Volunteering In/around Chiang Rai

[Tokker]

I am moving to Chiang Rai in october with my thai wife. I am a 32 year old engineer. As I imagine it's easier to get a volunteering job than a real paid job, I'd like to check if anybody has experience with interesting volunteering work in the area. Just to stay busy while getting settled in Thailand. Thanks.

[tayto]

Hi Tokker welcome.I am sure you will find something here to suit you however I would wait until you actually arrive, before you commit to anything.

Your idea of volunteering and the Thai way might differ somewhat.

Where are you from.

[chownah]

What kind of volunteer work are you looking for? I see that you are an Engineer. What is you discipline?

[Tokker]

FYI, I am from Belgium and I am a (bio)chemistry/environmental engineer with 9 years of experience in small-scale wastewater treatment and local water management. I also have some experience in general project and people management as I am currently leading a team of 6 people.

[Limbo]

.... and local water management. I also have some experience in general project and people management as I am currently leading a team of 6 people.

Mr. Tokker informed us.

Dr. Han ten Brummelhuis (University of Amsterdam) wrote his thesis about Homan van der Heide, the 'Waterking' of Bangkok. This Dutch engineer was responsible for the dredging of the 'klongs' of Bangkok and the installation of the locks along the Mae Nam Chao Pya (according to his own General Report on Irrigation and Drainage in the Lower Menam Valley).

He was 'immigrant worker' from 1903 until 1909.

In May 1909 a point was reached at which he no longer had any money to pay his workmen with, whereupon he ordered his officials to strike, which makes him probably the first public servant to have gone on strike in the history of Siam.

But no hard feelings! When HRH Prince Damrong had an official dinner at the Amstel Hotel in Amsterdam in 1930, he insisted that Homan van der Heide would sit next to him!

Maybe interesting literature for you

Limbo.

[thomas3940]

Property Northern Thailand

I am moving to Chiang Rai in october with my thai wife. I am a 32 year old engineer. As I imagine it's easier to get a volunteering job than a real paid job, I'd like to check if anybody has experience with interesting volunteering work in the area. Just to stay busy while getting settled in Thailand. Thanks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You may also look at www.akha.org?

[lannachiangrai]

Khom Loy, an NGO does some work with water filters and sewage for hill-tribe people and quite possibly could use someone to help with water monitoring. Take a look at their website, www.khomloy.org, or contact the GM, Caleb directly at 09-242-8262.

[chiangrai57020]

I would be very careful about what volunteering you do. I have been reading 'posts' from the main TV forums - specifically buying land and houses.

One of the 'posts' mentioned a fellow who got arrested and put in jail for 2 days for 'Cutting His Grass'. The court, through the case out BUT not before the guy spent several 10,000s Baht!

In another case, someone was digging a hole for a 'garbage pit' in his yard and was arrested. Again, the case got thrown out.

When I first arrived in Thailand some 7 years ago the local school principle ask me to teach 2-3 days a week English to his students. I checked with Mae Sai immigration as to whether this would be permisable. In a word 'NO'.

So, I guess, word to the wise. I wonder what would happen if I had a 'Flat tire' and changed it. Would that be considered 'WORK'.

Forgot to mention. The problem is that if you 'upset' the wrong Thai we could find ourselves in the same situation - trying to bail ourselves out of jail or pay some 'bribe'.

Edited October 13, 2005 by chiangrai57020

[Limbo]

I worked four years as a volunteer teacher on a village school, teaching English with a Dutch accent. Every year a got a letter of the Deputy Governor which I handed over to the Immigration Police: Within ten minutes a had my year visa!

I gave some lectures at Mae Fah Luang University, I am and was volunteering at the Royal Mae Fah Luang Foundation, the Chansom Shinawatra Foundation, local newspapers, the Alliance Francaise for which I made exhibitions at several cultural institutions in the Province Chiang Rai.

I made reports of all I did and handed over them to the Immigration Police.

I never heard about anybody having problems. The lawn cutting story is an old one and it comes from Phuket.

Don't worry too much!

Limbo.

[Joel Barlow]

Khom Loy, an NGO does some work with water filters and sewage for hill-tribe people and quite possibly could use someone to help with water monitoring.  Take a look at their website, www.khomloy.org, or contact the GM, Caleb directly at 09-242-8262.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Back in Arizona I used a Southwest Windpower generator. Two of my neighbors there now work in the factory, and I have a card for the 'regional' representative (in Australia). I would love to see action instead of talk about alternate energy sources - esp wind and sun, but though I've seen solar panels on house roofs have yet to discover where they are sold. Wind generators with Grusman pumps would be helpful to fruit and other growers around here. I took a tiny solar panel off a baseball cap I bought at the airport (it's from China - the cap not the airport) and attached it to a large motorcycle battery I put with a long flouscerent bulb at my lady's mother's house up on the border, hoping an hour of strong sunlight might give a minute of flourescent light at night...

Looking for placement for "gap year" volunteers from England come to save the world, I find little connected to reality. Some volunteers I met were doing physical labor to help install a water system in an Akha village (where about the only thing they have plenty of is available labor)... Also, modernization does not always equate to better.

[pol514]

.... and local water management. I also have some experience in general project and people management as I am currently leading a team of 6 people.

Mr. Tokker informed us.

Dr. Han ten Brummelhuis (University of Amsterdam) wrote his thesis about Homan van der Heide, the 'Waterking' of Bangkok. This Dutch engineer was responsible for the dredging of the 'klongs' of Bangkok and the installation of the locks along the Mae Nam Chao Pya (according to his own General Report on Irrigation and Drainage in the Lower Menam Valley).

He was 'immigrant worker' from 1903 until 1909.

In May 1909 a point was reached at which he no longer had any money to pay his workmen with, whereupon he ordered his officials to strike, which makes him probably the first public servant to have gone on strike in the history of Siam.

But no hard feelings! When HRH Prince Damrong had an official dinner at the Amstel Hotel in Amsterdam in 1930, he insisted that Homan van der Heide would sit next to him!

Maybe interesting literature for you 

Limbo.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I work in Royal Irrigation Department . I was informed about Dr. Han ten Brummelhuis and his thesis about Homan van der Heide who was the first directer of Klom Klong which now is Royal Irrigation Department . I try to search for this book but I can't until I found your post . Do you have that book in English ? Where can I get it ?

Thanks

[tayto]

Khom Loy, an NGO does some work with water filters and sewage for hill-tribe people and quite possibly could use someone to help with water monitoring.  Take a look at their website, www.khomloy.org, or contact the GM, Caleb directly at 09-242-8262.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Back in Arizona I used a Southwest Windpower generator. Two of my neighbors there now work in the factory, and I have a card for the 'regional' representative (in Australia). I would love to see action instead of talk about alternate energy sources - esp wind and sun, but though I've seen solar panels on house roofs have yet to discover where they are sold. Wind generators with Grusman pumps would be helpful to fruit and other growers around here. I took a tiny solar panel off a baseball cap I bought at the airport (it's from China - the cap not the airport) and attached it to a large motorcycle battery I put with a long flouscerent bulb at my lady's mother's house up on the border, hoping an hour of strong sunlight might give a minute of flourescent light at night...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

and

Edited November 3, 2005 by tayto

[Limbo]

Dear Mr. Pol514,

I will start looking for the book tomorrow.

An excerpt of the book can be found in

'Merchant, Courtier and Diplomat, a History of the contacts between the Netherland and Thailand' by Dr. Han ten Brummelhuis as well.

(presented by the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Celebration of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej's Completion of the Fifth Cycle or Sixtieth Birthday, 1987).

Please PM me with your address and I will send the chapter to you.

Thank you for your interest!

Limbo.

PS. In the National Archive (Samsen Road, Sri Ayuddya Road?) a note can be found, written Himself by the Great King Rama V to HRH Prince Damrong, in which He expresses His regrets that Homan van der Heide left Thailand:

'We should never have let him go'.

Is any greater compliment thinkable?