Petch Petpailin

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 News

    No reason given for permanent closure of popular Saphan Pla Hua Hin Walking Street

    Saphan Pla Walking Street, in Hua Hin district of the southern province Prachuab Khiri Khan, has closed permanently. The announcement of the closure appeared on the walking street’s official Facebook page on Wednesday, May 18. The page announced, “Saphan Pla Hua Hin Walking Street closes permanently for some reason. Sorry to everyone who is interested to visit and contact us…

  • Thailand News

    Thailand sets sights on “wealthy foreign tourists” to recover economy

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand, or TAT, is again going to target “wealthy group of tourists” as it works out its marketing plan as it contributes to the recovery the Thai economy following a 2 year hiatus due to closed borders and restrictions. The TAT claims that, focussing on the “rich groups”, 1.93 trillion baht will be generated in 2024…

  • Thailand News

    Canadian man arrested for stealing traffic barriers in Chiang Mai

    Police have arrested a Canadian expat in Chiang Mai after driving his car around the city to steal metal traffic barriers. Yes, traffic barriers. 69 year old Ronald John Price was arrested today on Ratchadamnoen Road in Chiang Mai. According to reports, Mr. Price covered his face whilst stealing metal traffic barriers from around the province. He drove his sedan…

  • Thailand News

    Unconscious 75 year old woman survives floating 500 metres along a river

    A 75 year old woman was scooped unconscious from the middle of a river in the central province of Chachoengsao after she fainted while paddling. The elderly lady floated for around 500 metres before a man witnessed the incident and contacted a rescue team to save her. Noramin Tongsamak, who witnessed the incident, contacted a rescue team via Facebook after he…

  • South Thailand News

    15 year old Thai student seriously injured after being stabbed at school

    A 15 year old male student is in serious condition after being stabbed several times by a fellow student at school. The incident happened because a long-running conflict between the two and follows an argument the day before. Yesterday, at 8.40 am, a Mathayom 3, or grade 9, student at a school in the southern province of Songkhla was reportedly…

  • Thailand News

    Nok Air gamble fails to take off costing airline millions

    Low-cost budget airline Nok Air’s gamble of investing in a special route to boost tourism has backfired to the tune of 40 million baht. The Thai airline, which mostly operates domestic services out of Don Mueang International Airport, introduced the Bangkok to Betong route in February but plan to scrap it in July after suffering heavy losses. The Betong International…

  • Crime News

    Thai government winning war against drugs after seizing 5 billion baht haul from nation’s cartels

    The Thai Minister of Justice yesterday revealed around 5 billion baht had been recovered from nationwide drug raids. Somsak Thepsutin disclosed to Thai media the government is winning the war against drugs, cracking down on illegal cartels, and expects to recoup 10 billion baht by the end of the year after seizing more than half of that amount from illegal…

  • Thailand News

    Thailand-made armoured truck delivered to Royal Thai Army for trial use

    A snazzy 8×8 VN1 armoured truck made by Thailand’s Defense Technology Institution, or DTI, was delivered to the Royal Thai Army’s Cavalry Centre in Saraburi province in central Thailand yesterday. The truck flaunts a 12.7 millimetre canon, armour to protect military personnel inside from bombs and explosives and a Battlefield Management System, or BMS, intended to increase effectiveness of command…

  • Krabi News

    New Krabi Airport terminal scheduled to open in November

    Krabi International Airport is hoping to double its passenger capacity when a new passenger terminal opens, car parking areas increased and renovations are completed on the old terminal. The terminals were expected to officially open in October, but the schedule is now postponed until November due to delays caused by the Covid pandemic in Thailand (although The Thaiger notes the…

  • Thailand News

    Students ride elephants to school in northern Thailand

    Some might take a bus, others ride their bike, some will walk. But some Thai kids arrived at school via elephant this morning in Tak province, northern Thailand. Today was the first day of nationwide on-site classes in Thai schools after almost two years of online, remote studying. To mark the occasion, parents from Baan Ya Por School in Phob…

  • Thailand News

    Newest and widest Chao Phraya cable-stayed bridge to open in 2022

    The Expressway Authority of Thailand has provided an update on the development of the newest and widest Chao Phraya cable-stayed bridge, saying the new bridge is expected to open for use sometime later this year. The department would ask HM King Vachiralongkorn to officiate at the opening and provide his auspicious name to the bridge, Rama 10. EXAT says that…

  • Thailand News

    14 year old student takes her own life after teacher expels her from school

    A 14 year old female student in the southern province of Songkhla has committed suicide after a teacher expelled her from school because of her financial and family problems. Thai media reported that a 14 year old female student decided to hang herself at a house in Songkhla province on May 13. Her friends told police that she had problems…

  • Thailand News

    Tuesday Covid Update: 3,893 new cases; provincial totals

    38 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 29,550 with 7,852 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 3,893 new Covid-19 cases and 7,323 recoveries. There are now 63,337 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of the new cases recorded today,…

  • Bangkok News

    Thai woman survives fall from 26th floor

    A Thai woman is seriously injured after falling from the 26th floor of a condominium in Bangkok at around 2am on Sunday. Rescue teams arrived at the scene within 5 minutes, but the woman had to wait until 4am to receive treatment at the hospital, according to the rescue team. The woman suffered multiple broken bones. Erawan Emergency Centre took…

  • Thailand News

    14 year old and older brother arrested in eastern Thailand over human trafficking

    A 14 year old boy and his 29 year old brother have been arrested in the Isaan province of Sa Kaew for human trafficking. They offered transportation services for illegal Thai workers in Cambodian casinos who wanted to visit families in Thailand. The Thai army rangers and authorities from the Special Unit Infantryman Department investigated areas along the Thai-Cambodia border…

  • World News

    First group of ‘official’ Burmese migrant workers enter Thailand to bolster labour market

    Thailand’s PM and the Minister of Defence Prayut Chan-o-cha is asking all relevant departments to recruit migrant workers using the Memorandum of Understanding or MOU system. The PM has also directed the Ministry of Labour to “take care of each worker”, and ensure that Covid-19 prevention measures are adhered to. Today, the PM’s Spokesperson, Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, told Thai media that…

  • Bangkok News

    More than 600 endangered or prohibited animals seized at Suvarnabhumi Airport

    Wildlife officials and the Thai Customs Department have seized more than 600 endangered or prohibited animals at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. The animals were delivered from a middle east country via Egypt Air. The information about the sender hasn’t been reported at this stage of the investigation. Yesterday, the Manager of the Wildlife Checkpoint at Suvarnabhumi Airport, Yossathon Kongngen, told…

  • Covid-19 News

    Friday Covid Update: 7,779 new cases; provincial totals

    56 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 29,367 with 7,669 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 7,779 new Covid-19 cases and 9,286 recoveries. There are now 75,864 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of the new cases recorded…

  • Thailand News

    Thailand’s public health officials proposing ‘Endemic Sandboxes’ to legally reopen nightlife

    Thailand is getting closer and closer to the endemic phase of its Covid response. Achingly slow but now with at least a proposal to be tabled at the next CCSA meeting. The Ministry of Public Health will propose ‘Endemic Sandboxes’ as a plan to allow entertainment venues to legally reopen in 3 tourist islands including Phuket, Koh Chang, and Koh…

  • Thailand News

    The Bikini Beach Race to take place in Pattaya this October

    Central Festival Pattaya Beach has confirmed its annual running event, the Bikini Beach Race 2022. The event is run on the beach in front of the Central Festival shopping centre on October 29 this year. The Bikini Beach Race was actually held last year, even though the Covid-19 prevention rules weren’t relaxed, as they are this year (let’s hope it…

  • Thailand News

    UPDATE: Authorities find Isaan cult also selling food and snacks online

    Following the report on the raid of the hidden cult compound in the Isaan province Chaiyaphum last week, authorities visited the make-shift for a second time and found they were also operating a semi-commercial food business to make a living. The ‘cult’ distributes food products like chilli paste, fermented fish and snacks but without registration with the Food and Drug Administration,…

  • Thailand NewsMan who released cobras at Bangkok intersection slaps political activist in the face | Thaiger

    Man who released cobras at Bangkok intersection slaps political activist in the face

    A man who made headlines two months ago for releasing cobras and cutting his wrists at a busy intersection in Bangkok has gained more attention for slapping a political activist in the face at a protest in Bangkok. ‘K Hundred Million’, a real estate businessman, said he slapped the woman because she insulted Thailand’s royal family. The incident happened on…

  • Thailand News

    Wednesday Covid Update: 7,650 new cases; provincial totals

    56 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 29,252 with 7,554 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 7,650 new Covid-19 cases and 9,322 recoveries. There are now 78,274 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of the new cases recorded…

  • Visa Information

    Cabinet cuts 10 year Long Term Resident visa fee to 50k baht

    Thailand’s Cabinet has agreed to reduce the Long Term Resident visa fee by 50% to attract highly skilled foreigners into the kingdom. The fee for the LTR visa, which allows you to stay in Thailand for 10 years, has been reduced from 100,000 to 50,000 baht. Changes to the visa requirements could make the lucrative “digital nomad” lifestyle a more…

  • Phuket News

    Two Thai boys attempt to walk from Isaan to Phuket to visit their relatives

    Or “Top and Tai’s Excellent Adventure”. Two teenage boys attempted to walk from the Isaan province of Udon Thani to Phuket in southern Thailand, a distance of some 1,450 kilometres, because they wanted to visit their relatives. The pair didn’t get very far. When they were spotted walking along the road in Udon Thani, they were sent back home for…

  • Phuket News

    A piece of ceiling at Phuket airport falls, one passenger sent to hospital

    An aluminium ‘bar’ from Phuket Airport’s domestic terminal ceiling has fallen to the floor, just avoiding hitting a female passenger standing nearby. No injuries were reported, but the woman was in shock and fainted. Ceiling structures at Thailand’s airports have suffered from ‘gravity’ over the past few weeks. Yesterday, at 11.20 am, officials at Phuket airport’s domestic terminal were notified…

  • Thailand News

    UPDATE: Royal Thai Navy and Air Force join Lazada ban

    Yes, the Lazada-gate fiasco rolls on. Following yesterday’s report that Lazada was banned from entering Royal Thai Army bases, the unit later launched an “emergency announcement” warning of penalties to anyone who violates the ban. Now the Royal Thai Navy and Air Force have also joined the boycott, stating that a zero-tolerance policy “will be considered” as Lazada ads “could…

  • Thailand News

    Tuesday Covid Update: 6,230 new cases; provincial totals

    53 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 29,196 with 7,498 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 6,230 new Covid-19 cases and 11,132 recoveries. There are now 80,002 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of the new cases recorded…

  • Thailand News

    Lazada-gate update: Lazada banned from entering Royal Thai Army premises

    The Royal Thai Army is boycotting Lazada in the latest reaction following an advertisement deemed offensive to Thailand’s monarchy, which disappeared from TikTok shortly after it was uploaded last week. Thailand’s Army Chief has banned e-commerce giant Lazada from delivering packages into army premises, but says that soldiers still have the freedom to buy products from Lazada if they so…

  • Thailand News

    Pattaya to ‘officially’ reopen floating restaurants and water activities

    The Pattaya Marine Committee has held a meeting with representatives from local marine business to discuss legally reopening floating restaurants and other water activity services, like jet ski and parasailing. The committee unofficially agreed on the reopening plans but insists restaurants offer only traditional Thai shows at this stage – no parties, no dancers. The Pattaya News reported that some…