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.
  • Thailand NewsThai man attempts to kill benefactor over alleged affair with his wife

    Thai man attempts to kill benefactor over alleged affair with his wife

    Police arrested a Thai man in the central province of Lop Buri for attempting to kill his benefactor, over an alleged affair with his wife. The benefactor, a 49 year old Thai man named Thanat, was shot outside a restaurant on Pracha Withi Road in the Khok Samrong sub-district in Lop Buri at about 7.30pm on February 16. Thanat said…

  • Thailand NewsChinese tourist blasts parasail operators for profit-over-safety ethos

    Chinese tourist blasts parasail operators for profit-over-safety ethos

    The Thai government’s plan to boost tourism faces another tough challenge after a Chinese woman, who suffered a broken leg while parasailing in Phuket, condemned Thai service providers for putting money before safety. She said, “Business operators in Thailand only saw a foreign tourist like me as a source of income.” The Chinese woman, identified as Nadahan on social media,…

  • Thailand NewsKarma: Thai man killed by Buddha statue during temple rampage

    Karma: Thai man killed by Buddha statue during temple rampage

    A Thai man, who attacked a monk at a temple in Chon Buri province, later died after the sharp head of a Buddha statue pierced his chest during a rampage in the temple’s main hall. Locals suggested that his death appeared to be the swift result of karma. Residents in the Banbung district of Chon Buri province sought assistance from…

  • Thailand NewsChinese man arrested at Bangkok airport with 3,000 grammes of heroin

    Chinese man arrested at Bangkok airport with 3,000 grammes of heroin

    Airport Interdiction Task Force (AITF) officers at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok arrested a Chinese man who attempted to smuggle 3,000 grammes of heroin into Australia. The drugs were concealed in books and powder bottles. The Thai Narcotics Control Board Office (ONCB), stationed in China, reported the drug trafficking plan involving a suspicious Chinese man to the AITF. Further investigation…

  • Thailand NewsNew Zealand Embassy introduces increased visa fees for Thailand

    New Zealand Embassy introduces increased visa fees for Thailand

    The Royal Thai Embassy in Wellington announced an increase in visa fees for individuals from New Zealand intending to visit Thailand. The new fees will be effective from March 19 onwards. The announcement has caused concern among netizens on social media that there could be a possible visa fee increase for other nationalities. The embassy announced on its official website…

  • Thailand NewsThai man arrested for cross-border sperm cell smuggling

    Thai man arrested for cross-border sperm cell smuggling

    The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) officers arrested a Thai man at his home in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok for illegally smuggling sperm cells across the border into Laos and Cambodia for surrogacy. CIB police arrested the suspect, 33 year old Teerapong at his home in Nonthaburi province on February 24. Teerapong was found smuggling to Thailand’s neighbouring countries. Teerapon faced…

  • Thailand NewsFormer RTP boss and 7 others sued for reducing Red Bull heir’s sentences

    Former RTP boss and 7 others sued for reducing Red Bull heir’s sentences

    The Office of the Attorney General (AGO) filed a lawsuit against former Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police (RTP) Somyot Poompanmoung, and seven other relevant political or judicial figures for allegedly reducing the sentences of hit-and-run suspect Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya, better known as the Red Bull heir. This year marks the 12th anniversary since the Red Bull heir, Boss, successfully evaded…

  • Thailand NewsBurned skeleton: Thai woman arrested for death of girlfriend (video)

    Burned skeleton: Thai woman arrested for death of girlfriend (video)

    Police arrested a Thai woman for the death of her girlfriend after her burned skeleton was discovered at a landfill in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen. The suspect admitted to setting her girlfriend on fire but denied the murder, claiming that her girlfriend died of a congenital illness. The burned skeleton of a woman was discovered at a dump site…

  • Thailand NewsPhuket taxi rider denies sexually assault of German woman

    Phuket taxi rider denies sexually assault of German woman

    A German woman filed a complaint against a Thai motorcycle taxi rider in Phuket, accusing him of sexual assault. The suspect denied the allegation, claiming that the foreign woman hugged him throughout the ride. The victim, a 37 year old German woman, reported the sexual assault to the Mueang Phuket Police Station yesterday, February 26. The foreign victim said the incident…

  • Thailand News5 suspects flee Bangkok for Cambodia after killing Taiwanese man

    5 suspects flee Bangkok for Cambodia after killing Taiwanese man

    Five suspects fled Thailand for Cambodia after killing a Taiwanese man and leaving his body in an abandoned restaurant near Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Samut Prakarn province near Bangkok. The dead body of the Taiwanese man, 44 year old Shih Mou Chiang, was discovered in the abandoned restaurant on Suvarnabhumi 4 Road in the Bang Phli district of Samut Prakarn on…

  • Thailand NewsBritish woman rescued after falling from Koh Samui waterfall

    British woman rescued after falling from Koh Samui waterfall

    Rescue teams and administrative officers yesterday successfully saved a British woman who fell from the Hin Lad Waterfall on Koh Samui island in the southern province of Surat Thani. The 46 year old British woman, Hema Mantra, sought help from the Koh Samui District Office after slipping and collapsing at the waterfall. She informed officers that she felt pain in…

  • Thailand NewsSuvarnabhumi Airport sorry after train breakdown causes 30-minute delay

    Suvarnabhumi Airport sorry after train breakdown causes 30-minute delay

    Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok issued an apology following a breakdown of the automated people mover (APM) train today, February 23, resulting in passengers being stranded in the underground train station and a 30-minute delay. The driverless APM train operates between the new concourse, Satellite 1 (SAT1), and the main passenger terminal. Today marked the first malfunction since the concourse…

  • Thailand NewsRiot fallout: 18 ex-inmates face death sentence in Thailand prison riot

    Riot fallout: 18 ex-inmates face death sentence in Thailand prison riot

    Thong Pha Phum Provincial Court in the central province of Kanchanaburi sentenced 18 former Thai inmates to death following the death of two people and six injuries in a riot in the Thong Phra Phum Prison nine years ago. The death penalty was given to 18 of the 26 inmates involved in the riot that occurred on February 22, 2015.…

  • Thailand NewsThai boy suffers severe injury to testicles after falling on tree stump

    Thai boy suffers severe injury to testicles after falling on tree stump

    Rescuers in the Isaan province of Udon Thani helped an eight year old Thai boy who suffered a severe injury to his testicles after he tripped and fell on a sharp tree stump. A 47 year old Thai mother reported the accident to the Song Serm Tham Rescue Foundation at 3pm yesterday, February 22. The incident scene was a roadside…

  • Thailand NewsSerial rapist remains at large after assaulting boys in Rayong

    Serial rapist remains at large after assaulting boys in Rayong

    Residents in the eastern province of Rayong condemned police for failing to arrest a serial rapist who repeatedly assaulted more than 10 boys in the province for years. Social media influencer Guntouch “Gun” Pongpaiboonwet, yesterday, February 22, accompanied two Thai boys, aged 11 and 14 years old, to Mueang Rayong Police Station to file a complaint against the rapist named…

  • Thailand NewsThai mother exposes school bullying and seeks justice for her son

    Thai mother exposes school bullying and seeks justice for her son

    A Thai mother took to social media to share a bullying incident at a school in the Sriracha district of Chon Buri province and seek justice for her son, who has been a victim of his classmates for years. The mother posted the story of her son on Facebook two days ago, February 20. She revealed to the public that…

  • Thailand NewsBare truth: Thai man’s crystal meth nap leads to roadside arrest

    Bare truth: Thai man’s crystal meth nap leads to roadside arrest

    Police arrested a Thai man this afternoon for lying naked on the roadside in the eastern province of Trat. The man confessed that the crystal meth he had taken made him feel sleepy and hot. Motorists in the Wang Krajae sub-district of Trat spotted the Thai man, later identified as 39 year old Amphon, lying naked on the side of…

  • Thailand NewsThai doctor crashes sedan into 3 cars in Lampang hospital car park

    Thai doctor crashes sedan into 3 cars in Lampang hospital car park

    A Thai doctor attributed a brake system failure as the cause of his sedan crashing into three cars in a car park at Lampang Hospital in northern Thailand. Fortunately, rescuers managed to avert a potentially hazardous situation by preventing an SUV from plummeting off the sixth floor of the parking structure. The sound of the collision and the sight of…

  • Thailand NewsThai abbot loses amulets worth over 50 million baht to scammers

    Thai abbot loses amulets worth over 50 million baht to scammers

    A Thai abbot at Pak Khlong Temple in the western province of Phetchaburi lost valuable amulets worth 50 million baht to two scammers. The 84 year old abbot, Sophiwacharachote, filed a theft report at Ban Laem Police Station on February 19 after two Thai men stole 15 Buddhist amulets, 2,500 baht in cash, and important documents from him. The stolen…

  • Thailand NewsThai net idol accuses ex-boyfriend of releasing her explicit videos

    Thai net idol accuses ex-boyfriend of releasing her explicit videos

    A Thai net idol accused her ex-boyfriend of posting explicit videos of her on a social media account with more than two million followers. She contacted the non-profit organisation Saimai Survive after officers from two police stations ignored her complaint. Saimai Survive team members accompanied the victim, a 30 year old Internet idol and former car racer, to the Cyber…

  • Thailand NewsThai Cabinet rejects gender recognition bill, citing crime concerns

    Thai Cabinet rejects gender recognition bill, citing crime concerns

    The Thai Cabinet yesterday rejected the proposed Act on Gender Recognition, Title, and Protection of Gender Diversity, citing concerns about false identities if people are allowed to use preferred titles. The titles of people in the LGBTQA+ community have been trending on Thai social media since a transgender model, Phacharanat “Mimi” Nobantao, questioned why Thai citizens were unable to choose their…

  • Thailand NewsBig Joke faces 2 charges over financial links to gambling operators

    Big Joke faces 2 charges over financial links to gambling operators

    The Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police (RTP), Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn, faces two charges after financial transactions of his were found linked with the online gambling operators. Four other senior police officers were found involved but their identities had not yet been revealed. The Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) officers raided Big Joke’s home in September last year…

  • Thailand NewsDutchman found dead with 2 holes in neck in Pattaya condo

    Dutchman found dead with 2 holes in neck in Pattaya condo

    Police are investigating the cause of death and the weapon that left two holes in the neck of a 72 year old Dutchman in a Pattaya condominium. A luxury condominium security guard, on Thap Praya Road in the Bang Lamung district, asked officers from the Mueang Pattaya Police Station to investigate room number 408 on the fourth floor of the…

  • Thailand NewsThai man accuses 3 police of threatening him to steal 3,000 baht

    Thai man accuses 3 police of threatening him to steal 3,000 baht

    A Thai man accused three police officers in the central province of Saraburi of threatening him with a gun and stealing 3,000 baht in cash from him. The 32 year old Thai man, Weerachart Pangate, took to social media to share his corrupt police story. He reported a complaint at Nongkhae Police Station two months ago but he has not…

  • Thailand NewsCambodia’s ex-PM Hun Sen visits Thaksin at home in Bangkok

    Cambodia’s ex-PM Hun Sen visits Thaksin at home in Bangkok

    The former Prime Minister of Cambodia, Samdech Hun Sen, arrived at Chan Song La in Bangkok at 10.50am today to meet his friend, the former PM of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra. The 74 year old former PM had been at his Chan Song La residence for the fourth consecutive day since his release on parole on February 18. Several Thai politicians…

  • Thailand NewsMalaysian arrested for rape, theft of 1.2 million baht from Thai ex-wife

    Malaysian arrested for rape, theft of 1.2 million baht from Thai ex-wife

    Crime Suppression Division (CSD) police arrested a Malaysian man at his Bangkok condominium for raping his Thai ex-wife, stealing 1.2 million baht from her, and stabbing her dog at a house in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat last year. The 53 year old Malaysian man, Lee Woon Earnx, was subject to an arrest warrant following his break-in at…

  • Thailand NewsThai man admits attempted rape of Chinese woman

    Thai man admits attempted rape of Chinese woman

    Police arrested a Thai man for attempting to rape and murder a Chinese woman in Pattaya. The suspect confessed to the attempted rape charge but denied setting her on fire to kill her. The 29 year old Chinese victim, Meilin, filed a complaint at Nong Prue Police Station on February 18 that a Thai motorcycle rider offered her a ride…

  • Thailand NewsKrabi rampage: Chinese woman blocks road, tries undress, bites cop

    Krabi rampage: Chinese woman blocks road, tries undress, bites cop

    A Chinese woman went on a rampage in the southern province of Krabi after breaking up with her boyfriend. She blocked the road, attempted to undress, and bit a police officer on the arm. Mueang Krabi Police Station and Tourist Police officers tried to calm the 34 year old Chinese woman, Zhang Yanxin, after she startled motorists. Witnesses reported that…

  • Thailand NewsDrama erupts over transgender actress’ privilege to use gender-neutral title

    Drama erupts over transgender actress’ privilege to use gender-neutral title

    A drama erupted over the privileges of Thai celebrities after a renowned transgender actress was allowed to use a gender-neutral title on her bank account while others were not afforded the same privilege. Miss Tiffany Universe 2007, Thunyarat “Film” Chipraphachin, shared a receipt from Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) of Treechada “Poyd” Hongyok, transferring money to her via Facebook and thanked…

  • Thailand NewsThai man loses 10,000 baht after sex with woman met on roadside

    Thai man loses 10,000 baht after sex with woman met on roadside

    A Thai man accused a woman he met on the roadside of stealing 10,000 baht in cash from him after they had sex. The woman insisted the money was her hard-earned cash. Several motorists on the Friendship Highway in the Isaan province of Udon Thani filed a complaint with Nonsung Police Station stating that they witnessed a Thai man chasing…