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.
  • Crime News4.8 million baht seized from Big Joke over alleged gambling links

    4.8 million baht seized from Big Joke over alleged gambling links

    The Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) confiscated 4.8 million baht in life insurance cash surrender value from the former Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police (RTP), Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn, and his wife as the couple was suspected of using proceeds from online gambling to pay for a life insurance policy. Big Joke and four other police officers in his…

  • Thailand NewsFake cop caught with his pants down and penis out on social media

    Fake cop caught with his pants down and penis out on social media

    Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station in northern Thailand arrested a man impersonating a police officer after he sent lewd pictures of his penis to women on social media. A netizen took to a local Chiang Mai Facebook group to share a picture of the suspect and warned women to stay away from him because he randomly sent explicit pictures to…

  • Thailand News71 year old Thai woman robbed and killed in Chiang Rai home

    71 year old Thai woman robbed and killed in Chiang Rai home

    A killer remains at large after killing a 71 year old Thai woman at her home in the northern province of Chiang Rai and stealing her gold necklace. A 58 year old Thai man, Prasit Sanukun, reported the death of his older sister, 71 year old Sa-ngiam Kunnana, to Mueang Chiang Rai Police Station officers yesterday, August 6. Prasit asked…

  • Thailand NewsKhon Kaen kidnap caper: Daughter’s scam to call home for cash

    Khon Kaen kidnap caper: Daughter’s scam to call home for cash

    A Thai couple in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen sought police help, believing their daughter had been kidnapped by a call centre scam gang for ransom. However, the woman later confessed to staging the kidnapping to extort money from her parents to pay off her debt. The couple, 51 year old Kittima and his wife, filed a complaint with…

  • Thailand NewsNam Talu Cave flash flood: Thai guide dead, 22 foreigners saved

    Nam Talu Cave flash flood: Thai guide dead, 22 foreigners saved

    Khao Sok National Park rangers and rescuers saved a Thai tour guide and 22 foreign tourists from a flash flood while they were exploring Nam Talu Cave in the southern province of Surat Thani. Another Thai tour guide was initially reported missing but was later found dead in the cave. National park rangers were alerted to the flash flood on…

  • Pattaya NewsKuwaiti man rides against traffic flow and crashes into Thai riders

    Kuwaiti man rides against traffic flow and crashes into Thai riders

    A Kuwaiti man rode a motorcycle against the flow of traffic in Pattaya and collided with another motorcycle carrying four Thai people, resulting in serious injuries in the early hours of yesterday morning. A motorcycle accident was reported to Mueang Pattaya Police Station at approximately 5.46am yesterday, August 6. The accident occurred on Pattaya Sai Sarm Road, also known as Chalermprakiat…

  • Thailand NewsJealous Thai man allegedly kills wife by stuffing bomb in her mouth

    Jealous Thai man allegedly kills wife by stuffing bomb in her mouth

    Locals in the northern province of Mae Hong Son accused a Thai man of killing his wife by stuffing a ping pong bomb in her mouth due to drunkenness and jealousy. The accused man denied all allegations. Officers from the Mok Cham Pae Police Station were called to a house in the Mueang district of Mae Hong Son province today,…

  • Thailand NewsThai food stall owner shocked by 50 million baht electricity bill

    Thai food stall owner shocked by 50 million baht electricity bill

    An electricity bill of 50 million baht shocked a Thai food stall owner in the central province of Chachoengsao. Locals in the area suspect an electricity scam. The stall owner, Sombat, told Kom Chad Luek yesterday, August 5, that he found the electricity bill in the mailbox outside his home, which also serves as a food stall. This was despite…

  • Thailand NewsBig Joke’s appeal rejected, removal upheld amid gambling scandal

    Big Joke’s appeal rejected, removal upheld amid gambling scandal

    Former Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police (RTP), Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn, today revealed that the Police Ethics Protection Committee (PEPC) confirmed that he must leave his position. Big Joke disputed the decision. The Deputy Commissioner and Acting Commissioner of the RTP, Kittirat Phanphet, issued an official document in April removing five police officers from their positions due to…

  • Thailand NewsLaotian driver runs red light, kills pregnant woman, unborn baby (video)

    Laotian driver runs red light, kills pregnant woman, unborn baby (video)

    A Laotian driver ran a red light on Nittayo Nakhon Phanom-Sakon Nakhon Road in the Isaan province of Nakhon Phanom, crashing into a Thai family’s sedan, tragically killing a pregnant woman, and her unborn baby and injuring several others. Video footage of the fatal accident shocked Thai netizens. The video showed a black SUV, driven by the Laotian national, whose…

  • Road deathsSix-wheel truck runs over petrol station attendant and kills him

    Six-wheel truck runs over petrol station attendant and kills him

    A Thai driver ran his six-wheel truck over a Burmese attendant, killing him, at a petrol station on Phahonyothin Road in the Khlong Luang district of Pathum Thani province, near Bangkok. Officers from Khlong Luang Police Station and rescuers from the Ruamkatanyu Rescue Foundation investigated the death of the Burmese petrol station attendant, 51 year old Sor Tan, who was…

  • Thailand NewsBitter pill: Gay man accused of poisoning friend for insurance cash

    Bitter pill: Gay man accused of poisoning friend for insurance cash

    A gay Thai man in the central province of Lopburi has been accused of poisoning a female friend with cyanide and staging a motorcycle accident to claim an insurance payout of 1.5 million baht. The victim, a 25 year old Thai woman, Chonlada “Tong” Kongdam, was admitted to King Narai Hospital in the central province of Lopburi at midnight on…

  • Thailand NewsEx Thai soldier brutally attacks father’s friend over alleged insult

    Ex Thai soldier brutally attacks father’s friend over alleged insult

    A former Thai soldier brutally attacked a friend of his father in front of the victim’s young son after the victim allegedly looked down on him for leaving his military position to work as a security guard at an entertainment venue in Bangkok. The 14 year old boy from the Isaan province of Roi Et asked a news Facebook page…

  • Thailand NewsBlacklisted Vietnamese men arrested for illegally entering Thailand

    Blacklisted Vietnamese men arrested for illegally entering Thailand

    Immigration police arrested three Vietnamese men this morning for illegally entering Thailand through a border checkpoint in the Isaan province of Nong Khai despite being blacklisted. Officers from the Nong Khai Provincial Immigration Office came across a Facebook post by a Vietnamese man, later identified as 34 year old Phan Dinh Sy, who advertised a transport service for Vietnamese nationals…

  • Thailand NewsThai man attacked and threatened with M16 rifle after road row

    Thai man attacked and threatened with M16 rifle after road row

    A Thai man sought help from non-profit organisation Saimai Survive after an influential person in the southern province of Phang Nga after being physically assaulted and threatened with an M16 rifle following a row on the road. The 23 year old victim, Kiattiphum, shared with Saimai Survive that his rival attempted to kill him. The row between them began after…

  • Thailand NewsThai man and 2 children saved after murder-suicide attempt

    Thai man and 2 children saved after murder-suicide attempt

    A Thai father and his two children survived after drinking a soft drink mixed with pesticide in the man’s murder-suicide attempt driven by jealousy. A Thai woman working in Malaysia sought help from her sister-in-law after her husband, 36 year old Somyot, sent pictures of himself physically assaulting their nine year old daughter and seven year old son. The sister-in-law…

  • Thailand NewsAmerican teacher’s Apple of discord: Thai backlash over ad critique

    American teacher’s Apple of discord: Thai backlash over ad critique

    Drama unexpectedly unfolded for an American teacher and TikToker in Thailand, who criticised a controversial Apple advertisement. He faced criticism for not being a Thai national and was accused of being disingenuous, and only posted the video to solicit attention and engagement on social media. The renowned American influencer, David William, released a video of himself criticising Apple’s advertisement, The…

  • Bangkok NewsHomeless man makes himself comfy in Bangkok cop’s condo

    Homeless man makes himself comfy in Bangkok cop’s condo

    The Investigation Division of the Metropolitan Police Bureau (IDMB) arrested a homeless Thai man for breaking into an IDMB police inspector’s Bangkok condominium room several times. The IDMB police inspector suspected his condo had been broken into on June 27 when he arrived home and found some items out of place. He checked thoroughly and discovered some of his belongings…

  • Thailand NewsViral image of naked Thai conscripts in rain sparks investigation

    Viral image of naked Thai conscripts in rain sparks investigation

    The Minister of Defence ordered an investigation into the punishment of conscripts at a Royal Thai Army (RTA) base in the northern province of Chiang Mai, following a viral image on Thai social media showing ten naked conscripts standing in the rain. A Thai woman sought help from the non-profit organisation Saimai Survive after her older brother and other conscripts…

  • Thailand News12 year old girl seeks justice after gang rape by 13 men in Thailand

    12 year old girl seeks justice after gang rape by 13 men in Thailand

    A 12 year old Thai girl fled the southern province of Narathiwat for help in the central province of Nonthaburi after a gang rape by 13 men, including her older brother’s friends and relatives. The 12 year old victim was accompanied by her 20 year old sister to seek help from social media influencer Guntouch “Gun” Pongpaiboonwet after the young…

  • Bangkok NewsThai transwoman nabbed in 26 million baht scam targeting Japanese nationals

    Thai transwoman nabbed in 26 million baht scam targeting Japanese nationals

    Metropolitan Police Bureau officers arrested a Thai transwoman yesterday after she scammed 73 Japanese nationals over a ten-year period. The total losses amounted to nearly 26 million baht. The 49 year old Thai transwoman, Uthai “Amy” Nantakhan, was arrested yesterday, August 4, at her condominium in the Bangkapi district of Bangkok. Her arrest followed a report from the latest Japanese…

  • Thailand NewsGay voyeur caught filming truck driver in petrol station bathroom

    Gay voyeur caught filming truck driver in petrol station bathroom

    A group of Thai truck drivers held a perverted gay man for over two hours after he filmed a trucker taking a shower in a bathroom at a petrol station in the Isaan province of Udon Thani. The police were later called to the scene. Officers from Mueang Udon Thani Police Station were called to the petrol station bathroom yesterday…

  • Thailand NewsMOPH’s plan to rub out illicit activities in Thai massage shops

    MOPH’s plan to rub out illicit activities in Thai massage shops

    The Minister of Public Health (MOPH) plans to clean up traditional Thai massage shops after 75% were found to secretly offer sex services. The Health Minister, Somsak Thepsutin, stated he aims to clean up the seedy side of the industry and promote Thai massage as a soft power. The President of the Charawi Association for the Preservation of Thai Massage,…

  • Thailand NewsGolden showers: Drug dealer arrested after he urinates on cop

    Golden showers: Drug dealer arrested after he urinates on cop

    One officer yesterday was urinated on as the Drug Suppression Unit of Suphan Buri Province in central Thailand swooped to arrest a drug dealer, seizing 1,000 methamphetamine tablets, also known as Yaba, during the operation. Officers received a complaint from locals that drug dealers frequently used Highway Number 33 to transport drugs. An investigation revealed the dealers planned to deliver…

  • Bangkok NewsTranswoman busted at Bangkok hotel for pimping out teenage girls

    Transwoman busted at Bangkok hotel for pimping out teenage girls

    Officers from the Children and Women Protection Sub-Division arrested a Thai transwoman at a hotel in Bangkok for pimping out two teenage girls, aged 16 and 17. Officers found several advertisements for the young sex workers on various social media platforms, so they posed as clients and contacted the 30 year old transgender woman, Samart, who had shared the ads.…

  • Thailand NewsAttempted murder suspect stabs Thai police officer during arrest

    Attempted murder suspect stabs Thai police officer during arrest

    A Thai man stabbed a police officer during an arrest for attempted murder in the Isaan province of Phichit yesterday, August 1. The injured police officer, Pairat Saenamart, and an investigating team from Mueang Phichit Police Station discovered the wanted suspect, 40 year old Manit Chimthong, hiding in a house in the Tha Luang sub-district in Phichit after a previous…

  • Thailand NewsCommunity chief ends life after shooting ex-girlfriend in Phetchaburi

    Community chief ends life after shooting ex-girlfriend in Phetchaburi

    A Thai community chief in the southern province of Phetchaburi committed suicide after shooting his ex-girlfriend at her beauty salon. Fortunately, the woman survived the shooting but remains in a critical condition. A Thai man, Luechai, rushed to his girlfriend’s beauty salon in the Banlat district of Phetchaburi after hearing two gunshots while talking to her on the phone. Upon…

  • Thailand NewsBelgian thief’s key to crime: Unlocking 200,000 baht (video)

    Belgian thief’s key to crime: Unlocking 200,000 baht (video)

    Songkhla Provincial Immigration Police yesterday arrested a Belgian man after he stole hotel key cards from Thai and Malaysian victims and robbed them of 200,000 baht. Police arrested the 26 year old Belgian thief, Abdelali, at a hotel in the Hat Yai district of Songkhla province yesterday, August 1, after the Thai and Malaysian victims filed a theft complaint with…

  • Bangkok NewsJapanese man arrested for attempted rape of drunk Thai woman

    Japanese man arrested for attempted rape of drunk Thai woman

    A Thai woman took legal action against a Japanese man for attempting to rape her while she was drunk at Royal City Avenue (RCA) in Bangkok in the early hours of Sunday. The victim and her boyfriend filed a complaint at Makkasan Police Station after the incident occurred at about 4.40am on Sunday, July 28. The couple also obtained footage…

  • Krabi NewsDutch teenager falls to death from cliff at viewpoint in Krabi

    Dutch teenager falls to death from cliff at viewpoint in Krabi

    An 18 year old Dutch teenager yesterday fell to his death from the Ngon Nak Nature Trail viewpoint in the southern province of Krabi after he became separated from his family. A Dutch couple, Karin Monique Valkhoff and Rinus Gerard Bakker, yesterday, July 31, sought help from Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Koh Phi Phi National Park rangers after their 18 year…