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.
  • Pattaya NewsSwedish arson suspect hides in Pattaya under fake German identity | Thaiger

    Swedish arson suspect hides in Pattaya under fake German identity

    Police arrested a Swedish man wanted on an Interpol Red Notice after he had been hiding in Pattaya for an extended period by posing as a German national. The Immigration Bureau Division 3 received information from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) about the fugitive, identified only as N. He was wanted in Sweden for a major arson attack in Sävsjö.…

  • Thailand NewsHeartbreaking video turns joyful as Thai man finds dogs left behind in floods | Thaiger

    Heartbreaking video turns joyful as Thai man finds dogs left behind in floods

    A Thai man reunited with his two pet dogs after a viral video showed him crying when he was forced to leave them behind during the severe floods in Hat Yai district, Songkhla. The video, widely shared across Thai social media, showed the man, believed to be between 65 and 70 years old, sobbing on a rescue boat. According to…

  • Thailand NewsDebate after Hat Yai flood victims seen taking items from flooded 7-Eleven | Thaiger

    Debate after Hat Yai flood victims seen taking items from flooded 7-Eleven

    Residents in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province, were seen collecting items from a damaged 7-Eleven store following severe flooding, prompting discussion online over whether the act was acceptable given the circumstances. TikTok user, @naruponnut, yesterday, November 27, posted videos showing the interior of a flooded 7-Eleven with its front window shattered. People were observed placing snacks and drinks into bags…

  • Thailand NewsBody of 4 year old girl found after rescue boat accident in Hat Yai | Thaiger

    Body of 4 year old girl found after rescue boat accident in Hat Yai

    The body of a four year old girl was found yesterday, November 27, two days after she went missing in floodwaters following a rescue boat accident in Hat Yai district, Songkhla. The girl, Amidala “Padme” Arayawat, disappeared after falling from a rescue boat on Tuesday night, November 25, near Bangkok Hospital Hat Yai. Her family took to social media to…

  • Thailand NewsGovernment confirms 55 flood deaths; police found over 100 bodies | Thaiger

    Government confirms 55 flood deaths; police found over 100 bodies

    The Emergency Flood Crisis Operation Centre reported yesterday, November 27, that the death toll from the severe flooding in Songkhla province has risen to 55. However, updates from the Royal Thai Police (RTP) and several rescue teams suggest the number of bodies found may exceed 100. The centre’s spokesperson, Siripong Angkasakulkiat, offered condolences to all affected families and provided a…

  • Thailand News5 Vietnamese nationals arrested after hidden heroin parcels uncovered | Thaiger

    5 Vietnamese nationals arrested after hidden heroin parcels uncovered

    Officers from the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) and the Airport Interdiction Task Force (AITF) joined forces to dismantle a drug trafficking network operating in Thailand, leading to the arrest of five Vietnamese suspects involved in sending heroin to Australia. AITF officers inspected outbound parcels destined for Australia at the Suvarnabhumi Airport Free Zone when they detected irregularities…

  • Koh Samui News3 British nationals illegally run bar on Koh Samui using Thai nominees | Thaiger

    3 British nationals illegally run bar on Koh Samui using Thai nominees

    Three British nationals linked to the illegal operation of an entertainment venue on Koh Samui, an island in Surat Thani province, with two Thai women acting as nominees. Surat Thani Immigration officers yesterday, November 26, filed a complaint at Bo Phut Police Station against 60 year old British woman Maxine Lisa Schwander and two Thai women, Ladda and Jirichuda. Schwander…

  • Bangkok News2 Japanese men arrested in Bangkok over Yakuza-linked drug trafficking | Thaiger

    2 Japanese men arrested in Bangkok over Yakuza-linked drug trafficking

    Officers from the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) arrested two Japanese men involved in a transnational drug trafficking network and seized more than 2 million baht in assets. A South Korean suspect linked to the group remains at large. The arrests were part of an international operation between Thailand, Japan and South Korea to dismantle a major organised…

  • Bangkok NewsWitnesses chase fleeing Pakistani man who kills old Thai woman on zebra crossing | Thaiger

    Witnesses chase fleeing Pakistani man who kills old Thai woman on zebra crossing

    A Pakistani motorcyclist fatally struck an elderly Thai woman on a zebra crossing in the Rat Burana district of Bangkok yesterday, November 26, and tried to flee but was chased down by witnesses. Rat Burana Police Station officers and rescuers from the Ruam Katanyu Foundation rushed to the zebra crossing on Pracha Uthit Road, near Soi Pracha Uthit 4, after…

  • Thailand NewsTyphoon Koto to miss Thailand but brings strong winds and colder weather | Thaiger

    Typhoon Koto to miss Thailand but brings strong winds and colder weather

    The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) confirmed that Typhoon Koto will not move into the country but warned the public of a significant drop in temperatures across upper Thailand and possible heavy rainfall in eight southern provinces. According to the announcement released yesterday, November 26, and today, November 27, Typhoon Koto was located over the central South China Sea and moving…

  • Thailand NewsMalaysian woman searches for missing husband amid Hat Yai floods | Thaiger

    Malaysian woman searches for missing husband amid Hat Yai floods

    A Malaysian woman is searching for her husband, who went missing during the severe flooding in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province. She said she has been unable to contact him since Sunday, November 23. The woman, Cherie Kim, gave an interview to Channel 8, sharing her husband’s photo with the media in hopes of finding clues to his whereabouts. The…

  • Thailand NewsFamily seeks urgent help as rescued man tries to stab them in Hat Yai | Thaiger

    Family seeks urgent help as rescued man tries to stab them in Hat Yai

    Flood victims in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province, are pleading for help after a man they rescued from floodwaters allegedly attempted to stab them inside their home. Facebook user, Poonphisa Kaewin, posted an urgent plea yesterday, November 26, asking authorities and rescuers to assist a family living in a three-storey house in Area 8 of Hat Yai. She wrote… “Urgent!…

  • Thailand NewsRescue teams face gunfire and threats while assisting Hat Yai flood victims | Thaiger

    Rescue teams face gunfire and threats while assisting Hat Yai flood victims

    Rescue teams from other provinces reported threats and gunfire while assisting flood victims in “Area 8” in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province, which remains heavily flooded. Rescue teams from across Thailand travelled to the South, especially Songkhla, to support local responders in helping residents affected by the severe floods. Many people have been without food and clean drinking water since…

  • Thailand NewsMalaysian rescue leader breaks down in livestream amid Hat Yai flood crisis | Thaiger

    Malaysian rescue leader breaks down in livestream amid Hat Yai flood crisis

    A Malaysian rescue team leader broke down in tears during a livestream yesterday, November 25, after witnessing the desperate situation caused by severe flooding in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province. The team leader, Raymond Leong, streamed the video on his Facebook account, saying he could hardly sleep because the voices of people screaming for help were still echoing in his…

  • Thailand NewsThai man denies involvement in partner’s fatal fall from Nonthaburi condo | Thaiger

    Thai man denies involvement in partner’s fatal fall from Nonthaburi condo

    A Thai man denied an involvement in the death of his partner, who fell from the seventh floor of a condominium in Nonthaburi province on Monday, November 24. Pak Kret Police Station officers launched an investigation into the death of 44 year old Somphop, who was found lifeless on the ground floor of a condominium in Ban Mai sub-district, Pak…

  • Thailand NewsHat Yai boat owner criticised for charging 50,000 baht for flood rescue | Thaiger

    Hat Yai boat owner criticised for charging 50,000 baht for flood rescue

    A Thai rescuer criticised a boat owner in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province, for allegedly charging a 50,000 baht fee from a rescue volunteer who was trying to rent a vessel to help flood victims. Facebook user Sun Tanapol Kongboonvijit shared the story on November 24, saying his friend, Punchita Vanapitakvong, encountered the incident while searching for a boat during…

  • Thailand NewsTMD under fire for calling private weather alert ‘fake news’ before severe floods | Thaiger

    TMD under fire for calling private weather alert ‘fake news’ before severe floods

    The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) is facing public backlash after accusing a private weather-alert Facebook page of spreading fake news about “great flooding” in southern Thailand, only for the flooding to materialise as predicted. The Facebook page ที’ ลมฟ้าอากาศ, run by an anonymous meteorologist, issued a warning on November 18 predicting major flooding in the South. The page shared a rainfall…

  • Thailand News17 year old Thai boy claims self-defence after arrest for fatal shooting | Thaiger

    17 year old Thai boy claims self-defence after arrest for fatal shooting

    Police arrested a 17 year old Thai schoolboy for fatally shooting a 19 year old student in Nakhon Ratchasima province yesterday, November 25. The teenage suspect claimed he opened fire after being attacked by a gang. Pak Chong Police Station officers received a report of a shooting outside a grocery shop on the Old Friendship Highway in Pak Chong district…

  • Thailand NewsChaos in Hat Yai floods as reports of helicopter crash spark confusion | Thaiger

    Chaos in Hat Yai floods as reports of helicopter crash spark confusion

    A helicopter in a flood rescue mission allegedly crashed near Sikarin Hospital in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province, today. Local police confirmed receiving a report about the accident, while another government agency dismissed the claim as fake news. The incident reportedly occurred at around 11am and local journalists stated that the helicopter went down near the hospital while supporting rescue…

  • Thailand NewsSingaporean family praises Thai hero for helping their father in Hat Yai floods | Thaiger

    Singaporean family praises Thai hero for helping their father in Hat Yai floods

    A Singaporean family praised a Thai man as a hero after he helped their 74 year old father, who became separated from his relatives during the severe flooding in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province. The 50 year old son, Vincent Toh, told Singapore’s Channel News Asia (CNA) about the unexpected ordeal his family faced during their holiday in Songkhla. The…

  • Crime News‘Help me first’: Hat Yai man fires 3 shots to threaten rescuers over delayed rescue | Thaiger

    ‘Help me first’: Hat Yai man fires 3 shots to threaten rescuers over delayed rescue

    A Thai man stranded in severe flooding in Hat Yai, Songkhla province, fired three shots into the air to threaten rescuers on jet skis over what he believed was a delayed rescue. One of the rescuers, from Surat Thani province, posted about the incident on his Facebook account, Tee Inkjet, describing the confrontation during an operation at around 8pm yesterday,…

  • Thailand NewsViral video shows Thai men risking lives on wires during severe Hat Yai flood | Thaiger

    Viral video shows Thai men risking lives on wires during severe Hat Yai flood

    A Thai woman, trapped by flooding in Hat Yai district, Songkhla, took to Facebook to seek help, sharing videos of her neighbours walking dangerously on communication wires in an attempt to reach safer ground. The woman posted the first video on her Facebook account, Kang Namthip, today, November 25. In the caption, she wrote… “Please have mercy on us. Many…

  • Bangkok NewsInstagram ‘hi-so’ conman accused of raping at least 4 women in Bangkok | Thaiger

    Instagram ‘hi-so’ conman accused of raping at least 4 women in Bangkok

    A Thai man claiming to be a wealthy high-society figure is accused of sexually assaulting at least four women after luring them to isolated areas in Bangkok, according to a report filed with non-profit organisation Saimai Survive on November 24. Two victims, a 19 year old university student and a 25 year old employee of a private company, sought help…

  • Thailand NewsFormer Miss Universe owner denies fleeing debt and legal charges | Thaiger

    Former Miss Universe owner denies fleeing debt and legal charges

    JKN Global Group denied accusations that the company’s CEO and former owner of the Miss Universe Organisation (MUO) attempted to flee the country to avoid debt repayment and multiple legal charges. Political activist Sondhi Limthongkul accused the former MUO owner, Jakapong “Anne” Jakrajutatip, of escaping debt obligations and legal complications after JKN entered bankruptcy and began business rehabilitation proceedings. According…

  • Thailand NewsTourists urged to stop rock stacking at natural attractions in Thailand | Thaiger

    Tourists urged to stop rock stacking at natural attractions in Thailand

    Rangers at Khao Laem Ya-Mu Ko Samet National Park in the eastern province of Rayong urged tourists to stop stacking rocks while visiting natural attractions, warning that the seemingly harmless activity can seriously affect local ecosystems. The park’s official Facebook page shared information about the negative impacts of rock stacking yesterday, November 24, to raise awareness among visitors and request…

  • Pattaya NewsPattaya tomboy stabs neighbour for spreading false sexual claim | Thaiger

    Pattaya tomboy stabs neighbour for spreading false sexual claim

    A Thai tomboy stabbed her neighbour at an accommodation in Pattaya on Sunday, September 23, after the victim’s falsified claims of a sexual relationship sparked an argument with her girlfriend. Rescuers from the Sawang Boriboon Dhammastan Foundation called officers from Mueang Pattaya Police Station to investigate the crime scene after an injured victim, 45 year old Thongsuk Taengrueang, was brought to…

  • Pattaya NewsLivestream causes fight between South Korean and Chinese men in Pattaya | Thaiger

    Livestream causes fight between South Korean and Chinese men in Pattaya

    Footage of a physical confrontation between two foreign men, Chinese and Korean, in Pattaya, has circulated online, though some locals claim the incident occurred some time ago. Several local news Facebook pages shared the video yesterday, November 24. In the footage, the shirtless Chinese man repeatedly punched the South Korean man, who was wearing a beige T-shirt, in the middle of…

  • Thailand NewsThai actress apologises over debt scandal, promises to repay creditors | Thaiger

    Thai actress apologises over debt scandal, promises to repay creditors

    A Thai actress, who initially denied any involvement in a 400-million-baht fraud allegation, later admitted to borrowing money from friends and others to invest in her businesses, which ultimately proved unsuccessful. The Facebook page ท่านเปา had reported the alleged 400-million-baht fraud involving a leading Thai actress, but it did not reveal the actress’s name or provide any evidence, claiming that…

  • Thailand NewsAmerican man dies from severe arm cut in Krabi resort | Thaiger

    American man dies from severe arm cut in Krabi resort

    A 45 year old American man was found dead in his resort room in Krabi yesterday, November 24, with a severe cut to his arm that police believe caused fatal blood loss. Officers from Ao Nang Police Station were alerted by resort staff and arrived at the accommodation in Ao Thalane, Mueang district, to find the man, Thomas, deceased in…

  • Thailand NewsBedridden Thai woman revives and knocks on coffin during funeral | Thaiger

    Bedridden Thai woman revives and knocks on coffin during funeral

    A 65 year old bedridden woman in Phitsanulok was found alive shortly before her funeral after showing signs of movement inside her coffin. Doctors later confirmed that her condition was due to low blood sugar. Chontirot Sakulku, presumed dead, had moved and knocked on her coffin shortly before her funeral began yesterday, November 23. Her family opened the coffin to…