Volunteering In Thailand

[spysee]

Hi,

I was wondering if there is any good places that you can volunteer for work in Chiang Mai, either with kids or animals? I don't won't to go to a place that will charge me a fee. Unless its for accomodation but nothing more.

Also does anyone have any experience doing this?

[Mario2008]

Moved to the Chiang Mai section for better response.

[Ulysses G.]

Ask Care for Dogs:

ph# 085712 5542

www,carefordogs.org

They help cats too.

[Mario2008]

For volunteering you will need a work permit. Make sure the organisation will help you with getting one.

If you aren't staying in Thailand right now, you could get a non-immigrant visa with a letter form the organisation.

[spysee]

Ask Care for Dogs:

ph# 085712 5542

www,carefordogs.org

They help cats too.

Thanks, that actually looks like a good place to go

[Ulysses G.]

They are VERY needed and do a great job.

[uptheos]

Also I hear Lanna Dog rescue need someone to volunteer a few hours a week by putting some data on their computer system. They of course welcome volunteers in other areas of dog care too.

The other posters are quite right to inform you that legally you require a work permit to volunteer. I know a few people that have been volunteering for many years and never bothered about a work permit...not that I would suggest that's what you do....it's best to be legal.

[FarangCravings]

They are VERY needed and do a great job.

UG do they provide a work permit for the volunteer work ??

I am interested

[Mapguy]

This is about voluntarism in Chiang Mai, and, with apologies to the OP, about some very unfinished business having to do with helping others, specifically cats, in Chiang Mai.

First, you need to do some serious research about the visa requirements of Thailand as well as into other major matters of volunteering here or in any "developing" country, really. Start with what you offer in skills as well as with good heart. Whom do you wish to help where, when and how?

There is practical advice of a sort (sometimes good), on TV Chiang Mai and other TV threads more generally about voluntarism in Thailand, but these places are definitely not where to start any serious inquiry. I leave it to you as to where to go to present your credentials.

Generally, the established "helpers" (NGOs and the like) in Chiang Mai are generally not at all eager to enlist "good-hearted" volunteers with no other credentials. Actually, many volunteers often prove to be more a colossal pain in the ass than of any practical help they might be able to provide. So, you should be prepared to present some decent credentials. Anyway, hope you are indeed able to work something out.

There is a need, indeed, for qualified volunteers to do lots of things. Even to help stray cats! People interested in that cause have, unfortunately --- if they have learned anything --- probably found that their good intentions have been far, far outpaced by the basic urges of the feline community to reproduce and by the cost of really responsible cat care.

There has never been any substantive report on TV Chiang Mai of the result of the local, enormously popular TV Chiang Mai "Feed the Kitties" campaign, as well-intentioned as that might have been. I leave that to UG, a fellow you'll run into on TV Chiang Mai relatively often. He, as I recall, started the whole thing off several months ago.

So, UG, what can you report? Where has the money gone that has been donated? (No "kitty scam" implied at all). But you and others went far beyond expressing a whim. You have a certain responsibility, don't you, to talk specifically about results?

What are the results? How effective has your campaign been? And so on. You and other good-hearted people were given free rein on TV Chiang Mai to do your thing for stray cats at a particular wat despite the prohibition against appeals for arguably more important causes.

Well ? Anything substantive, UG? Or are you just another plastic collection box for miscellaneous donations to good causes that one finds around town?

You are a businessman. Quite a good one, I gather, in your niche of selling used books. What do your "Feed the Kitties" accounts, as well as any periodic general reports, tell people about the efforts you made, the money donated and spent ?

[KevinHunt]

This is about voluntarism in Chiang Mai, and, with apologies to the OP, about some very unfinished business having to do with helping others, specifically cats, in Chiang Mai.

First, you need to do some serious research about the visa requirements of Thailand as well as into other major matters of volunteering here or in any "developing" country, really. Start with what you offer in skills as well as with good heart. Whom do you wish to help where, when and how?

There is practical advice of a sort (sometimes good), on TV Chiang Mai and other TV threads more generally about voluntarism in Thailand, but these places are definitely not where to start any serious inquiry. I leave it to you as to where to go to present your credentials.

Generally, the established "helpers" (NGOs and the like) in Chiang Mai are generally not at all eager to enlist "good-hearted" volunteers with no other credentials. Actually, many volunteers often prove to be more a colossal pain in the ass than of any practical help they might be able to provide. So, you should be prepared to present some decent credentials. Anyway, hope you are indeed able to work something out.

There is a need, indeed, for qualified volunteers to do lots of things. Even to help stray cats! People interested in that cause have, unfortunately --- if they have learned anything --- probably found that their good intentions have been far, far outpaced by the basic urges of the feline community to reproduce and by the cost of really responsible cat care.

There has never been any substantive report on TV Chiang Mai of the result of the local, enormously popular TV Chiang Mai "Feed the Kitties" campaign, as well-intentioned as that might have been. I leave that to UG, a fellow you'll run into on TV Chiang Mai relatively often. He, as I recall, started the whole thing off several months ago.

So, UG, what can you report? Where has the money gone that has been donated? (No "kitty scam" implied at all). But you and others went far beyond expressing a whim. You have a certain responsibility, don't you, to talk specifically about results?

What are the results? How effective has your campaign been? And so on. You and other good-hearted people were given free rein on TV Chiang Mai to do your thing for stray cats at a particular wat despite the prohibition against appeals for arguably more important causes.

Well ? Anything substantive, UG? Or are you just another plastic collection box for miscellaneous donations to good causes that one finds around town?

You are a businessman. Quite a good one, I gather, in your niche of selling used books. What do your "Feed the Kitties" accounts, as well as any periodic general reports, tell people about the efforts you made, the money donated and spent ?

You've lost the plot.

[anonymouse]

This is about voluntarism in Chiang Mai, and, with apologies to the OP, about some very unfinished business having to do with helping others, specifically cats, in Chiang Mai.

First, you need to do some serious research about the visa requirements of Thailand as well as into other major matters of volunteering here or in any "developing" country, really. Start with what you offer in skills as well as with good heart. Whom do you wish to help where, when and how?

There is practical advice of a sort (sometimes good), on TV Chiang Mai and other TV threads more generally about voluntarism in Thailand, but these places are definitely not where to start any serious inquiry. I leave it to you as to where to go to present your credentials.

Generally, the established "helpers" (NGOs and the like) in Chiang Mai are generally not at all eager to enlist "good-hearted" volunteers with no other credentials. Actually, many volunteers often prove to be more a colossal pain in the ass than of any practical help they might be able to provide. So, you should be prepared to present some decent credentials. Anyway, hope you are indeed able to work something out.

There is a need, indeed, for qualified volunteers to do lots of things. Even to help stray cats! People interested in that cause have, unfortunately --- if they have learned anything --- probably found that their good intentions have been far, far outpaced by the basic urges of the feline community to reproduce and by the cost of really responsible cat care.

There has never been any substantive report on TV Chiang Mai of the result of the local, enormously popular TV Chiang Mai "Feed the Kitties" campaign, as well-intentioned as that might have been. I leave that to UG, a fellow you'll run into on TV Chiang Mai relatively often. He, as I recall, started the whole thing off several months ago.

So, UG, what can you report? Where has the money gone that has been donated? (No "kitty scam" implied at all). But you and others went far beyond expressing a whim. You have a certain responsibility, don't you, to talk specifically about results?

What are the results? How effective has your campaign been? And so on. You and other good-hearted people were given free rein on TV Chiang Mai to do your thing for stray cats at a particular wat despite the prohibition against appeals for arguably more important causes.

Well ? Anything substantive, UG? Or are you just another plastic collection box for miscellaneous donations to good causes that one finds around town?

You are a businessman. Quite a good one, I gather, in your niche of selling used books. What do your "Feed the Kitties" accounts, as well as any periodic general reports, tell people about the efforts you made, the money donated and spent ?

You've lost the plot.

As mad as a box of frogs

[ThaiPauly]

Don't be too harsh on MG.

Look at the time of his post

He tends to always post after a few beers or 10

[Ulysses G.]

So, UG, what can you report? Where has the money gone that has been donated? (No "kitty scam" implied at all). But you and others went far beyond expressing a whim. You have a certain responsibility, don't you, to talk specifically about results?

What are the results?

Madguy, I have told you before that Thai Visa has asked all of the cat people not to bring up the subject anymore on this forum as it is against the rules. I really don't want to get suspended.

However, at the moment we are trying to work something out with Care for Dogs to keep the program going as funds have dried up without the exposure the program had before.

We have reported all the results to them and there have been many. We continue to do what we can with the food and medicine and funds available and so far things are still going pretty well.

[Ulysses G.]

They are VERY needed and do a great job.

UG do they provide a work permit for the volunteer work ??

I am interested

I am not sure as we just started discussing this, but one would not need a work permit to drop off a few big bags of food. Right now, they really need kitten food as the have some that are too small to eat the regular stuff and it is more expensive.

[Ulysses G.]

This is about voluntarism in Chiang Mai,

What are the results?

ALL of the animals (that were old enough) were spayed or neutured.

ALL of the animals (that were old enough) were vacinated against 4 or 5 common diseases.

All of the animals that needed medical care were either treated at the Wat or brought to a vet and given the attention that they needed.

The animals have been well fed for quite a while although sometimes Khun Dee forgot to remind anyone to drop food off.

And so on...

[Nienke]

(Mapguy @ 2009-08-11 01:53:52) *

So, UG, what can you report? Where has the money gone that has been donated? (No "kitty scam" implied at all). But you and others went far beyond expressing a whim. You have a certain responsibility, don't you, to talk specifically about results?

What are the results?

Madguy, I have told you before that Thai Visa has asked all of the cat people not to bring up the subject anymore on this forum as it is against the rules. I really don't want to get suspended.

However, at the moment we are trying to work something out with Care for Dogs to keep the program going as funds have dried up without the exposure the program had before.

We have reported all the results to them and there have been many. We continue to do what we can with the food and medicine and funds available and so far things are still going pretty well.

This is about voluntarism in Chiang Mai,

What are the results?

ALL of the animals (that were old enough) were spayed or neutured.

ALL of the animals (that were old enough) were vacinated against 4 or 5 common diseases.

All of the animals that needed medical care were either treated at the Wat or brought to a vet and given the attention that they needed.

The animals have been well fed for quite a while although sometimes Khun Dee forgot to remind anyone to drop food off.

And so on...

And ALL of this has been mentioned on TV CM forum already. So, Mapguy could have known that.

Edited August 11, 2009 by Nienke

[eek]

There has never been any substantive report on TV Chiang Mai of the result of the local, enormously popular TV Chiang Mai "Feed the Kitties" campaign, as well-intentioned as that might have been. I leave that to UG, a fellow you'll run into on TV Chiang Mai relatively often. He, as I recall, started the whole thing off several months ago. - Started by me, several YEARS ago. Try around 2 1/2 years ago when i first got involved in helping the Wat. It was hard to do on my own, so i asked for guidance 2 times on two separate occasions in the CM forum. The second time I received some very kind help, from others stepping in.

So, UG, what can you report? Where has the money gone that has been donated? (No "kitty scam" implied at all). But you and others went far beyond expressing a whim. You have a certain responsibility, don't you, to talk specifically about results? Havent you brought this up already several times, with the same answers? Or do you have short term memory (seriously) )

What are the results? How effective has your campaign been? And so on. You and other good-hearted people were given free rein on TV Chiang Mai to do your thing for stray cats at a particular wat despite the prohibition against appeals for arguably more important causes. THe results. Go to the Temple and see for yourself! Healthy cats! Thats the result. If you had seen the state of those cats when i first went to the temple..fleas, skin and bones, infections, sickness. Why dont you actually take a look for yourself how well they are? I still donate to every few months to the donation box in UG's shop, and I still take in big bags of food. The food is now apparently kept somewhere else guys, for those who go in and notice there doesnt seem to be any in the usual cage lock up area. Beset to check with Khun Dee how the supply is going.

Well ? Anything substantive, UG? Or are you just another plastic collection box for miscellaneous donations to good causes that one finds around town?

You are a businessman. Quite a good one, I gather, in your niche of selling used books. What do your "Feed the Kitties" accounts, as well as any periodic general reports, tell people about the efforts you made, the money donated and spent ? Tell? We are NOT allowed to talk about it on Thaivisa forum! We were warned several times. If you wish for an update, then how about try asking in a reasoned way, rather than insinuating something? Again, the evidence is in the state of the animals at the Temple. If you fancy getting off your soap box to actually take a look.

[eek]

...oh and one more thing. I did look into actually getting a banner for the CM forum as i was willing to set up a website for info and a banner linking it (my own time and my own funds, before you complain about donated money). That way we can have a thread where we can talk about the cats if we wanted to. BUT, all the banners for the CM forum are gone. I was offered the FAQ's area instead, however, i dont think many visit there, so declined. Its also rather expensive (for funding on my own), so i have not pursued that.

If you have questions, fair enough, but just sounds like you want any excuse to make insinuations and point fingers. Should be ashamed of yourself really.

[hgma]

Mirror art group (wel known in schang mai/rai katchoknouw mae yai district)

say hello to jon morris and the rest.

My volunteersname =a-ge

highly recommended

did anti drug campaign there

quote name='spysee' date='2009-08-10 19:45:19' post='2933589']

Hi,

I was wondering if there is any good places that you can volunteer for work in Chiang Mai, either with kids or animals? I don't won't to go to a place that will charge me a fee. Unless its for accomodation but nothing more.

Also does anyone have any experience doing this?