Volunteer Work - Do U Know Of Any?

[Wizzard of Oz]

I'm looking around to see what volunteer work people know of.

PM me if you would like to keep it private for any reason.

Cheers,

WoZ

[Crow Boy]

I'm looking around to see what volunteer work people know of.

PM me if you would like to keep it private for any reason.

Cheers,

WoZ

WoZ - would help to know what sort of volunteer work interests you.

In CNX there are a wide variety of useful and rewarding (non financially) activities that you could help with.

1) There are various cat and dog rescue/assistance/feeding schemes in the city area

2) if you have some qualifications you can help teach at a couple of orphanages around town

3) you can offer to teach English at some of the Government schools - usually aboiut 10 hours per week

4) if you are Buddhist or interested in Buddhism you can do a wide variety of jobs around almost any temple in Thailand as tam bun.

5) Some temples such as Wat Suan Dok and Wat Uumong are attached to CMU - if you are interested they will happy accept volunteers to teach monks English

NOTE: all volunteer work is still classified as work even feeding animals in the soi, so while you are unlikely to find any problems with immigration you have to be aware that you are still breaking the law by doing it. Therefore you really should have a work permit and at the very leaset a Non Imm visa. As a tourist you are strictly forbidden from doing any work whatsoever.

CB

[chanchao]

I don't agree that a non-immigrant visa is in any way, or even in the slightest part, something that can be used instead of a work-permit in any situation. There is no difference to being caught working without a work permit depending on which visa you happen to be on. The only situation that I can imagine is when you're on foreign buyer/investor and doing meetings while on a non-imm Business visa.

Of course you don't get a B visa just for wanting to do voluntary work.

It's actually best to not call it voluntary work at all, but you RECEIVING training/education at something. Then you can get an Non-Imm-O Education visa, and the NGO would have to state that you're doing a course.

It's still bending the law.

I'm very serious about this; this morning my wife asked me to take out the trash, but after checking my work permit I had to inform her that I wans't legally able to do this because the work permit clearly states the type of work and the location where this work can take place. Taking out the trash in Hang Dong wasn't on it. She then got angry with me but I told her to save it and go yell at her government.

Edited June 19, 2007 by chanchao

[Nienke]

I'm looking around to see what volunteer work people know of.

PM me if you would like to keep it private for any reason.

Cheers,

WoZ

Hi,

I know that Lanna Dog Rescue is in great need of volunteers at the moment. They have taken over the Sansai Shelter which is in quite a bad state.

However, as Crowboy already mentioned be very careful as foreigners are not allowed to do any volunteer work without a work permit.

I've Pm-ed you with phone numbers of LDR.

Wish you good luck,

Nienke

Edited June 19, 2007 by Nienke

[Crow Boy]

I don't agree that a non-immigrant visa is in any way, or even in the slightest part, something that can be used instead of a work-permit in any situation. There is no difference to being caught working without a work permit depending on which visa you happen to be on. The only situation that I can imagine is when you're on foreign buyer/investor and doing meetings while on a non-imm Business visa.

No where in my post did I write or infer that a Non Imm visa would suffice - I wrote that "Therefore you really should have a work permit and at the very leaset a Non Imm visa." The Non Imm visa (depending on what type) allows the person to apply for and be accepted to do work in the Kingdom. A tourist visa or transit stamp specifically refuses it. If WOz or anyone else for that matter has a Non Imm class even a Retired visa he can apply to do volunteer work such as teaching at a government school (hours are restricted and so is salary) He can commence work as a volunteer pending approval of his work permit which may take between 3 and 6 months to process.

The reality is that in Thailand if he did volunteer work and the organisation is deemed worthwhile - some are and some aren't then he can expect to have no problems. If he is involved in the care and feeding of soi dogs, temple cats, or similar it is extremely unlikely that he will face the intrusion of the Immigration Police. If he teaches English to monks at a temple or even to kids in a remote zone like I did then he will have no problem. However if he tries to use the term volunteer to teach more than 10 hours ie 5 days 2 hours per day he could be facing some serious problems. With a Non Imm visa he can present the case that the application is being processed and has not been issued. I know of one University here in CM that used that line and possibly still does for English tutors to the students. We had to have a Non Imm visa (mine was and E-educaiton) and they filled in but not filed the papers with the Dept of Labour.

Doing volunteer work in Thailand is a worthwhile exercise and WOz should be commended for being willing to do it but he must be aware of the potential pitfalls that he faces if the Immigration Police decide it is worth their while to nab him for not having the relevant papers.

After the tsunami, many foreigners with medical skills (doctors, nurses, paramedics) plus others volunteered and donated their time to help. The then Minister of Immigration warned them that if they did not have the relevant paperwork ie work permits and visa they faced being prosecuted. Thaksin realised this was a particularly stupid thing to say in earshot of the international media and overruled the gaff but in reality the minister was correct. Thailand is a country where what the law says and does are not necessarily the same thing. If an Immigration Cop can extract a "on the spot cash fine" for visa transgressions then he will do it. When I was teaching for three months up in the mountains I was told by one of the local cops to not go to work because the Ed Inspector was coming on a visit. I stayed in my kuti that day and caught up on my housework and reading. The inspector knew I was teaching but as long as I wasn't on school grounds at the time he didn't need to do anything. The kids just sat in the classroom waiting and it was obvious that kru farung wasn't sitting at the front of the class.

CB

[Donnyboy]

I don't agree that a non-immigrant visa is in any way, or even in the slightest part, something that can be used instead of a work-permit in any situation. There is no difference to being caught working without a work permit depending on which visa you happen to be on. The only situation that I can imagine is when you're on foreign buyer/investor and doing meetings while on a non-imm Business visa.

Of course you don't get a B visa just for wanting to do voluntary work.

It's actually best to not call it voluntary work at all, but you RECEIVING training/education at something. Then you can get an Non-Imm-O Education visa, and the NGO would have to state that you're doing a course.

It's still bending the law.

I'm very serious about this; this morning my wife asked me to take out the trash, but after checking my work permit I had to inform her that I wans't legally able to do this because the work permit clearly states the type of work and the location where this work can take place. Taking out the trash in Hang Dong wasn't on it. She then got angry with me but I told her to save it and go yell at her government.

do you need a permit for homework then?

[higgy88]

Please correct me if I am wrong, but I am under the impression that you cannot get a work permit if you are here under a retirement visa. I assumed this also meant volunteer work.

[PeaceBlondie]

Please correct me if I am wrong, but I am under the impression that you cannot get a work permit if you are here under a retirement visa. I assumed this also meant volunteer work.

I'm no expert, but I understand that retirement visas cannot go with a work permit. When Sunbelt Asia found a way for me to get a work permit to be self employed, I understood that I would have had to convert my retirement visa to something like a B visa, and make 90 day visa runs.

It's not as if the ministries and legislators sit around thinking up new ways to make it impossible for farang to do what we wish. It's more like, they don't think about us much.

[Crow Boy]

I don't agree that a non-immigrant visa is in any way, or even

I'm very serious about this; this morning my wife asked me to take out the trash, but after checking my work permit I had to inform her that I wans't legally able to do this because the work permit clearly states the type of work and the location where this work can take place. Taking out the trash in Hang Dong wasn't on it. She then got angry with me but I told her to save it and go yell at her government.

do you need a permit for homework then?

If you mean home work as in school or university then yes you need the relevant Visa but because you are paying them to study there you don't need a work permit.

If you mean home work as in cleaning the house - then you need a house maid who will require a Thai ID card (legit) and in that case she won't need a work permit.

Hope this clarifies the situation

CB

[Donnyboy]

I'm looking around to see what volunteer work people know of.

PM me if you would like to keep it private for any reason.

Cheers,

WoZ

WoZ - would help to know what sort of volunteer work interests you.

In CNX there are a wide variety of useful and rewarding (non financially) activities that you could help with.

1) There are various cat and dog rescue/assistance/feeding schemes in the city area

2) if you have some qualifications you can help teach at a couple of orphanages around town

3) you can offer to teach English at some of the Government schools - usually aboiut 10 hours per week

4) if you are Buddhist or interested in Buddhism you can do a wide variety of jobs around almost any temple in Thailand as tam bun.

5) Some temples such as Wat Suan Dok and Wat Uumong are attached to CMU - if you are interested they will happy accept volunteers to teach monks English

NOTE: all volunteer work is still classified as work even feeding animals in the soi, so while you are unlikely to find any problems with immigration you have to be aware that you are still breaking the law by doing it. Therefore you really should have a work permit and at the very leaset a Non Imm visa. As a tourist you are strictly forbidden from doing any work whatsoever.

CB

A group of us went to Wat Don Chan- orphanage last week. Our friend had her birthday and decided to buy, prepare & feed the children lunch/dinner. There are approx. 500 kids there from the ages of 5-15. Most are from the mountain regions and borders in Thailand. To say it was a moving experience is an understatement. Im thinking of repeating it again sometime. The girls sung a short song as part of their thanks.

I have a video 28MB, should anyone like to see it-sent to your email.

[Crow Boy]

Please correct me if I am wrong, but I am under the impression that you cannot get a work permit if you are here under a retirement visa. I assumed this also meant volunteer work.

I'm no expert, but I understand that retirement visas cannot go with a work permit. When Sunbelt Asia found a way for me to get a work permit to be self employed, I understood that I would have had to convert my retirement visa to something like a B visa, and make 90 day visa runs.

It's not as if the ministries and legislators sit around thinking up new ways to make it impossible for farang to do what we wish. It's more like, they don't think about us much.

I have to be a little careful with this because I don't know nor profess to know the details of the relevant laws. The retirement visa does NOT allow you to work in the Kingdon of Thailand but you CAN volunteer to do things such as teach English for a maximum of 10 hours per week as a native born speaker. In Doi Saket where I lived, a local Brit, ex headmaster in the UK, did this and he found it was very useful when he needed to renew his visa. It is not paid nor is it permanent work. It must be approved by the dept of Ed and also the Dept of Labour but you can do it. Part of the restriction was that he only work 2 hours per day 5 days max in a week. He did it because he loved teaching and wanted to give something back to his community. I know of another who did a similar thing on Samuii. I did the same with the monks at Wat Suan Dok except I was on a category E visa (work is forbidden on this category, similar to R)

CB

[Donnyboy]

I don't agree that a non-immigrant visa is in any way, or even

I'm very serious about this; this morning my wife asked me to take out the trash, but after checking my work permit I had to inform her that I wans't legally able to do this because the work permit clearly states the type of work and the location where this work can take place. Taking out the trash in Hang Dong wasn't on it. She then got angry with me but I told her to save it and go yell at her government.

do you need a permit for homework then?

If you mean home work as in school or university then yes you need the relevant Visa but because you are paying them to study there you don't need a work permit.

If you mean home work as in cleaning the house - then you need a house maid who will require a Thai ID card (legit) and in that case she won't need a work permit.

Hope this clarifies the situation

CB

I actually meant "tham gnarn baarrn" (joking)

but joking aside, I have heard (not sure if its true or not) that a close neighbour of a farang complained to immigration that the farang was mowing his own lawn and doing some gardening, thus breaking the law, and the farang got a warning or fine or something <_<

[Crow Boy]

I don't agree that a non-immigrant visa is in any way, or even

I'm very serious about this; this morning my wife asked me to take out the trash, but after checking my work permit I had to inform her that I wans't legally able to do this because the work permit clearly states the type of work and the location where this work can take place. Taking out the trash in Hang Dong wasn't on it. She then got angry with me but I told her to save it and go yell at her government.

do you need a permit for homework then?

If you mean home work as in school or university then yes you need the relevant Visa but because you are paying them to study there you don't need a work permit.

If you mean home work as in cleaning the house - then you need a house maid who will require a Thai ID card (legit) and in that case she won't need a work permit.

Hope this clarifies the situation

CB

I actually meant "tham gnarn baarrn" (joking)

but joking aside, I have heard (not sure if its true or not) that a close neighbour of a farang complained to immigration that the farang was mowing his own lawn and doing some gardening, thus breaking the law, and the farang got a warning or fine or something <_<

I have heard this story but think it is a Thai version of an Urban Myth. On my own house I can legally do house repairs. I think it may be either:

1) a farung husband trying to get out of doing the gardening and using it as an excuse to his wife - may have been our own chanchao in a similar vein to taking out the garbage or

2) a neighbourhood dispute .

I seriously cannot believe that a cop would turn up and warn a farung not to mow his lawn? When I used to do a lot of guitar work I tried to say I couldn't do the dishes because the water would soften the callouses on the end of my fretting hand (yes fretting hand you wank#rs). The wife agreed, had a dishwashing machine installed, and charged it to my credit card.

CB

[Wizzard of Oz]

WoZ - would help to know what sort of volunteer work interests you.

I honestly don't know, which is the main problem

In CNX there are a wide variety of useful and rewarding (non financially) activities that you could help with.

1) There are various cat and dog rescue/assistance/feeding schemes in the city area

I Prefer to help people

2) if you have some qualifications you can help teach at a couple of orphanages around town

3) you can offer to teach English at some of the Government schools - usually aboiut 10 hours per week

5) Some temples such as Wat Suan Dok and Wat Uumong are attached to CMU - if you are interested they will happy accept volunteers to teach monks English

This actually sounds cool. Unfortunantly I have never taught English.

NOTE: all volunteer work is still classified as work even feeding animals in the soi, so while you are unlikely to find any problems with immigration you have to be aware that you are still breaking the law by doing it. Therefore you really should have a work permit and at the very leaset a Non Imm visa. As a tourist you are strictly forbidden from doing any work whatsoever.

CB

Cheers for the info.

Also, it would not be on any books since I am not looking to get a work permit or money out of it.

[tigerbeer]

one voluntary work which you would not get trouble for is to ring the bell at your local soi bar.

[Donnyboy]

one voluntary work which you would not get trouble for is to ring the bell at your local soi bar.

you volunteering then?

[coldcrush]

I don't agree that a non-immigrant visa is in any way, or even in the slightest part, something that can be used instead of a work-permit in any situation. There is no difference to being caught working without a work permit depending on which visa you happen to be on. The only situation that I can imagine is when you're on foreign buyer/investor and doing meetings while on a non-imm Business visa.

Of course you don't get a B visa just for wanting to do voluntary work.

It's actually best to not call it voluntary work at all, but you RECEIVING training/education at something. Then you can get an Non-Imm-O Education visa, and the NGO would have to state that you're doing a course.

It's still bending the law.

I'm very serious about this; this morning my wife asked me to take out the trash, but after checking my work permit I had to inform her that I wans't legally able to do this because the work permit clearly states the type of work and the location where this work can take place. Taking out the trash in Hang Dong wasn't on it. She then got angry with me but I told her to save it and go yell at her government.

Classic Cahanchao,

I like your spin on things, I will bear this in mind with any menial task in future!

[DrFisher]

CMU is currently looking for someone to teach conversational English to philosophy students. Most of the students have a good command of every day English they just need to practice.

If you (or anyone) is interested please PM me and I will give you more details.

[Blinky Bill]

CMU is currently looking for someone to teach conversational English to philosophy students. Most of the students have a good command of every day English they just need to practice.

If you is interested please PM me and I will give you more details.

Hmmm. Best enrol yourself in the class Doctor.

[lamphun]

CMU is currently looking for someone to teach conversational English to philosophy students. Most of the students have a good command of every day English they just need to practice.

If you (or anyone) is interested please PM me and I will give you more details.

Hey wot the hek how muhc is dep payingz ?

[PeaceBlondie]

DrFisher, thanks for mentioning those philosophy students, but wouldn't that still be WORK? And CMU has at least two divisions or programs that employ farang to teach conversational English; can't they find paid workers?

[DrFisher]

Never mind so a typo at 4:30 this morning I was just trying to help. Why don't I teach? because I'm not an English teacher nor do I pass myself off as one for a living. I really had it with this crap.

[Ulysses G.]

Don't worry.

Blinky is just joshing you!

[PeaceBlondie]

Sorry, DrFisher, but please ignore all pedants unless you're on the teaching forum, impersonating an English teacher.

[expatwannabe]

Good to know that my Non-Imm B doesn't qualify me to take out the trash.

[snip. Too much information. /Meadish]

[Wizzard of Oz]

CMU is currently looking for someone to teach conversational English to philosophy students. Most of the students have a good command of every day English they just need to practice.

If you (or anyone) is interested please PM me and I will give you more details.

This is the kind of thing that is useful.

Nice to get a response with a specific situation that I can get to.

Does anyone else know of any specific volunteer work around?