A visit to Thailand as a tourist is always about the beautiful and serene beaches, sight-seeing and the best food in town. But a volunteering trip in Thailand is much more than that.
This slice of paradise is one of the most culturally sound locations in Southeast Asia and has much more to offer than we think. Shortage of language and business, maltreated wildlife, and unprivileged communities asks for help and there are many ways in which a volunteer can empower them! Choose from the best volunteer programs in Thailand:
1. Teach in a Village School:
Teaching core subjects like Science, Mathematics or English in elementary schools in small towns and villages will bring measurable changes in the local community. Volunteering is available throughout the year and for skilled as well as non-skilled workers. Volunteers can teach under the Thailand Teach program or any other opportunity like Volunt2Thai and get to experience a full cultural immersion by working with local people. Participants can also help with construction, farming, and renovation work along with the villagers.
2. Offer Local Healthcare Support:
It hardly makes any difference if you are not a medical supervisor, healthcare volunteering is a predominant volunteering program in Thailand and the place needs more such volunteer positions. Working with disabled, orphans or mentally challenged children as a project will require patience and motivation, but be rewarding in return. Join these medical volunteering programs and help people live a healthier life. You would need transportation means and the Discovery 3 roof rack will add to space on the rooftop of your SUV for medical aids or extra stuff needed. It can stand harsh weather and also includes mounting hardware.
3. Work on an Elephant Welfare Program:
According to the data, only 3,000-4,000 Asian elephants are left in Thailand and they are now categorized as endangered. They are suffering due to hunting and destruction of their natural habitat. Volunteers observe and monitor the behavior of animals in their natural habitat and contribute by preparing meals for elephants, rescuing small animals, planting trees, etc.
4. Work for Ocean Reef Conservation Program:
A summer volunteer program for 3-4 weeks in Thailand for marine conservation will help to engage in various activities. It counts for surveying the reefs and implementing initiatives for the protection of the coastline. Reef restoration and protection activities involve artificial reef construction, coral nursery, ocean clean-ups and a lot more. Coral reefs are essential as they cover only 2% of the ocean bed but support 25% of the total marine life in Thailand. Such volunteer programs will help in remaining enthusiastic throughout the volunteer camps and make the program a success.
5. Engage in Life Development Centers:
This program focuses on agricultural and environmental conservation projects. It allows participants to have experiences about volunteering programs in Thailand and how safe they are. They are non-profit organizations in Northern Thailand and encourage access to proper living conditions of underserved communities. They follow community development along with nature conservation. Volunteers can help in these development centers by teaching English, helping with marketing and product design, or field working like agriculture and construction projects.
● Bonus:
Volunteering trips are valuable and help in developing knowledge about the culture of a particular place. Carefully selected volunteer projects can add to experiencing new cultures and benefit oneself professionally as well as personally. To make a difference to these trips, here are some cheat codes:
- Work for a passionate cause
- Deliver your 100% to the program
- Stay humble and smiling throughout the trip
Conclusion:
The following volunteer programs on a trip to this beautiful country will add a feather to the cap. Working with utmost dedication also asks for prerequisite knowledge about the place. Some of the prerequisites include the fact that Thai people act with respect in all circumstances and it is an imperial characteristic of their relationship building. Your volunteer program there will be a long-lasting experience if you manage to remain flexible and calm and dignified throughout. As we know, adaptability and flexibility are the key traits of a successful volunteer, remain one.
