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.
  • Bangkok News3 Mongolians arrested in Bangkok for smuggling crystal meth using capacitors | Thaiger

    3 Mongolians arrested in Bangkok for smuggling crystal meth using capacitors

    Police arrested three Mongolian nationals at a hotel in Bangkok’s Sukhumvit area for smuggling crystal methamphetamine from Thailand to their home country by concealing the drugs inside electronic components (capacitors). Officers from the Narcotics Suppression Bureau began the investigation after discovering a suspicious parcel at a logistics company office on New Phetchaburi Road in Bangkok on January 9. The parcel…

  • Thailand NewsElection Commission to summon Fastwork CEO over vote-buying claim | Thaiger

    Election Commission to summon Fastwork CEO over vote-buying claim

    The Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) planned to summon the CEO of freelance marketplace Fastwork for questioning after he publicly claimed that a political party bought a vote from his grandmother for 2,000 baht. The Thai-Chinese CEO of the Fastwork, Chikit “CK” Cheong, is not only well-known as a businessman but also as a content creator who regularly discusses business,…

  • Thailand NewsThai suspect arrested after neck slashing and motorcycle theft in Chon Buri | Thaiger

    Thai suspect arrested after neck slashing and motorcycle theft in Chon Buri

    Police arrested a Thai man for slashing a vocational student on the neck and stealing his motorcycle in Chon Buri province. Investigators found that the suspect has a history of mental illness and had been without proper treatment for more than six months. The victim, an 18 year old vocational student Siraphat Artthaisong, was found seriously injured near his home…

  • Phuket NewsRussian runner protests Phuket race organiser, throws medal away | Thaiger

    Russian runner protests Phuket race organiser, throws medal away

    A Russian runner criticised the organiser of a running event in Phuket after being accused of following the wrong route and being disqualified, insisting that the mistake was caused by the organiser rather than by him. The Russian runner, Sergey Zyryanov, shared a video on social media showing himself throwing a medal from the Running@Wichit event into a rubbish bin.…

  • Bangkok NewsThai man disappears, car found outside abandoned house in Chon Buri | Thaiger

    Thai man disappears, car found outside abandoned house in Chon Buri

    A Thai man with a history of depression disappeared from his home in Bangkok late last month, with his car later found outside an abandoned house in Chon Buri province. The missing man’s older sister turned to an online community for help on Monday, February 2, sharing a photo and details of her brother, 37 year old Keerati “Golf” Nattirakiat,…

  • Thailand NewsThai woman flees naked after rape in Chon Buri abandoned house | Thaiger

    Thai woman flees naked after rape in Chon Buri abandoned house

    A Thai woman ran naked from an abandoned house in Chon Buri province to seek help after she was raped on Sunday evening, February 1. Police are continuing their search for the suspect, who remains at large. According to a report by Channel 7, the incident occurred at an abandoned house along a road on Jao Mae Sakhon Mountain in…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket man falls from pickup while confronting foreign hit-and-run driver | Thaiger

    Phuket man falls from pickup while confronting foreign hit-and-run driver

    A Thai Good Samaritan fell from the back of a pickup truck on a road in Phuket while attempting to stop a foreign driver who fled the scene after crashing into three motorcycles. Footage of the incident was shared on the Newshawk Phuket Facebook page on Sunday, February 2. According to the page, the incident itself occurred the previous night,…

  • Bangkok News2 gunmen surrender after 2 victims injured in Khao San Road shooting | Thaiger

    2 gunmen surrender after 2 victims injured in Khao San Road shooting

    Two people were injured after a shooting broke out at an entertainment venue on Khao San Road in Bangkok early on Friday, January 30. Police later confirmed that two suspects had contacted authorities, saying they intended to turn themselves in. According to a report by Channel 7, the shooting occurred at a bar on Khao San Road at around 1.30am.…

  • Pattaya NewsThai man clings to moving SUV in Pattaya allegedly to stop car thief | Thaiger

    Thai man clings to moving SUV in Pattaya allegedly to stop car thief

    Thai netizens called for further investigation after a viral video showed a Thai man clinging to the bonnet of a moving electric SUV on a road in Pattaya, allegedly in an attempt to stop a thief from stealing his vehicle. A Thai woman shared the video on her Facebook account on Sunday, February 2, along with a caption claiming the…

  • Thailand News‘Mr Spray’ wanted for defacing Koh Pha Ngan with political graffiti | Thaiger

    ‘Mr Spray’ wanted for defacing Koh Pha Ngan with political graffiti

    Residents and local business operators on Koh Pha Ngan in Surat Thani province called on police to take action against “Mr Spay“, a foreign man who spray-painted political slogans on public and private property across the island. Residents told reporters that the man spray-painted messages such as “Save Gaza” and “Libre” on traffic signs, electricity poles, and walls belonging to…

  • Pattaya NewsForeign man flags sea pollution off Jomtien Beach in Pattaya | Thaiger

    Foreign man flags sea pollution off Jomtien Beach in Pattaya

    A foreign man drew widespread attention on social media after posting footage showing wastewater being discharged into the sea off Jomtien Beach in Pattaya, prompting an investigation by Thai authorities. The foreign man, believed to be a French national, Herve Dejean, shared a video and several photos of wastewater pools on Jomtien Beach on his Facebook account on Sunday, February…

  • Phuket NewsFrench couple deported and blacklisted after sex on Phuket tuk tuk | Thaiger

    French couple deported and blacklisted after sex on Phuket tuk tuk

    A French couple are facing deportation and blacklisting from Thailand after being arrested for engaging in a sexual act while travelling on a tuk tuk in Phuket last month. The case came to light after a Thai motorist, who was driving behind a tuk tuk on Patong Hill in Phuket on January 29, noticed the inappropriate behaviour of a foreign…

  • Bangkok NewsYaowarat Chinese New Year cancelled to honour Queen Mother Sirikit | Thaiger

    Yaowarat Chinese New Year cancelled to honour Queen Mother Sirikit

    The Samphanthawong District Office announced the cancellation of this year’s Chinese New Year event along Yaowarat Road, also known as Bangkok’s Chinatown, citing the ongoing mourning period for Her Majesty Queen Mother Sirikit. In an official announcement issued today, February 2, the district office, which oversees the Chinatown area, confirmed that the Chinese New Year celebrations scheduled for February 17…

  • Thailand NewsChiang Rai man arrested for stalking TikTok star and issuing death threats | Thaiger

    Chiang Rai man arrested for stalking TikTok star and issuing death threats

    Police arrested a Thai man in Chiang Rai province for stalking a female TikTok star and issuing death threats against her and her family. The arrest took place on Saturday, January 31, following a complaint filed by the victim and her parents. The victim, a 19 year old TikToker identified only as A, along with her parents, reported the case…

  • Thailand NewsMentally ill man caught sexually abusing dog near Buriram school | Thaiger

    Mentally ill man caught sexually abusing dog near Buriram school

    A mentally ill Thai man sexually abused a stray dog near a school in Buriram province, sparking panic and concern among parents and guardians of young students. The superintendent of Nongki Police Station, Nathee Sukuna, told local media that he had assigned an investigation team to look into the case after videos of the incident were shared widely on social…

  • Bangkok NewsThai man lures 16 year old boy into creating swinger sex videos | Thaiger

    Thai man lures 16 year old boy into creating swinger sex videos

    Police arrested an 18 year old man at a condominium in Bangkok for luring a 16 year old boy into creating pornographic videos and distributing them on the OnlyFans platform. Officers from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) and International Protection Alliance (IPA) conducted an investigation into two X accounts after finding the accounts inviting online users to subscribe to an…

  • Aviation NewsRussian man jumps from plane after landing at Bangkok airport | Thaiger

    Russian man jumps from plane after landing at Bangkok airport

    A foreign man in underwear, believed to be a Russian national, caused chaos and jumped off an airplane from an emergency exit door shortly after it landed at Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok, following a journey from Vietnam. A Thai woman who was travelling on the same flight shared footage of the incident on her TikTok account, @piapornchamsri, on…

  • Bangkok NewsArmed thief steals over 10 million baht in gold from Sukhumvit mall | Thaiger

    Armed thief steals over 10 million baht in gold from Sukhumvit mall

    Police successfully identified a suspect in a late-night robbery at a gold shop inside a shopping mall on Soi Sukhumvit 50 in Bangkok, in which gold accessories worth more than 10 million baht and around 170,000 baht in cash were stolen. The commander of Metropolitan Police Division 5, Wittawat Chinkham, told the media that the robbery took place at around…

  • Aviation NewsAOT to raise passenger service charge for international flights from May | Thaiger

    AOT to raise passenger service charge for international flights from May

    Airports of Thailand (AOT) confirmed plans to increase the passenger service charge (PSC) for international departures in May this year. While the increase will largely affect foreign travellers, AOT insisted that it will not reduce the number of international visitors to Thailand. The chief executive officer of AOT, Paweena Jariyathitipong, told local media that the PSC for passengers departing on international…

  • Thailand NewsPublic backlash erupts over ECT mistakes in advance voting | Thaiger

    Public backlash erupts over ECT mistakes in advance voting

    Public criticism mounted against officials from the Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) following a series of mistakes reported during Thailand’s advanced voting yesterday, February 1. The ECT scheduled February 1 for advance voting ahead of the official General Election on February 8. It is designed to allow eligible Thai citizens who live outside their registered home provinces, or who are…

  • Thailand NewsChiang Rai family exhumes body after ‘dead’ son walks back home | Thaiger

    Chiang Rai family exhumes body after ‘dead’ son walks back home

    A Thai man believed to be dead returned to his home in Chiang Rai province on January 24, leaving his family stunned and forcing them to exhume a body they had already buried, only to discover it was his friend, not him. Rescuers from the Thap Yang Sataranakusol Foundation were asked to assist a family in the Mae Fah Luang…

  • Thailand NewsDrug suspect abandons girlfriend in police chase on Ayutthaya road | Thaiger

    Drug suspect abandons girlfriend in police chase on Ayutthaya road

    A Thai drug user sped off on his motorcycle to escape police and continued fleeing even after his girlfriend fell from the vehicle. He did not get far and was arrested shortly afterwards. Footage from a police body camera went viral on Thai social media and was reposted by several news outlets. The video shows a man wearing a black…

  • Thailand NewsPattaya rolls out colour-coded beach umbrellas to boost seaside views | Thaiger

    Pattaya rolls out colour-coded beach umbrellas to boost seaside views

    Pattaya introduced new rule assigning specific umbrella colours to beach chair operators, saying the move will improve orderliness and create a more attractive seaside view for visitors. The mayor of Pattaya City, Porramate Ngampichate, shared the update on his official Facebook page yesterday, January 29, stating that umbrella colours and designs above beach chairs across the city would be standardised…

  • Pattaya NewsAmerican motorcyclist killed in Pattaya head-on crash with SUV | Thaiger

    American motorcyclist killed in Pattaya head-on crash with SUV

    An American motorcyclist lost his life after crashing into an SUV in the opposite lane on a road in Pattaya last night, January 29. Officers from Nong Prue Police Station and rescuers from Sawang Borriboon Dhammastan Foundation were alerted to the fatal accident on Pong Overpass above Number 35 Road in the Bang Lamung district at around 10pm. Upon arrival,…

  • Phuket NewsDutch man held at Phuket Airport over assault on Thai vendor | Thaiger

    Dutch man held at Phuket Airport over assault on Thai vendor

    Police arrested a Dutch man at Phuket International Airport yesterday, January 29, after he and three friends assaulted a Thai street vendor during a parking dispute in Patong last week. The owner of a beverage stall called Isaan Cafe, whose name was withheld, filed a complaint with Patong Police Station following the incident, which occurred at around 9.30pm on Saturday,…

  • Pattaya NewsBelgian man injured after power bank explodes at Pattaya bar | Thaiger

    Belgian man injured after power bank explodes at Pattaya bar

    A Belgian man suffered burn injuries to his left leg after a power bank exploded while he was drinking at a bar on Pattaya Walking Street yesterday, January 29. Pattaya City officials were alerted to the incident at around 3am. The injured man was identified as 58 year old Belgian national Segers Frank Willem C., who sustained burn wounds on…

  • Pattaya NewsPattaya taxi rider criticised after arguing with Russian women over fare | Thaiger

    Pattaya taxi rider criticised after arguing with Russian women over fare

    A Pattaya app-based motorcycle taxi rider took to social media to condemn two Russian women for refusing to pay an additional fare for travelling together, but many netizens disagreed with him and instead condemned the rider for breaking traffic laws by carrying two passengers on a single motorcycle. The rider, whose identity has not been disclosed, shared a video online showing…

  • Krabi NewsIllegal paragliding leaves British tourist injured on Krabi cliff | Thaiger

    Illegal paragliding leaves British tourist injured on Krabi cliff

    A British man sustained leg injuries after illegally paragliding within Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park in Krabi province and crashing into a cliff at a height of around 60 to 70 metres above the ground. National park rangers discovered the paragliding accident while conducting a routine patrol near Ton Sai Beach, in the western area of Ao Railay,…

  • Thailand NewsThai netizens react after Japanese living statue hits actress’s son on head | Thaiger

    Thai netizens react after Japanese living statue hits actress’s son on head

    A living statue street performer in Japan sparked backlash among Thai netizens after slapping the son of a Thai actress on the head. However, the boy’s parents later forgave the performer, saying the incident was a misunderstanding and confirming they would not pursue legal action. The incident came to public attention after the family of Thai actress Sarocha “Bua” Viriuamettakul,…

  • Thailand News4 year old boy brutally assaulted by grandmother’s boyfriend | Thaiger

    4 year old boy brutally assaulted by grandmother’s boyfriend

    Police rescued a four year old boy from a forest in Lop Buri province after he was assaulted by his grandmother’s boyfriend and abandoned after the man believed the child had died. The boy’s grandmother, 57 year old Banjong, sought help from officers at Chaibadan Police Station at around 3.30pm on Monday, January 26. She reported that her grandson, Pipo,…