Volunteer Abroad in Thailand
Volunteer in Thailand
How to Find a Program
Top 5 Volunteer Abroad Providers in Thailand
Why Volunteer in Thailand
Best Places to Volunteer in Thailand
Top Tips for Volunteering in Thailand
Understanding and Surviving Thai culture
Health, Safety & Travel Smarts
Top 10 Thai Cuisines
Top 10 Thai Sights
By volunteering in Thailand, you get the opportunity to truly uncover a nation that is rightly acclaimed as the Land of Smiles whilst at the same time participating in projects that aim to protect the environment, empower communities and tackle challenging social issues such as human trafficking, the detrimental effects of tourism on the environment and animal cruelty.
With more than 14 million annual visitors, Thailand has justly been recognized as one of the planet’s top tourist destinations thanks to its well-balanced combination of striking beaches, dense tropical jungles and bustling cosmopolitan cities. By volunteering abroad in Thailand, you offer yourself the unique opportunity to take that adventurous step off the beaten track and explore the many charms and quirks that Thai culture presents beneath its immediate surface.
Despite being one of the more economically prosperous nations in its geographic locality, Thailand still continues to face a number of socioeconomic issues such as the continuing growth of sex tourism, prostitution, human trafficking and sexual enslavement that feed from the nation’s poor and economically depressed communities. At the same time much of Thailand’s marine environment is also under threat from its ever expanding tourist industry as too are Thailand’s Elephants who continue to suffer from cruelty that is masked beneath the shadow of tourism.
By volunteering abroad you can experience Thailand in a manner which respects the local people, culture and the environment whilst providing vital assistance to a number of long term sustainable projects. Whether you’re diving off the shore of Koh Tao, shopping in Bangkok or experiencing the majestic beauty of Chang Mai, you will never cease to be amazed by the gentle and friendly nature of Thai people that truly make volunteering abroad in Thailand a dream come true.
With over ten years of experience in assisting individuals to participate on rewarding and life changing volunteer abroad programs, GoAbroad.com has developed this article to help you make the most educated decision when it comes to selecting a professional and responsible program whilst at the same time offering advice on how to survive and make the most of your volunteer abroad in Thailand experience.
Finding a volunteer abroad program in Thailand that will reciprocate your desires as an individual is an extremely important decision. Many people have described volunteering abroad as one of the most memorable and eye-opening experiences of their entire life. As a result, there is much to be taken into consideration when browsing and selecting an appropriate volunteer abroad program.
You can view a wide range of volunteer programs in Thailand by viewing Goabroad.com’s detailed listings of Volunteer Abroad Projects in Thailand.
However, before you finally settle on a program, you need to ask yourself a few questions:-
Is volunteering abroad for you? Can you live in basic living conditions, tropical heat and eat local traditional food? Finding out what each program offers in means of accommodation will enable you to see as to whether or not a volunteer abroad experience matches what you are comfortable with.
How long can I commit for? Some programs do have minimum and maximum project durations. Reflecting on your time and resources will enable you to make the most appropriate conclusion about how long you will be able to volunteer for and if this duration meets the requirements of the program.
Where does your money go? Whilst it may seem strange to pay to volunteer, it is in almost all cases a necessity to pay a program fee prior to your arrival in the Thailand. This fee is implemented to provide organizations with the means to accommodate volunteers (organize meals, accommodation, excursions etc) so that volunteers do not become a financial burden to local communities. Asking for a breakdown of your program fee will put your mind at ease and assure you that your money is being used to contribute towards sustainable change.
Is the organization reputable? When selecting your program, make sure you are using a reputable organization. Always insist in asking to read previous volunteer testimonials or to be put in contact with people who have previously volunteered with their organization, this will enable you to be assured as to the quality of the program provided. You can use volunteer abroad program review sites to evaluate which programs are more reputable or read blogs and connect with like-minded travels on the GoAbroad Network. If you’re looking for a full comprehensive list of all programs then check out GoAbroad.com’s listings for volunteer abroad programs in Thailand.
Does the Project Appear to Meet Your Expectations? Does the volunteer project that you’re looking at match your expectations? Will you get the hands on experience you’re looking for? Does the project have significant local staff support? What is the long term goal of the volunteer project? What will my daily duties be? How long will I have to work for a day? Will there be other volunteers there at the same time as me? – All of these questions are extremely important to ask when you’re in communications with your volunteer abroad program provider.
Do I get any support and extras? Does the organization provide on-ground training and orientation? These are extremely useful ways to get you familiar with the local culture and to orientate you on your role as a volunteer, finding out if these items are included in your program is incredibly important as to judge the quality of a program. Aside from this, you may want to ask if there are any extras such as language lessons or weekend excursions that you will be able to participate on. All of this will offer you a much more rounded volunteer experience.
Top 5 Volunteer Programs in the Thailand
Kaya Responsible Travel: Kaya currently promotes a number of volunteer projects all around Thailand that work in the fields of social welfare, marine and wildlife conservation and community development.Individuals choosing to volunteer with Kaya will be able to take advantage of Kaya’s impressive orientation and on-ground support whilst also getting to participate on some fantastic projects such as its project that offers Support to Victims of Human Trafficking.
International Volunteer HQ: International Volunteer HQ currently has a number of rewarding low cost volunteer projects operating with hill tribes and villages in the Chiang Rai province.
ProWorld Service Corps: ProWorld operates a number of rewarding volunteer projects in Chiang Mai that face both social, educational and environmental issues such as providing support for Burmese refugees, habitat conservation for Elephants and an English teaching project for Buddhist Monks.
International Student Volunteers (ISV): ISV coordinates a number of projects across Thailand that work in the areas of wildlife conservation, child welfare and community development. Projects stretch from as far north as the Laos and Burmese border to as far South as the tourist hot spot of Phuket.
Global Vision International (GVI): Global Vision International distinguishes itself as one of the best providers for volunteer abroad programs in Thailand by coordinating several child welfare, environmental and community development projects in the country. GVI takes pride in its high quality on ground service and close in-country support.
Change of Perspective: For some individuals, making the choice to volunteer abroad allows them to experience a country from a completely different perspective than that of a traditional tourist. In a country which is already overwhelmed by an ever booming tourist trade, the decision to volunteer rather than to travel as a traditional tourist offers the opportunity to not only visit a country and see the local sights, but to experience a nation in such a manner that respects the local people, culture and environment.
Apply Skills: Volunteering in Thailand offers the opportunity for individuals to apply their specialist skills in a setting where local specialists are few and far between. Whether you’re a qualified ESL teacher, a Nutritionist, a doctor or a nurse you can gain the opportunity to use your professional skills in grateful local communities.
Service Learning: By engaging in an experiential trip abroad such as volunteering, you are given a unique manner in which to learn and reflect on important issues whilst at the same time providing an important service for local communities. Not only could this benefit your personal life, but could also help enhance your academics and professional life.
Discover a new culture: No matter how well you prepare yourself, you will get culture shock when you arrive in Thailand. However this well soon ware off, offering you the opportunity to discover a country rich in history and aesthetic beauty. Whether you’re hiking through the jungle, clambering up the steps to a Buddhist temple or just chilling on a beach you will never cease to be amazed by the cultural differences you will experience during your trip to Thailand.
Build Resume: Employers and colleges highly value applicants with international experience. As a result your decision to volunteer abroad in Thailand may help you become more attractive to potential employers and also to high level academic institutes.
Experience of a Lifetime: Most importantly, you will never forget the fantastic friends you make and the great experiences you share when you decide to volunteer in Thailand.
Best Places to Volunteer in Thailand
Thailand is a country of great diversity, offering more than one unique environment for volunteering; whether you’re suiting up in a wetsuit to prepare yourself for a marine conservation project, slipping on your boots before trudging off onto a rainforest project or walking the dusty streets of Bangkok to assist with social welfare services, you will find that the location of your volunteer abroad project will greatly contribute to defining your experience.
In order to familiarize you with some of the locations, we’ve listed off a few of Thailand’s top volunteer abroad destinations.
Bangkok: Thailand’s capital city is a combination of modern shopping malls, ancient temples and age-old traditions, making it a highly diverse location for any volunteer abroad program. Nevertheless, despite its beauty and charm, Bangkok has continued to gain the reputation of being a city of vice, presenting such challenging issues as a rise in prostitution, human trafficking and animal cruelty. As a result, Bangkok is a great venue for volunteers looking to contribute to long term sustainable plans to address social welfare and animal rights issues at the heart of Thailand whilst at the same time being in a logistical location that allows them to easily discover other parts of the country.
Talang: More commonly known as ‘Phuket’, Talang is one of the major tourist hot spots in Thailand boasting some of the country’s most breathtaking beaches and resorts. In 2004, almost all of the western beaches on Phuket were struck by the Boxing Day tsunami which killed 5,300 people nationwide (and about 250 from Phuket) and forced thousands more out of their homes. Today, Phuket is the location with the most foreign students in Thailand making it an ideal location for someone wishing to combine a volunteer abroad program and a study abroad program.
Chiang Mai: The city of Chiang Mai is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand and is best known for its ancient Buddhist temples and its extensive Elephant Nature Park. Chiang Mai is a great location for anyone looking to do further travel in the region as it sits in a logistical position between the Myanamar and Laos borders. Notoriously known for its wildlife projects, Chiang Mai also offers several Teach English and child welfare projects.
GoAbroad.com’s Top Tips for Volunteering in Thailand
GoAbroad.com has accumulated a few tips over more than ten years connecting individuals with worthwhile projects in Thailand; we’d love to pass on these pearls of knowledge to you.
Don’t over indulge: Thailand has a lot of amenities, from modern day shopping malls to diving resorts, animal parks and a bustling nightlife. If you have limited funds or are looking to volunteer on a shoe-string budget then we advise you to carefully plan your recreational activities. Whilst certain things may seem extremely cheap compared to prices back home, they can often accumulate to fortunes in less to no time at all.
Pick appropriate times of the year Volunteer: The weather in the north of Thailand is a lot easier to predict and typically stays dry between November and May with the higher temperatures occurring between March and May. The monsoon season typically falls between May and November and brings with it heavy rains. In the Southwest the wet season is between April and October whilst in the Southeast the most rain falls between September and December.
Stay Clear of Vice: Thailand has unfortunately gained itself a bad reputation for vice. We advise all volunteer abroad participants to stay clear in engaging in any illegal acts, not only are the repercussions more severe for certain crimes in Thailand, but you also risk bringing the reputation of your volunteer agency and volunteers in general into disrepute if you are caught engaging in illegal activities.
Research some of Thailand’s Unique Projects: The female trafficking project and elephant rehabilitation project are amongst some of the most popular and unique volunteer projects in Thailand.
Understanding and Surviving Thai Culture
Thai people are a proud and patriotic people and whilst their shores may get bombarded with many tourists each year, they continue to practice their age old customs and traditions. It is important that as a visitor in a foreign land that you obey and respect local customs not only to protect your own reputation but to protect that of your fellow volunteers and to help promote the professionalism of volunteers.
Monarchy: The Thai people are extremely connected and appreciative of their monarch, his majesty King Bhumibol (Rama XI). It will be very common to see symbols of adoration for the king by locals. Avoid making any derogatory ‘jokes’ about the royal family, as it will not be appreciated.
Nam Jai: Nam Jai refers to Thai generosity and literally translates to “juice of the heart”. The term refers to a Thai persons desire to give one’s time, resources and attention to others in exchange for the good feeling and positive energy that is generated in both individuals. A person who shows nam-jai will not ask for any payment in exchange for their generosity and will feel uneasy if someone tries to offer them money since it suggests that the individual was generous for payment instead of good will. Most Thai’s will also expect the same signs of generosity to come from foreigners; sometimes this can be misconstrued for Thai’s trying to take advantage of foreigners.
Sam-neuk-boon-koon: Sam-neuk-b0on-koon refers to the repayment of generosity shown through Nam Jai. It is this balance of both Nam Jai and Sam-neuk-boon-koon that keeps balance in Thai society and basically refers to the notion that if someone does something for you; you do something for them in return.
Sawadee: Thai people do not shake hands and say good morning, good afternoon or good evening. Instead they put their palms together and bow slightly before saying “sawadee”. It is expected that the younger or lower ranked individual should begin this exchange.
Confrontation: Thai people do not enjoy negative confrontations and will often go to great lengths to save face and avoid it. The Thais are a sentimental people who react strongly to impolite, aggressive or confrontational behaviour
Thai Time: Thai people are not extremely time-conscious and as a result are often late for appointments. This can often be frustrating for volunteers, however we stress individuals to realize that this character trait stems from a different attitude to time in Thai culture and not due to bad planning or tardiness.
Gracefulness: Being loud and clumsy is often not appreciated in Thai society, Thai’s believe it is more graceful to be quiet and indirect.
Feet: Feet are associated as being the lowest part of the body both physically and spiritually. Do NOT step over people or food, do not point your feet at people. If you accidentally touch someone with your foot, apologize. Individuals are expected to remove their shoes upon entry to homes.
Health, Safety and Travel Smarts in Thailand
Register with your Embassy: U.S. citizens can register themselves with the US Embassy in the Thailand as part of the Department of States Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).
Getting Around: Thailand has an extensive rail and domestic air network for travel in and between Thailand’s major city’s and attraction. However for travel ‘off the beaten route’ you will need to use bus services. Inside of the city, you can hire taxi’s and tuk-tuk’s for short distance travel.
Safety: The majority of all foreign visits to Thailand transpire without incident. However, it is still important that volunteers take necessary precautions to prevent them being a victim of crime. In particular volunteers should avoid walking home at night by themselves, avoid wearing flash jewelry and limit the amount of cash they have on them at any one time.
You can read more information about safety advice in Thailand on the US Department of States webpage.
Issues of Respect: At all times, volunteers should be respectful to Thai culture. If you’re accommodation arrangements are with a local host family then be respectful of your noise levels at late hours of the evening, be considerate with your electricity consumption and remember to tell your homestay parents if you will be home late or will miss a meal.
Obey Local Law:Local laws in Thailand may differ to the laws of your home country. Your status as a U.S. citizen will not prevent you from being subject to local law. The penalties for drug-related crime are extremely severe.
1. Tom Yan Goong – a Spicy shrimp soup combined with fragrant herbs.
2. Pad Thai – The renown national dish consisting of friend noodles and stir friend vegetables
3. Kang Keaw Wan Gai – Green chicken curry
4. Phat Kaphrao – Meat friend with fresh basil
5. Yam Nua – Spicy Beef Salad
6. Kai sa-te – roast pork coated in tumeric
7. Phanaeng – Meat in a creamy coconut sauce
8. Tom Kha Kai – Chicken in Coconut soup
9. Kaeng Phet Pet Yang – Roast duck curry
10. Gaeng Daeng – Morsels of meat mixed into a Red curry
1. Damneon Saduak Canal Floating Markets
2. Bangkok
3. Chiang Mai
4. Koh Samui and Koh Phangan
5. Mae Hong Son
6. Ayutthaya
7. Railay
8. Koh Phi Phi
9. Hin Daeng
10. San Kamphaeng Hot Springs
Should you choose to Volunteer Abroad in Thailand you will obtain the chance to experience a once in a lifetime opportunity. If you’re looking to blog about your Volunteer Abroad Program or want to connect with other like-minded travelers, then sign up to the GoAbroad Network!
Be sure to pack your patience and flexibility alongside the sunscreen and camera. Have the time of your life…see the world!