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 NewsBangkok traffic cop under fire for fine collection via tuk tuk driver | Thaiger

    Bangkok traffic cop under fire for fine collection via tuk tuk driver

    Concerns over corruption arose after a Bangkok traffic police officer was caught in a viral video instructing a motorist to pay a fine through the bank account of a tuk tuk driver. The alleged misconduct came to light after a TikTok account, Talk with the Police, shared a video of the questionable incident at the end of November. The caption…

  • Thailand NewsForeign driver at large after hit-and-run and chase in Bangkok (video) | Thaiger

    Foreign driver at large after hit-and-run and chase in Bangkok (video)

    A foreign driver managed to flee following a hit-and-run in the On Nut area of Bangkok and a high-speed chase with Thai motorcycle taxi riders. An app-based motorcycle taxi rider shared a video of the incident on his TikTok account, tukgii3, on Monday, 2 December, with the caption: “On Nut is very thrilling. #HitAndRun #OutsideBigCOnNut.” The video showed a red…

  • Thailand NewsThai man arrested for driving into wife outside police station (video) | Thaiger

    Thai man arrested for driving into wife outside police station (video)

    Police in the southern province of Krabi yesterday arrested a Thai man after he drove his pickup into his wife and her family outside a police station in Nakhon Si Thammarat on November 20. The domestic violence case initially went largely unnoticed despite occurring over two weeks ago. However, it gained public attention after officers apprehended the suspect yesterday, December…

  • Crime NewsThai police officer denies sexually assaulting teenage girl (video) | Thaiger

    Thai police officer denies sexually assaulting teenage girl (video)

    Alarming viral footage on social media allegedly shows a Thai police officer sexually assaulting a young girl in the Isaan province of Sisaket. The officer vehemently denied the accusation. The local social media influencer in the Isaan province of Ubon Ratchathani shared videos of the incident on his Facebook account, บ้านเฮียชาญ อุ้ยอุบล (Ban Hia Charn, Aui Ubon), on November 29.…

  • Pattaya NewsForeign man safely rescued after suicide attempt in Pattaya condo | Thaiger

    Foreign man safely rescued after suicide attempt in Pattaya condo

    Mueang Pattaya Police Station successfully rescued a foreign man from joining the Pattaya Flying Club after a suicide attempt at a beachfront condominium on Thappaya Road in Pattaya today, December 4. Police rushed to the 22-storey condominium following reports of a suicide attempt. The man, estimated to be between 70 and 75 years old, was spotted on the 21st floor,…

  • Thailand NewsUNESCO honours Thailand’s Tom Yum Kung as intangible cultural heritage | Thaiger

    UNESCO honours Thailand’s Tom Yum Kung as intangible cultural heritage

    The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) today, December 4, approved the renowned Thai dish Tom Yum Kung (hot and sour shrimp soup) as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Thailand proposed the country’s iconic dish, Tom Yum Kung, for UNESCO’s consideration, and the proposal was officially approved today. The announcement was made during the 19th Session of…

  • Thailand NewsFamily seeks justice after woman’s suicide linked to girlfriend’s fraud | Thaiger

    Family seeks justice after woman’s suicide linked to girlfriend’s fraud

    A Thai woman tragically committed suicide in her car in Chon Buri province after losing over 3 million baht to her unfaithful girlfriend. The victim’s family attempted to pursue legal action against the girlfriend but were unable to gather sufficient evidence. The death of the 33 year old woman, identified as Suthathip, was reported to Panthong Police Station on November…

  • Thailand NewsThai boy with special needs falls to his death from Ayutthaya mall | Thaiger

    Thai boy with special needs falls to his death from Ayutthaya mall

    A 12 year old Thai boy fell to his death from the rooftop of a five-storey shopping mall in the central province of Ayutthaya on Monday. Police are investigating whether the incident was an accident or a suicide. The tragic event occurred at around 6.30pm, December 2, at a well-known shopping mall on Rojjana Road in the Uthai district of…

  • Thailand NewsCannabis store HR officer slaps worker amid alleged embezzlement | Thaiger

    Cannabis store HR officer slaps worker amid alleged embezzlement

    Former employees of a cannabis retail chain accused managers and a human resources (HR) officer of falsely accusing them of embezzlement and extorting money. The HR officer also reportedly physically assaulted one of the workers. Two Thai men, who previously worked for the cannabis company, shared CCTV footage with the Facebook news page Social Hunter 2022. The footage shows a…

  • Phuket NewsBrief encounter: Phuket woman calls out underwear pervert (video) | Thaiger

    Brief encounter: Phuket woman calls out underwear pervert (video)

    A Thai woman in Phuket is pleading with a pervert to stop his degenerate behaviour after he repeatedly stole her underwear for masturbation purposes before later returning them. The victim, whose name was not disclosed, shared her story with the Phuket Times, today, December 3, in the hope that the man would be shamed into stopping his actions. The page subsequently…

  • Thailand NewsFire engulfs iconic, haunted boat hotel on Koh Chang (video) | Thaiger

    Fire engulfs iconic, haunted boat hotel on Koh Chang (video)

    A fire broke out today at the iconic, and reportedly haunted boat hotel, Koh Chang Grand Laguna, located on an island in the southeastern province of Trat. Firefighters are still struggling to control the blaze. The official Facebook page of Fire & Rescue Thailand reported that the fire began on the second floor of the landmark of Koh Chang at…

  • Thailand NewsThai victims lose over 100 million baht to ‘blue elephant’ flight booking scam | Thaiger

    Thai victims lose over 100 million baht to ‘blue elephant’ flight booking scam

    Nearly 100 victims collectively lost over 100 million baht to a flight booking platform featuring a blue elephant logo. The victims neither received their tickets nor were refunded their money. Ten representatives of the victims visited the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) yesterday, December 2, after their complaints were ignored for a prolonged period despite the substantial financial losses. They gathered a…

  • Thailand NewsDrink driver crashes car after offering lift to intoxicated woman | Thaiger

    Drink driver crashes car after offering lift to intoxicated woman

    A drunk Thai man offered a lift to an equally intoxicated woman he met on a roadside in the central province of Chachoengsao but failed to get her home because he crashed his car into a traffic barrier. Three people in the vehicle suffered mild injuries. Bang Pakong Police Station officers and rescuers dashed to the accident scene at the…

  • Thailand NewsThai national football player loses 2.7 million baht to call centre scam | Thaiger

    Thai national football player loses 2.7 million baht to call centre scam

    Police in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok arrested one of six mule account holders linked to a call centre scam gang that defrauded 2.7 million baht from a Thai national football player. The 33 year old Thai football player, Pokklaw Anan, filed a complaint with the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau yesterday, December 2, reporting that he lost 2.7 million baht to…

  • Thailand NewsThai father confesses to killing 6 month old baby after argument with wife | Thaiger

    Thai father confesses to killing 6 month old baby after argument with wife

    A Thai father confessed to killing his six month old baby boy at a rented house in Bangkok yesterday by pushing him off the bed due to the baby’s persistent crying and the stress following an argument with his wife. The baby’s 25 year old mother, Chotika, who is six months pregnant, yesterday, December 2, contacted officers from Kannayao Police…

  • Thailand NewsThai monk killed, 5 injured in Buddha statue collapse (video) | Thaiger

    Thai monk killed, 5 injured in Buddha statue collapse (video)

    Locals believe a mysterious destructive force caused the collapse of a Buddha statue at a monastery on the banks of the Mekong River in the Isaan province of Amnat Charoen on November 29, killing one monk and injuring five others. Officers from Chanuman Police Station investigated the fatal accident at Kaeng Kansung Monastery in Chanuman district, Amnat Charoen. Upon arrival,…

  • Thailand NewsRepeat Thai offender admits to murder, sexual assault of homeless victim | Thaiger

    Repeat Thai offender admits to murder, sexual assault of homeless victim

    A Thai homeless man admitted to the murder of a fellow vagrant, whose body was found near Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok on November 28. He also confessed to sexually assaulting the deceased. The unidentified victim’s body was discovered on the side of Kamphaengphet 6 Road, with a severe head wound and concealed under banana leaves. A bloodstained backpack…

  • Thailand NewsThai woman confronts bus pervert after third sexual assault (video) | Thaiger

    Thai woman confronts bus pervert after third sexual assault (video)

    A Thai woman defended herself by kicking a pervert who sexually assaulted her on a public bus on November 29 and handing him over to the police. Unfortunately, the suspect was temporarily released. A fellow passenger, 23 year old Adiwan, witnessed the incident and recorded a video to warn others. In the footage, the victim, identified as 25 year old Ploychompoo…

  • Thailand NewsGrounded: Thai AirAsia denies ticket fraud, blames airline app | Thaiger

    Grounded: Thai AirAsia denies ticket fraud, blames airline app

    Thai AirAsia denied allegations of ticket fraud, stating that the issue stemmed from its application, which was managed by its supplier. The alleged ticket fraud came to light after the local news Facebook page, Esor News, shared the story on December 1. The page posted the following message: “Abscess pops! A renowned airline deceives clients, offering ticket reservations and collecting payments…

  • Thailand NewsChinese cyber crook arrested for using Thai personal data in US | Thaiger

    Chinese cyber crook arrested for using Thai personal data in US

    The Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) arrested a Chinese man at a rented house in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok for using the personal information of Thai citizens to conduct e-commerce fraud targeting victims in the United States. CCIB officers uncovered that the suspect, a Chinese man who rented a house in the Pak Kret district of Nonthaburi as his operational…

  • Phuket NewsGerman woman bitten by suspected shark at Phang Nga beach | Thaiger

    German woman bitten by suspected shark at Phang Nga beach

    A German woman underwent surgery at a hospital in Phuket yesterday after being bitten by an unidentified fish, suspected to be a shark while swimming in the sea off Khao Lak Beach in the southern province of Phang Nga. The 57 year old woman, Elke Maier, was swimming with her four family members near Khaolak Laguna Resort on November 29 when…

  • Bangkok NewsDeath toll rises to 6 in Rama II bridge collapse near Bangkok | Thaiger

    Death toll rises to 6 in Rama II bridge collapse near Bangkok

    The death toll from the bridge collapse on Rama II Road in Samut Sakhon province near Bangkok rose from three to six with the final body recovered on Saturday, November 30. The steel launching truss collapsed while a concrete segment was being installed on the bridge over Rama II Road on November 29. Initially, three construction workers out of 39…

  • Thailand NewsThai man jumps from reversing pickup as it crashes into 27 vehicles | Thaiger

    Thai man jumps from reversing pickup as it crashes into 27 vehicles

    A Thai delivery driver lost control of his company pickup, causing it to reverse and crash into 27 vehicles parked at the Baan Ua-Athorn Hathairat community in the Khlong Samwa district of Bangkok yesterday, November 28. Victims of the accident shared footage of the crash and the damaged vehicles on the TikTok app. A Thai woman posted a video on…

  • Thailand NewsThailand to host 2025 SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games with 2 billion baht budget | Thaiger

    Thailand to host 2025 SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games with 2 billion baht budget

    The Ministry of Tourism and Sports announced yesterday that Thailand will host the 2025 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) and ASEAN Para Games with a budget of over 2 billion baht. Thailand is set to host the 33rd SEA Games, which will take place in three main provinces: Bangkok, Chon Buri, and Songkhla, from December 9 to 20, 2025. The…

  • Thailand NewsDriver escapes unscathed after bus catches fire in central Thailand | Thaiger

    Driver escapes unscathed after bus catches fire in central Thailand

    A dangerous fire broke out on a bus travelling on the Asian Highway in the central province of Ang Thong. Fortunately, the bus had no passengers, and the driver managed to escape unscathed. Officers from Mueang Ang Thong Police Station coordinated with the Ban It Sub-district Administration Office to dispatch a fire engine to the Asian Highway at about 6pm…

  • Thailand NewsThai man finds head-scratching scene near Bangkok airport | Thaiger

    Thai man finds head-scratching scene near Bangkok airport

    A Thai man stumbled upon the body of an unidentified man with a severe head wound on the side of Kamphaengphet 6 Road, near Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok, yesterday, November 28. The 57 year old man, Banjong, alerted officers from Don Mueang Police Station to a grassy area along Kamphaengphet 6 Road, where the body was discovered. Banjong…

  • Thailand NewsThai woman surrenders after BMW crash kills mother and 2 kids | Thaiger

    Thai woman surrenders after BMW crash kills mother and 2 kids

    A Thai woman surrendered at a police station in the southern province of Chumphon after crashing her friend’s BMW into a victim and her two children, killing them, before reportedly fleeing the scene with her pet cat on Wednesday. The fatal accident occurred on a rural highway in Mueang District, Chumphon, at about 7.40pm, on November 27. Witnesses reported seeing…

  • Thailand NewsMentally ill Thai woman suspected in Chiang Mai missing boy case | Thaiger

    Mentally ill Thai woman suspected in Chiang Mai missing boy case

    A five year old boy with special needs went missing from an education centre in Mae Wang district in the northern province of Chiang Mai on Wednesday. The boy, Napaphat “Pleum” Chaisawat, disappeared from the Special Education Centre in the afternoon. He was wearing red sportswear with the number 23 on his shirt. Security camera footage from the centre showed…

  • Thailand NewsLaotian influencer commits suicide over allegedly VIP patron loss | Thaiger

    Laotian influencer commits suicide over allegedly VIP patron loss

    A Laotian woman tragically committed suicide during a livestream yesterday allegedly because she lost a VIP patron who paid her over 100,000 baht per month. Officers from Hua Mark Police Station last night, November 27, were alerted that a woman died from a gunshot wound at a house in Soi Krungthep Kritha 7, Section 4, on Rama 9 Road in the Bangkapi…

  • Thailand NewsNaked and afraid: Thai man confronts thief with desperate plea | Thaiger

    Naked and afraid: Thai man confronts thief with desperate plea

    A Thai man shared a video of his plea to a thief on social media and sought help from local police officers in the northern province of Chiang Rai after his condominium room was a victim of two robberies. The victim shared the video, in which he begged the thief not to break into his room, on the news Facebook…