Volunteering In Thailand

[ginab0beena]

I am due to leave for thailand next march for just under a year . I am hoping to spend four to five months volunteering , or even six, i was hoping to do this through a certain organisation , that I won't name. However, it has been brought to my attention that there is a lot of "pay to volunteer scams" especially for elephant sanctuaries. I would be spending just under £2thousand on those months alone.

Is anyone knowledgable of places I can volunteer in for free or at a much lower price?

Preferably in Chiang Mai.

Any information will be appreciated

Thanks

Georgina

[psuvanna]

www.volunteachthailand.org

[psuvanna]

http://www.facebook.com/reqs.php?fcode=4246e6ef4&f=530890027#!/home.php?sk=group_175877612444366&ap=1

[cdnvic]

Keep in mind, you probably will need a work visa.

[jazzbo]

The VolunTeach website looks interesting as they charge only a 150 EU placement fee once you arrive Thailand ... they place you in one of their pre-screened village schools with no further fees:

"In our interviews with school staff, we search for Directors who are committed to committed to making a real difference. We know every one of our placement schools intimately.

We have 20 hand-selected placement schools in every major region of Thailand. "

As it says also in the FAQs that minimum stay is 2 weeks and that they have placed over 500 'satisfied' volunteers, it would seem that for these 20 hand-selected rural schools suitable 'arrangements' have also been secured from the local labor office.

.. sounds so-far-so-good to me.

[CharlieH]

Dont forget the WORK PERMIT & your DEGREE( if you want to teach legally)

[jazzbo]

Courtesy screenplay for Sir Alfred Hitchcock's Dial M For Murder:

Mark Halliday: What is all this?

Chief Inspector. Hubbard: They talk about flat-footed policemen. May the saints protect us from the gifted amateur.

[thailandbluegrass]

I think the OP means she will be volunteering in an Elaphant sanctuary but why she did not mention the place or if this is true I have no idea.

Most places want the money to help the Elephants and usually goes to good use. If you cannot afford it then it is just simply not for you. You might find some cheaper sanctuaries but like a couple of poeters here mentioned you need to inquire which ones will provide you with the paper work for a "Visa" and a "Work Permit".

You just need to keep Googling and sent emails to them asking these questions but I will look into it for you and reply back here or in a private message. I have a female friend who visited here last year from Canada and she has all the info if I can just find out from her.

[ginab0beena]

It was through a company called friends for Asia ? The money isn't the problem I am just worried of getting scammed :/

[harrry]

http://www.changthai.com/

This will not be volunteering but you will have more contact with the elephants than anywhere els. It is not a scam place.

The have a scheme where to raise funds for the lephants you can join a course whee you work with a carer and an elephant and what you get out of it is up to you. If you get up early and participate in all the daily activities like walking in the jungle with the elephant and bathing it in the river and work well you will learn much about the elephant and help the center by paying for your stay. You can stay as long or as little as you like and there are varying grades of accommodation available in the park. I wish I could do it myself.

Volunteering requires a work permit but this would not as you are actually paying to learn about the animals.

I think you would find you only have to pay the full rate for a few days if you work hard after that mainly the accommodation.

Much better direct to the Thai Elephant Cent re at Laming than through an agent.

[ginqueen30]

mmm why don't you volunteer in Cambodia,,for sure they need it more,,,and are far more grateful !!! also they don't make you jump through hoops for you to give your own time.

I lived in Thailand for 5 years and IMHO if they just took reasonable care of the elephants, as they do here they don't need volunteers.

I currently teach in the North West of Cambodia ( Battembang ) not voluntarily, but i give some time when i can to teach for free

I have volunteered at an orphanage in Phnom Penh ( SFODA, check it out on facebook,, ) as have friends of mine,,,they don't charge you anything,,,so any monies you were going to get scammed for you could put into the kids,,,,,shoes, bikes, cloths, sports things, just a day out for them means the world and costs very little as we did just last weekend.

Of course just an idea,,if you are hell bent on Elephants, then elephants it will be.

Either way i commend your intentions.

[ginab0beena]

I wanted to work in an orphanage for the majority of my time and spend a few weeks looking at elephants ect. The orphanage the organisation uses has a price of around £300 per two weeks (if I remember correctly). I was considering doing my volunteer work in another country but wasn't sure on where was best. I will be passing through where you live on my travels in Cambodia and then onto phom pehn , so maybe volunteering there at an orphanage would be a greater experience and be able to give a lot more back? I'd be interested to here of any schemes you are aware of in cambodia , if you are ofcourse.

Georgina

[ginab0beena]

* would just like to mention the money isn't an issue but if I can give more through volunteer work than just paying to be there , I would feel a lot more comfortable.

[jdinasia]

I wanted to work in an orphanage for the majority of my time and spend a few weeks looking at elephants ect. The orphanage the organisation uses has a price of around £300 per two weeks (if I remember correctly). I was considering doing my volunteer work in another country but wasn't sure on where was best. I will be passing through where you live on my travels in Cambodia and then onto phom pehn , so maybe volunteering there at an orphanage would be a greater experience and be able to give a lot more back? I'd be interested to here of any schemes you are aware of in cambodia , if you are ofcourse.

Georgina

I can contact AIDSNET and the temple sponsored AIDS/HIV orphanage and see if they are capable of sponsoring you. (If you don't need visa help or are where you can get access to an honorary Thai consulate I may be able to help with the multi-non-imm visa as well.

If so there would be no cost involved. (When I helped at the temple the abbot set some conditions that proved to be kinda funny in retrospect. The equivalent for you would to choose to be a non-ordained nun. The abbot has changed since then. I may also be able to get you sponsored by a school that works with 'at risk' youth.

If I can help at all there will be no charge from anyone in Thailand.

I am quite busy at the moment but feel free to contact me via PM and I will give you my push mail acct (email that reaches my phone immediately)

I know absolutely nothing about elephants other than 8 years ago I almost planted my face (first) and then my motorcycle up one's butt in ChaAm when I was explaoring and going too fast on back roads!

[jazzbo]

You might also contact this Khorat-based Foundation who works with both orphanages and elephants: http://www.thai-dragonfly.com/ ( elephants via: www.surinproject.org/ )

[BennyC]

I live in Korat and know the owner of Dragonfly , they are always doing fun stuff and some really nice people to work with.....

[harrry]

I live in Korat and know the owner of Dragonfly , they are always doing fun stuff and some really nice people to work with.....

Do they provide work permits?

[ginqueen30]

www.elephantnaturepark.org/volunteer/index.htm

How strange, was just randomly watching Animal Planet and this was featured,,,you don't seem to pay,,but it is more like an Eco holiday so you get accommodation and food for your money !!!!!!

If you come to Battembang i would be happy to meet up with you,,,again there are orphanages who will be happpy just for yyour time rather than money alone !!

Jonathan

[Mario2008]

A lot of "charities" that offer volunteer work ask for a large sum of money from you, while you are volunteering for them. It is often nothing more than a scheme to get money from you. The huge prices alone they charge for feeding and housing you.....

I have asked several if they provide a work permit, they all deny you need one or say that you shouldn't whine about it. None mention that working without a work permit (including volunteering) carries a maximum jailterm of 5 years and/or a fine of 100,000 baht.

[jazzbo]

... just to clarify regarding the nice compliment above, Dragonfly is a Foundation with no owner:

"The DCF is registered as a charitable foundation in Thailand, number N.M.1/2551, under the Ministry of Culture."

As with any registered Thai charitable Foundation you are free to request -- if not offered -- a Work Permit as described above; if they state it is not their policy to offer work permits to short term volunteers without credentials such as Doctors, nurses, veterinarians, 'experts' with PhDs or Government certifications, then it is your option to either stay on those terms or leave ...

But I would respectfully suggest that any such well-established Thai Foundation with perhaps hundreds of Thai employees will not take kindly to being lectured to about the requirements of Thai law by a non-Thai citizen.

[ginqueen30]

adding to my previous post the ""sanctuary"" also has a Trip advisor page,,,and it is worth reading ALL the reviews, as there are some interesting reviews that DON"'T rate it at all !!!

Another place that may be of interest is Baan Gerda Orphanage for kids with or affected by HIV. I tried to get there myself once, but time etc etc blah blah !!!!! They have a facebook page.

Jonathan

[harrry]

... just to clarify regarding the nice compliment above, Dragonfly is a Foundation with no owner:

"The DCF is registered as a charitable foundation in Thailand, number N.M.1/2551, under the Ministry of Culture."

As with any registered Thai charitable Foundation you are free to request -- if not offered -- a Work Permit as described above; if they state it is not their policy to offer work permits to short term volunteers without credentials such as Doctors, nurses, veterinarians, 'experts' with PhDs or Government certifications, then it is your option to either stay on those terms or leave ...

But I would respectfully suggest that any such well-established Thai Foundation with perhaps hundreds of Thai employees will not take kindly to being lectured to about the requirements of Thai law by a non-Thai citizen.

And the person they are putting at risk will not apreciate being told to break Thai Law when they are looking out from the shared cell in the Immigration Detention Centre.

[jazzbo]

... when they are looking out from the shared cell in the Immigration Detention Centre... When?

[ginab0beena]

Sorry about lack of informative replies, been away from my computer for a few days and posting on this forum on my phone is very difficult as it takes a good fair while for it to load. Anyways, here goes a more informative post:

"psuvanna - volunteachthailand"- Thanks for posting, have checked out the website. Looks pretty interesting, will keep in mind.

cdnvic - Keep in mind, you probably will need a work visa" - Have been made aware of needing a visa and have looked into it briefly already. My only question is, if i go out there to travel and do volunteer work, which type of visa would I be after? Would it be both or? Any info. would be helpful. Im sure google may be able to answer this question for me anyways at some point.

jdinasia - I can contact AIDSNET and the temple sponsored AIDS/HIV orphanage and see if they are capable of sponsoring you. (If you don't need visa help or are where you can get access to an honorary Thai consulate I may be able to help with the multi-non-imm visa as well.If so there would be no cost involved. (When I helped at the temple the abbot set some conditions that proved to be kinda funny in retrospect. The equivalent for you would to choose to be a non-ordained nun. The abbot has changed since then. I may also be able to get you sponsored by a school that works with 'at risk' youth.If I can help at all there will be no charge from anyone in Thailand. I am quite busy at the moment but feel free to contact me via PM and I will give you my push mail acct (email that reaches my phone immediately)I know absolutely nothing about elephants other than 8 years ago I almost planted my face (first) and then my motorcycle up one's butt in ChaAm when I was explaoring and going too fast on back roads!" - - That sounds really helpful, and I would love to know more information about it. Working with children has always been my main interest, especially as I have done, and still occasionally still do volunteer work here in the UK with children. What you get back from helping is amazing. Any help off you would be very greatful. I will get into contact ASAP pm.

"jazzbo - You might also contact this Khorat-based Foundation who works with both orphanages and elephants..." - I shall check this out ASAP and respond.

"ginqueen30 -How strange, was just randomly watching Animal Planet and this was featured,,,you don't seem to pay,,but it is more like an Eco holiday so you get accommodation and food for your money !!!!!!If you come to Battembang i would be happy to meet up with you,,,again there are orphanages who will be happpy just for yyour time rather than money alone !!Jonathan” - Again, this sounds very helpful and I would be greatful for more information, so may contact you via PM if that is ok?.

Everyone has been a huge help, yet again. So thank you for that. This is helping my trip planning go a lot easier as now I have many promising options of places to do volunteer work.

Thanks.Georgina

[Mario2008]

With a letter from a foundation/charity/school in Thailand you can get a multiple non-Immigrant visa from the consulate in Hull.

Once in Thailand you should get a work permit, with the help from the charity.

[jazzbo]

Once in Thailand you should get a work permit, with the help from the charity... which is assuming that the charity is willing to provide you with the requisite documents.

[dindong]

If you are interested in volunteering to teach in Chiang Rai, my school will organize a workpermit, visa and somewhere to stay for you.......... free/ gratis/ no charge.

[ginqueen30]

ultimately u can PM me or not,,,,be scammed or not,,,,do something or not,,,all i am doing is giving you the info i know, but i don't know it all, and would never claim too.

you really must take a moment to consider what you really want to do, and how you want to do it,,,money spent, or not spent,,,,,,what in the end you want out of it!!!!

"" whatever"" to tell your friends ,,,or do you have the true desire in your heart,,,,,,as i can direct you into areas that will scare the whatever out of you, but they need the help nobody gives, because they are scared,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,really consider if you want to be a "" DO GOODER"" or do something of value??? frankly the elephants don't need your money as there are many ""DO GOODERS"" before you,,,,,,,what do you REALLY want to do ???????????????????????????????????????????????? There is no right or wrong answer as whatever you do will be far more than anybody really does,,,,,,,,but seriously sit and think,,,what your true objective is,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,feel good or do good,,,,,,,,??????

sorry if i sound harsh,,but so many before you are misguided in there own minds""

There are many organisations,,,,,but just take a moment,,,,pay money equals feel good,,,,,,,,give time equals did good !!!!!!!!!

If you have the money and time take your TEFAL and come teach kids english,,,for free!!!

rant over

For now!!!! hehe

Jonathan

[jazzbo]

From Post #1: I am due to leave for thailand next march for just under a year . I am hoping to spend four to five months volunteering , or even six ... Not exactly a TEFL situation ...???