiger

    Teenager allegedly strangles grandmother to death in Isaan

    A teenager in Thailand’s Isaan region, with the help of her boyfriend, allegedly strangled her 62 year old grandmother to death and then dumped the body in a garbage bin, leaving it in a forest by a roadside in another province. Reports in Thai media say the suspects admitted to killing the grandmother because they want to steal 100,000 baht…

  • Thailand News3 workers killed in structure collapse at One Bangkok construction site | Thaiger

    3 workers killed in structure collapse at One Bangkok construction site

    Three workers were killed and four others injured when a structure collapsed at a construction site for the luxury complex One Bangkok, which is said to be the biggest real estate project in Thailand with a budget of more than 120 billion baht. The massive project has paused construction following orders from the Bangkok Labor Protection and Welfare Office and the…

  • Phuket NewsTourist questioned by police, Phuket taxi drivers said he was driving a “service vehicle” | Thaiger

    Tourist questioned by police, Phuket taxi drivers said he was driving a “service vehicle”

    A Russian tourist was taken to a police station in Phuket for questioning after local taxi drivers reported that the man was driving throughout the island province, claiming he was picking up passengers. The tourist was just driving his family members, but the car he rented ended up being registered as a service vehicle. Both the owner of the vehicle…

  • Thailand NewsThai woman’s OnlyFans content stolen, officers say she could face pornography charges | Thaiger

    Thai woman’s OnlyFans content stolen, officers say she could face pornography charges

    A Thai woman who posts sexually explicit photos and videos on her OnlyFans account says her content, which was intended only for those who pay for a subscription to her page, was taken without permission and spread for free on a gambling website. She reported the incident to the Thai police, but officers have now put the 25 year old…

  • Thailand NewsSix police officers investigated for allegedly demanding bribes, not reporting drug seizure | Thaiger

    Six police officers investigated for allegedly demanding bribes, not reporting drug seizure

    Six Thai police officers were transferred from their positions and now face disciplinary action after they allegedly demanded a bribe and for not reporting their drug seizure with the department. The officers in the Isaan province Nakhon Phanom allegedly demanded a bribe from a man running a delivery service for the release of two of his employees who had been…

  • World NewsChon Buri barbershop goes viral after haircut for the nephew of Brunei Sultan | Thaiger

    Chon Buri barbershop goes viral after haircut for the nephew of Brunei Sultan

    Men are flocking to a barbershop in Chon Buri after the nephew of the Sultan of Brunei came in for a haircut. Faiq Jefri Bolkiah, who is also a professional footballer, recently started playing for the Chon Buri Football Club and has become very popular among Thais, many saying he is friendly. The owner of Chang Tee Barbershop says many…

  • Pattaya News4 Thai tourists hospitalised after wooden pier breaks in Koh Larn off Pattaya coast | Thaiger

    4 Thai tourists hospitalised after wooden pier breaks in Koh Larn off Pattaya coast

    Four Thai tourists were injured when the railing of a pier broke and they fell onto the rocks around two metres below. The tourists were taking a photo and leaning against the railing of the pier on Koh Larn, an island off the Pattaya coast, when it broke. Three of them are being treated for serious injuries. Reports say those…

  • Thailand NewsMother in Sa Kaeo allegedly drives a motorbike drunk, drops 4 month old baby | Thaiger

    Mother in Sa Kaeo allegedly drives a motorbike drunk, drops 4 month old baby

    A four month old baby was found in the middle of a road in the eastern province Sa Kaeo, which borders Cambodia. Reports say the mother was drunk and accidentally dropped her baby while on a motorbike, but didn’t realise until she had driven home. Locals found the baby lying in the middle of the Suwannasorn Road at around 9pm…

  • Visa InformationFrenchman arrested for allegedly scamming expats in Pattaya out of millions of baht | Thaiger

    Frenchman arrested for allegedly scamming expats in Pattaya out of millions of baht

    A Frenchman is facing fraud charges for allegedly scamming expats in Pattaya out of millions of baht by claiming he had connections with several Thai authorities and promising help with obtaining visas, opening businesses, and buying motorbikes and cars. Reports say he scammed expats out of a total of 6.3 million baht. 58 year old Herve Christian Robert Leonard from…

  • Thailand NewsThailand is revising surrogacy laws to allow foreigners to hire Thais to bear children | Thaiger

    Thailand is revising surrogacy laws to allow foreigners to hire Thais to bear children

    Thailand is revising surrogacy laws to allow foreigners to hire Thai surrogate mothers without requiring one partner to be Thai. Under the proposed changes, foreigners will also be allowed to bring the eggs and sperm out of Thailand for surrogacy overseas. Revisions to the law are aimed at promoting Thailand as a medical hub, gaining more income for the country.…

  • Covid-19 NewsMonday Covid Update: 14,900 new cases; provincial totals | Thaiger

    Monday Covid Update: 14,900 new cases; provincial totals

    26 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 22,462 with 764 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 14,900 new Covid-19 cases and 9,810 recoveries. There are now 129,933 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…

  • Thailand NewsOil still pollutes Rayong beach, Thai tourist says oil on his body after a swim | Thaiger

    Oil still pollutes Rayong beach, Thai tourist says oil on his body after a swim

    Following the second oil leak in Rayong, not only was leaked crude oil still on Mae Ramphueng Beach, but a Thai tourist says water reeked of oil and his body was covered in oily stains after a swim. Another local shared a picture of what looks like a coral-covered with a black strain. Locals say they are worried about the…

  • Thailand NewsThai Health Department warns that trendy “squid shots” can cause food poisoning | Thaiger

    Thai Health Department warns that trendy “squid shots” can cause food poisoning

    Live squid dumped in a shot glass with a spicy Thai sauce, and then consumed while the squid is still squirming, has been a new food trend in Thailand, with many sharing the phenomenon on TikTok and other social media outlets. But the director of the country’s Department of Health is warning people that the so-called “squid shots” could be…

  • Thailand NewsFather asks police to investigate accident, claims American crashed golf cart, injured his son | Thaiger

    Father asks police to investigate accident, claims American crashed golf cart, injured his son

    A father is seeking justice after his son was hit by a golf cart driven by an American man nine months ago, saying legal proceedings have made no progress. Although, the question of who is to blame for the accident has been up for debate. Some people who saw a video of the accident on social media say the motorbike…

  • Covid-19 NewsFriday Covid Update: 15,242 new cases; provincial totals | Thaiger

    Friday Covid Update: 15,242 new cases; provincial totals

    23 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 22,387 with 689 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 15,242 new Covid-19 cases and 8,955 recoveries. There are now 111,393 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…