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 NewsPattaya Halloween festival on walking street cancelled in mourning period | Thaiger

    Pattaya Halloween festival on walking street cancelled in mourning period

    An organiser of the Pattaya Halloween Party cancelled activities on the walking street following the passing of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother. The Bureau of the Royal Household announced on Friday, October 24, that Her Majesty Queen Sirikit passed away at 9.21pm at Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. The medical team revealed that she developed a bloodstream infection on October 17,…

  • Phuket NewsRussian man warned after blocking public mooring in Phuket | Thaiger

    Russian man warned after blocking public mooring in Phuket

    A Russian man accused of taking over a public mooring in Phuket defended himself, saying his boat was too old to risk any damage if other vessels docked nearby. Last week, a local boat driver filed a complaint with the Facebook news page โหดจัง จังหวัดภูเก็ต, alleging that a foreign man, later identified as a Russian national, took over a public mooring…

  • Phuket NewsFrenchman and Thai transwoman arrested in Phuket for selling crystal meth | Thaiger

    Frenchman and Thai transwoman arrested in Phuket for selling crystal meth

    Patong police arrested a Frenchman and a Thai transwoman at a hotel in Patong, Phuket, on Saturday, October 25, after discovering approximately 43 grammes of crystal meth in their possession. Officers from Patong Police Station conducted a raid on a hotel room on Sirirat Road, Patong subdistrict, Kathu district, Phuket. The suspects were identified as a 46 year old Frenchman…

  • Pattaya NewsFrenchman dies after jumping from Pattaya hotel balcony | Thaiger

    Frenchman dies after jumping from Pattaya hotel balcony

    A hotel security guard in Pattaya alerted police after witnessing a Frenchman jump from a fifth-floor balcony early this morning, October 27, despite efforts to intervene. Rescuers from the Sawang Boriboon Dhammastan Foundation were alerted to the incident at around 5am and rushed to the scene, a hotel in southern Pattaya. Officers from Mueang Pattaya Police Station were also called…

  • Thailand NewsCanadian man praised for aiding injured Malaysian in Krabi car accident | Thaiger

    Canadian man praised for aiding injured Malaysian in Krabi car accident

    Netizens praised a Canadian man for helping a Malaysian man who suffered a head injury in a car accident in Krabi province on October 23. The footage, showing the Canadian man helping an injured Malaysian victim in the middle of the road, was shared by ThaiRath on October 24. The accident was reported to have occurred on a road in…

  • Thailand NewsSurin woman terrified after snake slithers out of ATM cash slot | Thaiger

    Surin woman terrified after snake slithers out of ATM cash slot

    A Thai woman sought help from police officers after discovering a snake slithering out of an ATM while withdrawing cash in the Isaan province of Surin today, October 24. Officers from Lamduan Police Station received a report from the woman at around 9am today that an unidentified snake was inside an ATM located in the city centre. Upon arrival, the…

  • Thailand NewsFormer RTP chief and 200 officers found guilty of taking bribes from gambling sites | Thaiger

    Former RTP chief and 200 officers found guilty of taking bribes from gambling sites

    After more than seven months of investigation, the Police Complaint Review Committee reported that the former Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police (RTP) and 200 officers were found guilty of accepting bribes from online gambling websites. Renowned lawyer Sitta Biabangkerd first brought the allegations to light, accusing former RTP Commissioner Torsak “Big Tor” Sukvimol and hundreds of police officers of…

  • Phuket News4 foreigners arrested in Phuket for operating restricted businesses | Thaiger

    4 foreigners arrested in Phuket for operating restricted businesses

    Phuket Immigration officers arrested four foreigners for illegally operating businesses in Patong, including a motorcycle rental shop, a travel agency, a barber shop, and restaurants. Immigration officials launched raids on five businesses along Phra Baramee Road and Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road in Patong sub-district, Kathu district, following complaints from residents. During the inspection, officers found an Israeli man, whose name…

  • Bangkok NewsThai woman duped out of 1 million baht by fake police call centre scam | Thaiger

    Thai woman duped out of 1 million baht by fake police call centre scam

    A Thai woman lost more than 1 million baht to a call centre scammer who posed as a police officer and issued a fake legal charge against her. She said she had been saving the money since she was 15 through various part-time jobs. The 25 year old recent graduate, Ploy, filed a complaint with Huai Khwang Police Station yesterday,…

  • Bangkok NewsThai teen stabs Laotian colleague after being tricked into drinking urine | Thaiger

    Thai teen stabs Laotian colleague after being tricked into drinking urine

    A Thai teenager stabbed his Laotian colleague at a car care centre in Bang Na, Bangkok, yesterday, October 23, after the victim allegedly tricked him into drinking urine. Officers from Bang Na Police Station investigated the stabbing at a car care centre located within a petrol station on Soi Bang Na-Trat 20 at around 8.40am. Upon arrival, officers found the…

  • Thailand NewsThai government moves to bring back 2 gifted elephants from Sri Lanka | Thaiger

    Thai government moves to bring back 2 gifted elephants from Sri Lanka

    The Thai government is set to hold talks with Sri Lanka on October 28 to bring back two elephants that were gifted by Thailand, following reports of poor living conditions and alleged mistreatment. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), Suchart Chomklin, wrote on his Facebook page yesterday, October 23, that he plans to fly urgently…

  • Phuket NewsForeign man goes viral for swimming in floodwater on Bangla Road, Phuket | Thaiger

    Foreign man goes viral for swimming in floodwater on Bangla Road, Phuket

    A foreign man went viral on Thai social media after a video showed him sitting on a rubber ring and enjoying the floodwater on Bangla Road in Phuket. A Thai man filmed the foreigner floating in the middle of the flooded road and shared the video on his Facebook account yesterday, October 23, with a caption reading, “#NewSwimmingPoolNearMe #Happiness #BanglaPatong.”…

  • Bangkok News3 men pose as police and steal 46,000 baht from Chinese tourist in Bangkok | Thaiger

    3 men pose as police and steal 46,000 baht from Chinese tourist in Bangkok

    Police arrested one of three men who posed as police officers and stole about 46,000 baht from a Chinese tourist in Huai Khwang, Bangkok, today, October 23. The victim, Lyu Wanyuan, filed a complaint with Huai Khwang Police Station after losing 11,000 Hong Kong dollars, about 46,000 baht, to the gang. The incident occurred outside a hotel on Ratchadaphisek Road.…

  • Thailand NewsThai man dies from cobra bite after emotional phone call to grandmother | Thaiger

    Thai man dies from cobra bite after emotional phone call to grandmother

    A Thai man in Samut Prakan province phoned his grandmother to express his love before losing his life to a cobra bite today, October 23. Officers from Bang Sao Thong Police Station, together with forensic doctors from Ramathibodi Chakri Naruebodindra Hospital and members of the Por Teck Tung Rescue Foundation, responded to a report of a snake attack at a…

  • Thailand NewsThai mother denies sending daughter to work for scam gang in Cambodia | Thaiger

    Thai mother denies sending daughter to work for scam gang in Cambodia

    A Thai woman denied allegations made by her ex-husband, who accused her of sending their 19 year old daughter to work for a call centre scam in Cambodia for money. The father, 47 year old Joe, appealed for help after losing contact with his daughter, 19 year old Plaifa, also known as Mew. Joe said he only discovered that his daughter…

  • Thailand NewsPathum Thani teacher and volleyball coach sexually assaults 5 schoolboys | Thaiger

    Pathum Thani teacher and volleyball coach sexually assaults 5 schoolboys

    Police denied bail for a male teacher and volleyball coach who allegedly sexually assaulted five 12 year old schoolboys at a school in Pathum Thani province. One of the victims reportedly attempted suicide following the abuse. Families of the five young victims brought the child sex abuse case to the Pavena Foundation for Children and Women. One of the families…

  • Thailand NewsThai woman shoots herself in Chachoengsao after dispute with boyfriend | Thaiger

    Thai woman shoots herself in Chachoengsao after dispute with boyfriend

    Armed police officers prepared to confront a gunman at a house in Chachoengsao province after receiving reports of a shooting yesterday, October 22, only to discover that a woman involved had shot herself following a dispute with her boyfriend. Officers from Bang Pakong Police Station arrived at a two-storey house in Bang Pakong district after receiving a report of a…

  • Pattaya NewsIndian man drops assault complaint against Pattaya nightclub manager | Thaiger

    Indian man drops assault complaint against Pattaya nightclub manager

    An Indian man withdrew a complaint against an Indian nightclub manager in Pattaya, saying that the alleged assault and threat were simply a misunderstanding. The two men hugged in front of cameras to show their renewed friendship. The 33 year old Indian man, Rohit, filed a complaint at Mueang Pattaya Police Station in September, accusing 35 year old Bittu Vishal,…

  • Bangkok NewsBangkok to raise BTS Green Line extension fares from November 1 | Thaiger

    Bangkok to raise BTS Green Line extension fares from November 1

    The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will increase fares for the BTS Green Line train extensions starting from November 1. The change will affect three routes: Mo Chit–Khu Khot, Bang Chak–Samut Prakan, and Pho Nimit–Bang Wa. The official Facebook page of the BMA published a statement from Deputy Bangkok Governor, Wisanu Subsompon, yesterday, October 22. Wisanu explained that the fare increase…

  • Thailand NewsFinance minister of Thailand resigns after 33 days amid scam allegations | Thaiger

    Finance minister of Thailand resigns after 33 days amid scam allegations

    The finance minister resigned from his position yesterday, October 22, after 33 days of working due to an accusation of involvement in the call centre scam network based in Cambodia. The Minister of Finance, Vorapak Tanyawong, who is the former president of Krung Thai Bank, recently joined the government under the lead of the Prime Minister (PM) Anutin Charnvirakul on…

  • Bangkok NewsSuvarnabhumi Airport officials accused of corruption after seized belonging sold online | Thaiger

    Suvarnabhumi Airport officials accused of corruption after seized belonging sold online

    A Thai woman accused officials at Suvarnabhumi International Airport of corruption after finding that her pocket knife, which was confiscated on August 25, was sold on Facebook. Chongpriang Tainangam took to her Facebook account, demanding clarification from Suvarnabhumi Airport and the Airports of Thailand (AOT) regarding the sale of her seized knife. She discovered the item being sold on the Leatherman…

  • Phuket NewsKuwaiti man arrested in Phuket for crystal meth possession and overstay | Thaiger

    Kuwaiti man arrested in Phuket for crystal meth possession and overstay

    Police arrested a Kuwaiti man for possession of crystal meth and overstaying his visa in Patong, Phuket, on Monday, October 20. Officers from Patong Police Station reported the arrest of the 36 year old Kuwaiti national, whose name has not been disclosed, via the Phuket Info Centre Facebook page yesterday, October 21. The arrest took place a day earlier at…

  • Thailand NewsDeputy PM says no foreigners encroach Koh Pha Ngan forest | Thaiger

    Deputy PM says no foreigners encroach Koh Pha Ngan forest

    The deputy prime minister (PM) of Thailand confirmed that no foreigners encroached on forest land on Koh Pha Ngan, an island in the southern province of Surat Thani. Some locals on Koh Pha Ngan voiced concerns that the island was taken over by foreigners, particularly Israeli nationals. They claimed that Israelis used Thai nominees to buy seaside land, encroached on…

  • Thailand NewsSkeletal Thai man rescued after alleged kratom addiction | Thaiger

    Skeletal Thai man rescued after alleged kratom addiction

    A Thai volunteer rescuer issued a warning after being called to assist a man who became severely emaciated, allegedly due to his kratom addiction. The rescuer, Jirasak Prayonghom, shared a photograph of the man he had helped on his Facebook account yesterday, October 21. In part of his caption, Jirasak wrote… “#Warning This 23 year old man was weak and skeletal,…

  • Bangkok NewsBolt rider and passenger killed in motorcycle crash after phone distraction | Thaiger

    Bolt rider and passenger killed in motorcycle crash after phone distraction

    A Thai Bolt rider crashed into an electricity pole on a road in Bang Na, Bangkok, yesterday, October 21, after focusing on a map on his mobile phone, leading to the deaths of himself and his passenger. Officers from Bang Na Police Station received a report of a fatal motorcycle accident near the entrance of Soi Bang Na-Trat 16 on…

  • Bangkok NewsBangkok taxi rider fights foreign passenger over drop-off spot dispute | Thaiger

    Bangkok taxi rider fights foreign passenger over drop-off spot dispute

    A physical altercation broke out between a Thai motorcycle taxi rider and a foreign passenger outside a shopping mall in Bangkok, reportedly due to a dispute over a drop-off point. A TikTok user, @buti.39, shared a video of the fight on Monday, October 20, with the caption, “A motorcycle taxi rider at Siam Paragon who takes boxing as inspiration for…

  • Pattaya NewsGerman man injured by faulty manhole cover in Pattaya | Thaiger

    German man injured by faulty manhole cover in Pattaya

    A German man sustained a leg injury after stepping on a faulty manhole cover in Pattaya earlier yesterday, October 21. Rescue workers from the Sawang Boriboon Foundation in Pattaya were alerted to the accident, which occurred near Soi Pattaya 14 in Central Pattaya at around 4.30am. The injured man was later identified as a German national, 28 year old Christoph. According…

  • Pattaya News3 Japanese tourists fined for lifting skirt of Pattaya hairdresser | Thaiger

    3 Japanese tourists fined for lifting skirt of Pattaya hairdresser

    Three Japanese men face a fine for sexually harassing a Thai hairdresser in Pattaya on Saturday, October 19, by lifting her skirt. The Thai online community called for harsher penalties to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. The owner of K.K Hairstyles @ Pattaya Barbers & Salon in Pattaya, 33 year old Kanokkarn, shared CCTV footage of the…

  • Phuket NewsForeign man caught on CCTV stealing liquor from Phuket restaurant | Thaiger

    Foreign man caught on CCTV stealing liquor from Phuket restaurant

    A CCTV camera captured a foreign man stealing a bottle of liquor from a restaurant in the Patong area of Phuket on Sunday, October 19. Footage of the theft was shared by the Phuket Times Facebook page today, October 21. In the video, the foreign suspect is seen wearing black shorts and a red shirt covered with a black jacket.…

  • Bangkok NewsFormer shooting athlete kills wife and daughter before turning gun on himself | Thaiger

    Former shooting athlete kills wife and daughter before turning gun on himself

    A former shooting athlete killed his wife and their daughter at a house in Bangkok today, October 21, before taking his own life. A mental issue after the death of his father was suspected to be the motive for the murder-suicide. Bangkok Noi Police Station officers were alerted to three deaths at 9.10am today and visited the incident scene, a…