Image via Facebook; Peace Corps Thailand

 

The Peace Corps is a United States agency established in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy to promote peace and friendship worldwide. Peace Corps volunteers have been working in Thailand since 1962, assisting Thai government agencies in various fields. Currently, they operate in two main projects: Teacher Collaboration for Development and Youth Development. Over 5,500 volunteers have worked with Thai communities for more than 60 years, but their work was halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This year, Peace Corps volunteers returned to Thailand and underwent a 10-week training programme before being dispatched to 29 provinces across the country. Their swearing-in ceremony coincided with the 60th-anniversary celebration of Peace Corps cooperation in Thailand.

 

It is always exciting and impressive when encountering foreigners who can communicate excellently in the Thai language. Recently, at the Peace Corps swearing-in ceremony in Suphanburi province, the Sanook team was astonished as all American volunteers were able to speak Thai fluently and even performed Thai songs. Apart from their language ability, the volunteers’ goals and aspirations for their journey in Thailand were equally remarkable, such as working within Thai communities, living with locals, and exchanging cultures with one another.

 

Full Story: https://thethaiger.com/news/national/exploring-the-peace-corps-sixty-year-history-in-thailand

 

-- © Copyright Thaiger 2023-05-12

 

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Have at least 4 friends in the States that served in the Peace Corps in the 60's and 70's that married Thai girls.  So prevalent that the PC in Thailand had a unit just to deal with Thai brides.  "Join the Peace Corps find a wife"  Not sure that was the case in Uganda or Guatemala!

You'll only find the true story of the Peace Corps' operations in Thailand when you watch John Candy and Tom Hanks' movie, Volunteers.

2 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

It is always exciting and impressive when encountering foreigners who can communicate excellently in the Thai language.

I'm getting bored with ChatGPT. 

Reading this sounds more like an advert for PC, and the OP forgot to say the idea President Kenady had come from the Uk modal VSO, Voluntary Services Overseas that  .started in 1958.

And it was the case, a PC volunteer when thay had done there volunteering bit could go home and do a Major at some university, I looked at it as a step up the career ladder.

I can remember a lot of years ago doing some PC organized weekend English camps, teaching Thai kids English over a weekend, a painfully weekend it was to, more like pushing water up hill, but it looks good on their CV/Reassume. 

17 hours ago, John Drake said:

You'll only find the true story of the Peace Corps' operations in Thailand when you watch John Candy and Tom Hanks' movie, Volunteers.

And read the novel from that era 'The Ugly American'

I was accepted to the PC in 1963 or '64 for a "malaria eradication project."  All I could think of was the buzzing mosquitos, so I turned it down.  Stayed home and married two Italian-Americans in  succession.  Fifty years later, I found a much younger future wife.  I just wish I had taken the opportunity to learn Thai when I had a brain as young as hers.  

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21 hours ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

And read the novel from that era 'The Ugly American'

If I may point out to non readers, the "ugly" American was the one who actually went out and worked with the people, didn't hang out at embassy parties etc with the "beautiful" people.

Volunteers is a total hoot. Where Tom Hanks met his future bride Rita Wilson. Oddly, shot in Mexico tho all the Thai language etc is spot on.

I was in PC back mid 70's, but in Colombia.

"the Sanook team was astonished as all American volunteers were able to speak Thai fluently..." Are Sanook reporters morons? "Astonished"?!? geez the volunteers are out working in the field, darn well better be able to speak Thai unless they are in the mime program.... We had 3 months of intensive Spanish before being let loose on the populace