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 NewsBlood & brine: Meat throwers leave Thai couple in a pickle (video) | Thaiger

    Blood & brine: Meat throwers leave Thai couple in a pickle (video)

    A Thai couple today sought help from a news agency after police were unable to identify two men who threw bags of pork blood and pickled fish at their home on Soi Phetchaburi 31 in the Ratchathewi district of Bangkok on Monday. A Channel 3 team today, August 8, visited the victim’s home, a five-storey building on Soi Phetchaburi 31…

  • Thailand NewsBribe & ride: Gay Thai man’s 1 million baht cover-up hits dead end | Thaiger

    Bribe & ride: Gay Thai man’s 1 million baht cover-up hits dead end

    Police arrested a gay Thai man suspected of fatally poisoning his close friend, for offering a 1 million baht bribe to the police to conclude that his friend died in a motorcycle accident. The death of a 25 year old Thai woman, Chonlada “Tong” Kongdam, caught the attention of Thai netizens and news agencies last week, even though she died…

  • Thailand NewsBelgian man rescued after being trapped in car due to dead battery | Thaiger

    Belgian man rescued after being trapped in car due to dead battery

    A rescue team freed a Belgian man trapped in his car for over two hours after the vehicle’s battery died while he was parked at a petrol station in the northern province of Kamphaengphet. A staff member of a convenience store at the petrol station called rescuers from the Kawphab Rescue Kamphaengphet to assist the 40 year old Belgian man,…

  • Thailand NewsThai cops trim crime: Israeli drug dealer & Russian barber snipped | Thaiger

    Thai cops trim crime: Israeli drug dealer & Russian barber snipped

    Pha Ngan Tourist Police in the southern province of Surat Thani reported the successful arrest of an Israeli drug dealer and a Russian man illegally operating a barbershop on the island. Pha Ngan Tourist Police launched an operation to arrest foreigners working illegally and committing crimes on the island following multiple complaints from locals in the area. The investigation into…

  • Thailand NewsDrill sergeants get rained on: 45 days in jail and pensions revoked | Thaiger

    Drill sergeants get rained on: 45 days in jail and pensions revoked

    The Royal Thai Army (RTA) sentenced two soldier drill sergeants to 45 days of imprisonment and revoked their pensions for ordering ten conscripts to stand naked in the rain. Their commander was also punished with 15 days of confinement. A younger sister of one of the conscripts urged non-profit organisation, Saimai Survive, to seek justice for her brother and the…

  • Thailand NewsThai university student stabbed and burned to death in Nonthaburi | Thaiger

    Thai university student stabbed and burned to death in Nonthaburi

    The Forensic Science Institute yesterday discovered hairs belonging to the suspected murderer of a Thai university student on the victim’s hands. The student was found stabbed and burned to death at his dormitory in Nonthaburi province, near Bangkok. Officers from Rattanathibet Police Station were alerted to a fire in room 611 on the sixth floor of a dormitory in Soi…

  • Thailand NewsKhao Sok National Park to sue travel agency after fatal cave death | Thaiger

    Khao Sok National Park to sue travel agency after fatal cave death

    Khao Sok National Park in the southern province of Surat Thani plans to sue a travel agency after two Thai tour guides violated safety rules and took 22 foreign tourists to Nam Talu Cave during its closure, resulting in the death of one guide in the flash flood on Tuesday, August 6. National park rangers and rescuers saved the other…

  • Thailand NewsUS Embassy concerned over dissolution of Move Forward Party | Thaiger

    US Embassy concerned over dissolution of Move Forward Party

    The United States of America Embassy issued an official statement of concern on Facebook after the Constitutional Court yesterday dissolved the Move Forward Party (MFP) over their attempts to alter the lese majeste law, also known as Section 112 of the Criminal Law. After five months of consideration, the Constitutional Court yesterday, August 7, deemed the MFP‘s campaign to reform…

  • Politics NewsMove Forward Party dissolved, leaders banned for 10 years (video) | Thaiger

    Move Forward Party dissolved, leaders banned for 10 years (video)

    The Constitutional Court of Thailand today announced a verdict to dissolve the Move Forward Party (MFP) over their efforts to reform the lese majeste law, also known as Section 112 of the Criminal Law, and ban the managing executives of the party for 10 years. In April, the Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) requested that the Constitutional Court consider dissolving…

  • Thailand NewsThailand Parliament rejects pornography and sex toy legalisation | Thaiger

    Thailand Parliament rejects pornography and sex toy legalisation

    Parliament today rejected the Move Forward Party’s (MFP) proposal to legalise professions related to pornography and the sex toy industry. The decision was based on concerns about explicit advertising and potential violations of Muslim religious principles. MFP MP Taopiphop Limjittakorn submitted a draft to revise Section 287 of the Criminal Law to legalise professions related to pornography and the sex…

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

    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 | Thaiger

    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 NewsKhon Kaen kidnap caper: Daughter’s scam to call home for cash | Thaiger

    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 NewsJapanese man found dead in Chiang Mai after four years of missing | Thaiger

    Japanese man found dead in Chiang Mai after four years of missing

    The missing Japanese man who lost contact with his mother for four years reportedly died from an illness last year at a house in the northern province of Chiang Mai. His body remains at a hospital in the province. The Japanese woman, 66 year old Yoshimi Nishi, arrived in Thailand on Monday, August 5, to search for her missing son,…

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

    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 | Thaiger

    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 NewsThai food stall owner shocked by 50 million baht electricity bill | Thaiger

    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…

  • Chiang Mai NewsThai man arrested for tricking young girls into porn production | Thaiger

    Thai man arrested for tricking young girls into porn production

    Police arrested a Thai man for tricking young girls into producing pornography and selling the explicit content online, the youngest being 12 years old. A monk and a government official were found to be regular customers of the suspect. The Royal Thai Police (RTP) and Chiang Mai Provincial Police held a press conference yesterday, August 5, to report the successful…

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

    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) | Thaiger

    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…

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

    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 NewsJapanese woman searches for son missing in Thailand for 4 years | Thaiger

    Japanese woman searches for son missing in Thailand for 4 years

    A Japanese woman travelled to Thailand in search of her son, who had requested 240,000 baht for medical expenses four years ago and has been missing since. This missing Japanese man is found facing charges of embezzlement before his disappearance. On August 5, 66 year old Yoshimi Nishi and her family visited Khlongtan Police Station to file a missing persons…

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

    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 | Thaiger

    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 and 2 children saved after murder-suicide attempt | Thaiger

    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…

  • Bangkok NewsThai woman loses 50,000 baht to boyfriend after 2 days of dating | Thaiger

    Thai woman loses 50,000 baht to boyfriend after 2 days of dating

    A Thai woman in Bangkok lost 50,000 baht in cash to her boyfriend after only two days of dating and not even knowing his full name. The 18 year old victim, Warissara, filed a complaint with Hua Mark Police Station at 3.20am on Saturday, August 3, after 50,000 baht in cash went missing from her room on the first floor…

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

    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 | Thaiger

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

    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 arrested for blackmailing teen to produce porn | Thaiger

    Thai transwoman arrested for blackmailing teen to produce porn

    Police swooped to arrest a Thai transwoman at her home in Bangkok for blackmailing a 17 year old boy into producing porn. A Thai mother sought help from Thailand’s Internet Crimes Against Children on July 30 after her teenage son became depressed and unable to go to school after being allegedly blackmailed by a ladyboy, later identified as 24 year…