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 NewsBritish man completes 2,100km charity run for Thai children | Thaiger

    British man completes 2,100km charity run for Thai children

    A British man triumphantly completed his charity run designed to raise funds for orphanages and underprivileged children in Thailand. He achieved this by running from the northernmost to the southernmost district of the country. The Englishman, Chris Russell, launched his charity project, Run Thailand 2,100 KM, in January this year in a bid to donate money to Thai orphanages and…

  • Thailand NewsSwiss man denies assaulting Thai woman, attributing incident as accident (video) | Thaiger

    Swiss man denies assaulting Thai woman, attributing incident as accident (video)

    A Swiss man denied physically assaulting a Thai female doctor for sitting on the steps of his luxury villa in Phuket, saying it was an accident when he stumbled on the stairs, causing his foot to accidentally kick the doctor’s back. The 26 year old female doctor, Tarndao Chandam, took to social to share that a Swiss man, later identified…

  • Thailand NewsSerial rapist arrested after sexually assaulting Bangkok schoolgirls | Thaiger

    Serial rapist arrested after sexually assaulting Bangkok schoolgirls

    Police arrested a serial rapist at his condominium in the Bang Sue district of Bangkok yesterday for sexually assaulting at least three schoolgirls in the Bangkok and Nonthaburi provinces. The Thai rapist admitted to being a pedophile and claimed that all the victims consented. A 12 year old victim and her parents filed a complaint at Tung Mahamek Police Station…

  • Thailand NewsThai VietJet cites safety reasons for refusing disabled passengers | Thaiger

    Thai VietJet cites safety reasons for refusing disabled passengers

    Several Thai people with disabilities stepped forward to lodge complaints with the Ministry of Transport, accusing Thai VietJet Air of refusing to accommodate them. The airline responded to the accusations today, February 29, stating that it denied service to certain disabled passengers as a precautionary safety measure. The president of the Association for the Empowerment of Disabled Women (AEDW), Saowaluck…

  • Thailand NewsSwedish man arrested for fake euro currency caper in Phuket | Thaiger

    Swedish man arrested for fake euro currency caper in Phuket

    Police arrested a Swedish man in the Patong sub-district of Katu district, Phuket province, after discovering that he exchanged money using fake euro banknotes. Patong Police Station officers received a complaint from an employer at the Violet Money Exchange 2 on Saen Saai Road that a Swedish man was exchanging money using counterfeit euro notes at 1.50pm on February 26.…

  • Crime NewsMissing case takes turn: Thai woman reveals escape from abusive husband | Thaiger

    Missing case takes turn: Thai woman reveals escape from abusive husband

    A Thai woman broke her silence after being missing for 13 days, informing a news agency that she felt compelled to disappear with her daughter to escape from her abusive husband. The businessman from the Isaan province of Nakhon Ratchasima, 42 year old Pongphumphat Chuedee, shared pictures of his wife and daughter on the Facebook account, PickNick Pimpisa. He reported…

  • Thailand NewsBeach blues: Thai woman assaulted by Swiss man in Phuket | Thaiger

    Beach blues: Thai woman assaulted by Swiss man in Phuket

    A female doctor in Thailand is seeking justice after being attacked by a Swiss man for sitting on the staircase of his beachfront villa in Phuket. The foreign man is reported to be the owner of an elephant sanctuary with alleged connections with the high-ranking Thai police. The father of the victim, Chaiyachot Uttamang, took to Facebook to share the…

  • Thailand NewsForeign couple condemned for sex antics on Phuket beach (video) | Thaiger

    Foreign couple condemned for sex antics on Phuket beach (video)

    An allegedly outraged Thai voyeur shared a video capturing a foreign couple having sex on Patong Beach in Phuket on social media platforms. Locals condemned their act and demanded authorities to take action on the matter. The video of the foreign couple was shared on social media by a Thai motorist-cum-voyeur who rode a motorcycle past the scene. The incident…

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

    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 | Thaiger

    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 | Thaiger

    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 | Thaiger

    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 | Thaiger

    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 | Thaiger

    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 | Thaiger

    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) | Thaiger

    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 | Thaiger

    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 | Thaiger

    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 | Thaiger

    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 | Thaiger

    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 | Thaiger

    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 | Thaiger

    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 | Thaiger

    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 | Thaiger

    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 | Thaiger

    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 | Thaiger

    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 | Thaiger

    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 | Thaiger

    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 | Thaiger

    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 | Thaiger

    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…