Hello, My girlfriend and I are final-year medical students who currently live in Chiang Mai, Thailand. . .We were wondering if anybody knows of any places in Koh Samui, Koh Phangan or Koh Tao where a hospital, clinic or non-profit organization would allow/need medical volunteers?

I think you should just search for all the hospitals here on Samui and call and ask them directly.

We have thought about doing that but sometimes the language barrier can be a bit difficult so we were hoping that maybe somebody on this website would have a direct contact.

Assuming you have work permits? (even needed to volunteer for anything, as far as I know!!!!)

Samui Rescue has a number of farang volunteers.... perhaps a place to start... ?

I think you need to be here, to do your searching... then check all the hospitals etc...

Every hospital here on Samui will have staff capable of communicating English man. That's what their main income is.

Besides, if you happen to call a place, and they're not able to communicate with you, then that place is definitely not for you.

SamuiJimmy, we are hoping to come down there at some point to look around. . . in your opinion is Koh Samui a good place to live, easily accessible? How is the airport?

Mole, are there any particular hospitals I should try first?

Thank you for all of your help.

You should just call them all first. Then if there are availability from many places, you can ask for advice about them here.

SamuiJimmy, we are hoping to come down there at some point to look around. . . in your opinion is Koh Samui a good place to live, easily accessible? How is the airport?

Mole, are there any particular hospitals I should try first?

Thank you for all of your help.

There are five hospitals on the Island.

Four of them are in Chaweng and are private.

Government hospital in Nathon is the only that will not try and make a profit on your volunteering.

http://www.samuihospital.go.th/web/en/

Only NGO here is Samui Rescue.

http://samuirescue.blogspot.sg/

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/507745-volunteering-for-samui-rescue/

there are Farangs employed in all of the 4 private hospitals since many years, who can speak english and german and other languages.

SamuiJimmy, we are hoping to come down there at some point to look around. . . in your opinion is Koh Samui a good place to live, easily accessible? How is the airport?

Mole, are there any particular hospitals I should try first?

Thank you for all of your help.

yes of course Samui is a good place to live.... that's why most of us live here!

The airport is fine, but BKK Air expensive... ferries good, many people fly to / from Surathannii or Nakon Si Tammerat.

... and Mole is correct about the Hospital staff do speak English, even the government hospital, although I don't ever remember seeing any "farangs" working there...

I will pm you with a contact, for info on Samui Rescue... I happened to run into a farang volunteer with SR today! He said they tend to turn a "blind eye" to volunteers not needing work permits ...

Definitely contact the hospitals directly. Google their web-sites and email in English. You should receive a reply.

Work permits. This always pops up when talking about NGO's or volunteer work.

Well - technically, everyone who does some work (director of a company, owner of land through a Thai company, NGO workers, etc etc should have a different work permit for every job that they do. A work permit is for a specific job in a specific place and should be kept at the place of work. Two jobs - requires two work permits etc etc

That is the letter of the law.

Many people work here without the correct documentation. eg owners of a private villa that rents the villa out. The director of the company that owns the villa should have a WP and the daughter or whatever that cleans the villa should have a WP. Most do not. That is reality.

On the volunteer side of the equation - there is the spirit of the law. (Most important in Thailand - more so than the letter of the law.)

There are many foreigners on the island in a number of situations that should technically have a WP - but do not. This is not a problem according to the mayor's office.

Any foreigner who is contributing time with no financial reward - towards helping the tourists and Thais to make Samui a better place - will not have a problem if they do not have a work permit.

The tourist police volunteers - no WP - no problem

Samui Rescue - no WP - no problem

Samui Volunteer Beach Rescue (if it happens) - no WP - no problem

School volunteers helping kids to read English - no WP - no problem

Mums and Dads helping kids at school sports days/swimming galas/football matches etc - no WP - no problem

I am sure that there are others, but these are the ones that I know about where the local immigration/labour office know that it goes on and are instructed to leave well alone.

It is all for the benefit of the local community.

The only volunteer group that I know of that are not included in this waiver - are the Dog Rescue volunteers. Presumably because the dogs do not fly Bandit Airways and do not contribute to the income on the island? I do not really know.

So - if you want to volunteer your services to a hospital/rescue group here - please do so. They are all very busy, and the life that you save may be one of my friends (or even my own). The WP will not be an issue.

I do wish you all good luck and hope that you enjoy your stay here.

Hospitals are

http://www.samuihospital.com/

http://www.thaiinterhospital.com/index.php

http://www.sih.co.th/

http://www.bandonhospitalsamui.com/

Just don't spend your volonteer spirit/time/knowledge on the private hospitals that are here only to rip off profit of the many accident victims on Samui. Please. Go for Nathon hospital or any of the rescue services.