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.
  • Central Thailand NewsCanadian accused of dodging motorcycle repair bill and stealing 20,000 baht | Thaiger

    Canadian accused of dodging motorcycle repair bill and stealing 20,000 baht

    A Canadian man allegedly refused to pay for repairs to a damaged rented motorcycle and stole 20,000 baht in cash from a rental shop in Samut Prakan province near Bangkok. The owner of a motorcycle rental business in Soi Dan Samrong 60 contacted media outlets after receiving no updates from police on legal proceedings against the Canadian suspect, identified as…

  • Phuket NewsForeign couple breaks into Phuket restaurant to swim and smoke cannabis | Thaiger

    Foreign couple breaks into Phuket restaurant to swim and smoke cannabis

    A restaurant owner in the Rawai area of Phuket reported a foreign couple to police after they were filmed entering the property without permission, using the swimming pool and consuming cannabis on-site. The owner of Grills Nai-Harn shared a video online showing an employee confronting the couple and asking them to leave. In her post, she asked for help identifying them…

  • Bangkok NewsLaotian man kills and dismembers girlfriend in Bangkok | Thaiger

    Laotian man kills and dismembers girlfriend in Bangkok

    A Laotian man denied killing and dismembering his Laotian girlfriend after her body parts were discovered in Nonthaburi province yesterday, March 24. He claimed the woman committed suicide. Officers from Pak Kret Police Station were alerted at about 8pm yesterday after human remains were found in a water supply canal. Police said a woman’s head was placed inside a black…

  • Thailand NewsForeign man searches for Thai wife and son with letter and photos from 1966 | Thaiger

    Foreign man searches for Thai wife and son with letter and photos from 1966

    A foreign man is searching for his Thai wife and their son after receiving an old letter and photographs from the woman about 60 years ago. A Facebook user, Bubba Homes, posted an old letter and photos in the group ที่นี่..”ขอนแก่น” (This is Khon Kaen) today, March 23. In the caption, the user said a man named Abel wanted to…

  • Aviation NewsThai Airways ticket prices rise 10% to 15% as jet fuel costs jump | Thaiger

    Thai Airways ticket prices rise 10% to 15% as jet fuel costs jump

    Thai Airways gradually increased fares by 10% to 15% as higher jet fuel costs linked to unrest in the Middle East. Thai Airways CEO Chai Eamsiri told media the airline has been managing the impact of the escalating conflict involving a US and Israel coalition and Iran. He said the most immediate effect was the jet fuel prices, which rose…

  • Pattaya NewsRussian man charged after cash withdrawals linked to call centre scam | Thaiger

    Russian man charged after cash withdrawals linked to call centre scam

    Police in Chon Buri arrested a Russian man while he was withdrawing cash linked to a call centre scam operation from an ATM in Chon Buri on March 19. Chon Buri Provincial Police said officers launched a crackdown on a call centre scam gang after noticing suspicious behaviour involving foreign nationals withdrawing money from multiple ATMs across the Na Jomtien…

  • Eastern Thailand NewsChinese man injured after falling from pickup transporting fridge in Rayong | Thaiger

    Chinese man injured after falling from pickup transporting fridge in Rayong

    A Chinese man was injured after falling from the back of a pickup truck carrying a refrigerator that was reportedly travelling at high speed on a road in Rayong province. Rescuers were called to an incident at the Marp Toei–Khu River intersection on Road 3191 in Pluak Daeng district at about 5pm on Saturday, March 21. At the scene, they…

  • World NewsUS issues alert urging Americans to exercise increased caution | Thaiger

    US issues alert urging Americans to exercise increased caution

    The US Department of State issued a worldwide security alert advising US citizens to exercise increased caution, citing an escalating US-Israel-Iran war. In the alert issued yesterday, March 22, the department urged US citizens, particularly those in Middle Eastern countries, to take extra precautions and follow security guidance provided by the nearest US embassy or consulate. The department said US diplomatic…

  • Aviation NewsSuvarnabhumi Airport ranking rises to 36th in 2026 world’s best airport | Thaiger

    Suvarnabhumi Airport ranking rises to 36th in 2026 world’s best airport

    Airports of Thailand (AOT) announced that Suvarnabhumi International Airport was ranked 36th in the 2026 World’s Best Airport list, improving its ranking by three positions from 39th last year. In a Facebook post shared yesterday, March 22, AOT said Suvarnabhumi Airport and Don Mueang International Airport brought pride to Thailand again following service improvements that helped both airports rise in…

  • Pattaya NewsJapanese tourist attacked by group of Thai men on Pattaya road | Thaiger

    Japanese tourist attacked by group of Thai men on Pattaya road

    Police are investigating an assault on a Japanese tourist after viral footage showed a group of Thai men, including a motorcycle taxi rider, repeatedly punching and kicking him on a road in Pattaya on Saturday, March 21. Mueang Pattaya Police Station said the case came to light after clips of the incident circulated on Thai social media. In one video,…

  • Bangkok NewsFilipina woman caught dumping newborn in Bangkok mall bathroom | Thaiger

    Filipina woman caught dumping newborn in Bangkok mall bathroom

    Police arrested a Filipina woman after a newborn boy was found in a rubbish bin inside a women’s bathroom at a shopping mall in Khlong Toei district of Bangkok on Friday, March 20. Thong Lo Police Station officers were notified at about 4.20pm on March 20 after a cleaner discovered the infant’s body inside a black rubbish bag placed in a…

  • Bangkok NewsThai man rapes and blackmails ex-girlfriend over unpaid debt | Thaiger

    Thai man rapes and blackmails ex-girlfriend over unpaid debt

    A Thai man surrendered to Bangkok police after he raped his ex-girlfriend in a public bathroom and later blackmailed her with the explicit videos to pressure her over an unpaid debt of about 700,000 baht. The suspect, 28 year old Jirapas Kangwankrai, turned himself in at Tha Kham Police Station on Wednesday, March 18, after public attention intensified over a…

  • Chiang Mai NewsChinese man blacklisted for filing fake theft to Chiang Mai police | Thaiger

    Chinese man blacklisted for filing fake theft to Chiang Mai police

    A Chinese man is suspected of filing a fake theft complaint in Chiang Mai in an attempt to obtain a police document for an insurance claim before leaving Thailand. Officers from Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station were alerted of a snatching at 11.40pm on March 17 by a 33 year old Chinese man, Xiao. He reported that the crime occurred…

  • Phuket NewsForeign woman attacked by transwomen on Phuket’s Bangla Road | Thaiger

    Foreign woman attacked by transwomen on Phuket’s Bangla Road

    A group of Thai transwomen physically assaulted a foreign woman on Bangla Road in Patong, Phuket, after the foreigner allegedly caused a disturbance and provoked conflicts. The video of the incident did not specify the date or time, but showed a foreign woman, believed to be Russian, confronting several Thai transwomen on the street. The foreigner, wearing an elephant-pattern skirt, is…

  • Pattaya NewsNaked foreigner held for public disturbance and property damage in Pattaya | Thaiger

    Naked foreigner held for public disturbance and property damage in Pattaya

    Police arrested a naked foreigner in Pattaya after causing a roadside disturbance and damaging a decorative statue outside a resident’s home. Officers from Mueang Pattaya Police Station were called to Thap Phaya Road near Soi Phra Tamnak 5 after reports of a naked foreign man walking along the street and appearing heavily intoxicated. His identity and nationality were not disclosed. Police said the…

  • Pattaya NewsForeigner breaks left leg in off-road bike accident in Pattaya | Thaiger

    Foreigner breaks left leg in off-road bike accident in Pattaya

    Thai rescue workers spent more than four hours helping a foreign man who broke his leg after crashing his off-road bike in a remote area in Pattaya yesterday, March 19. The incident happened near the Huai Khun Jit Reservoir in the Khao Mai Kaew area of Bang Lamung district, Pattaya. Rescuers from the Sawang Borriboon Dhammasatan Foundation walked more than…

  • Thailand NewsThai ex-cabin crew gets hate from South Korean netizens after resigning | Thaiger

    Thai ex-cabin crew gets hate from South Korean netizens after resigning

    A Thai woman drew abusive comments from South Korean social media users after resigning from Korean Air and posting a farewell message on Instagram featuring photos of herself in a flight attendant uniform. The former Korean Air flight attendant, identified only as Jam, shared the images on her Instagram account, @jammamyy, on February 28. In the caption, she wrote, “Once…

  • Aviation NewsThai woman reports missing accessories after Bangkok to Shanghai flight | Thaiger

    Thai woman reports missing accessories after Bangkok to Shanghai flight

    A Thai woman shared her experience online to warn other travellers after she said designer accessories went missing from her suitcase during a flight from Bangkok to China. The woman posted in the Facebook group เที่ยวเองเซี่ยงไฮ้ Shanghai (travel to Shanghai on your own) on Monday, March 16. She said the incident happened on a trip from Suvarnabhumi International Airport to…

  • World NewsLabour Ministry confirms Thai worker killed in attack in Israel | Thaiger

    Labour Ministry confirms Thai worker killed in attack in Israel

    A Thai national working in Israel was killed yesterday, March 18, amid escalating conflict in the region, prompting Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to urge Thai citizens to move away from high-risk areas for safety. Labour Minister Trinuch Thienthong said today, March 19, that officials at the Royal Thai Embassy in Tel Aviv confirmed the death of the Thai worker, Chaiwat…

  • Thailand NewsLoei Hospital theft uncovered after ventilator stands found in river, a year later | Thaiger

    Loei Hospital theft uncovered after ventilator stands found in river, a year later

    Parts of medical equipment found in the Loei River led police to uncover a theft of ventilators from Loei Hospital. A medical worker is named as the suspect and remains at large. Residents reported to officers at Mueang Loei Police Station on March 17 after discovering parts of medical equipment in the river under a bridge in Kud Pong sub-district. Later,…

  • Thailand NewsChinese fraud suspect caught after trying to hide with sacred tattoo | Thaiger

    Chinese fraud suspect caught after trying to hide with sacred tattoo

    A Chinese man was arrested yesterday, March 18, at a ritual site in Khon Kaen, where he attempted to get a sacred tattoo, hoping it would help him hide from the arrest. Officers from Immigration Division 4 were alerted by Chinese officials about a Chinese suspect wanted for fraud. The suspect, later identified only as Shang, was accused of running…

  • Pattaya News2 men leave 2 transwomen at Pattaya hotel without paying | Thaiger

    2 men leave 2 transwomen at Pattaya hotel without paying

    Two men escaped from a hotel in Pattaya, leaving behind two Thai transwomen at the accommodation without paying on March 17. The 52 year old woman, Wan, who runs a hotel in the Jomtien area, shared CCTV footage of the suspects with The Pattaya News. She said one man was Thai, while the second was believed to be Chinese. Wan…

  • Bangkok NewsBritish man dies in Bangkok after suspected spiked drink | Thaiger

    British man dies in Bangkok after suspected spiked drink

    A British music event organiser died at a hotel in Bangkok on March 6 after he and his girlfriend allegedly consumed drinks that were spiked with cocaine and heroin. The woman remains in a rehabilitation centre. The British event organiser and yoga instructor, 38 year old Tom Pardhy, had been holidaying in Thailand for about six weeks with his girlfriend, 31…

  • Tourism NewsThailand tourism overrated claim prompts debate online | Thaiger

    Thailand tourism overrated claim prompts debate online

    A foreign woman criticised Thai tourism, describing Thailand as “overrated” and citing high accommodation costs, food hygiene concerns, poor transport experiences, crowded islands, rubbish and unfriendly locals. The woman shared her experiences of travelling in Thailand in a video that was later reposted by local news outlet TravelNews. In the clip, she said she spent two weeks in the country…

  • Thailand News5 monks criticised for enjoying banana boat in Bueng Kan reservoir | Thaiger

    5 monks criticised for enjoying banana boat in Bueng Kan reservoir

    Thai monks faced criticism online after a video showed them riding a car-shaped banana boat in the Bueng Khong Long reservoir in Bueng Kan province. A Thai social media influencer posted the clip on his Facebook page, บอยขวัญถุงChannel, showing five monks taking the banana boat ride in the reservoir. The video drew attention across Thai social media and triggered debate about…

  • Pattaya NewsPattaya taxi rider praised after helping disabled foreigner on blocked footpath | Thaiger

    Pattaya taxi rider praised after helping disabled foreigner on blocked footpath

    A Thai app-based motorcycle taxi rider made headlines after helping a disabled foreign man in Pattaya when a street light pole blocked a footpath and prevented a wheelchair from passing. A video of the incident circulated on Thai social media this week, showing the rider stopping his motorcycle to assist a foreign couple. The foreign man, who has a disability…

  • Central Thailand NewsThai man warns of petrol scam after paying 40,000 and getting water | Thaiger

    Thai man warns of petrol scam after paying 40,000 and getting water

    A Thai man in Phetchabun warned the public to be cautious when buying fuel during the ongoing shortage, after he paid 40,000 baht for petrol but received a container filled with water. The man posted videos on his Facebook account, อำนาจ โซล่าเซลล์, on Monday, March 16, showing him and his employees draining water from a well-drilling engine. His caption read,…

  • Bangkok NewsThai man accused of raping motorcycle crash victim | Thaiger

    Thai man accused of raping motorcycle crash victim

    A Thai woman accused a man of posing as a good Samaritan helping her in a motorcycle crash on a road in Bangkok, then taking her to his room instead of a hospital and raping her. The 29 year old woman, identified only as Fah, reported the case to Khukot Police Station and later publicised the allegations, saying police had…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket van crash kills Russian woman, injures 11 others | Thaiger

    Phuket van crash kills Russian woman, injures 11 others

    A Russian woman was killed, and 11 other Russian nationals were injured in a Phuket van crash on Thep Kasattri Road in Thalang district in the early hours of today, March 18, while travelling to Similan Island in Phang Nga. Thachatchai Police Station officers were notified about the fatal accident at about 4am and went to the scene with rescuers…

  • Phuket NewsBritish man found dead in drainage canal near Phuket beach | Thaiger

    British man found dead in drainage canal near Phuket beach

    A British man found dead in a drainage canal near Bang Tao Beach in Phuket on March 14 was seen on CCTV appearing restless outside a hotel shortly before his body was discovered. A Burmese national went to the canal in the Bang Tao area at about 12.30pm on March 14 to harvest morning glory and came across the body.…