Volunteering in Thailand

[jackflash]

I would be interested to hear of any volunteering opportunities, good stories and bad.

I'm retired and usually spend six months each year traveling in Thailand, but to be honest I'm a bit bored and am vaguely thinking of stretching my wings a bit.

I can tackle most any task as a handyman, but my real skills lie with electronics and computers.

Any ideas?

[FritsSikkink]

To work you need a work permit even if you don't get any money. That will be problem.

[jacksam]

Didn't know you needed a work permit. Wanted to do exactly same thing as the OP. Crazy world in Thailand. Friend built orphanage in Chiang rai and by sounds of previous post I could not even go up there and donate my time. <deleted>

[NomadJoe]

You can do the occasional volunteering and not need a work permit, but anything that is regular you need one legally, but many people don't bother if it's temporary.

I have not heard of any volunteering I Thailand which would allow you to apply your skills specifically. You may want to check with these people.

http://www.goabroad.com/volunteer-abroad

http://www.gooverseas.com/volunteer-abroad

http://www.projects-abroad.org/

[craigt3365]

You can do the occasional volunteering and not need a work permit, but anything that is regular you need one legally, but many people don't bother if it's temporary.

I have not heard of any volunteering I Thailand which would allow you to apply your skills specifically. You may want to check with these people.

http://www.goabroad.com/volunteer-abroad

http://www.gooverseas.com/volunteer-abroad

http://www.projects-abroad.org/

I'd be careful with any kind of volunteer work. It is technically illegal. If somebody get's upset, easy to call the police and you're in trouble. And sometimes they split the take with the police.

Maybe check with a local orphanage and see what they say??

I've got a friend who volunteers in the Philippines every year for 2-3 months. If you are interested, I could put you in touch with him. He's there right now doing some volunteer work.

[Beetlejuice]

You need a work permit full stop, even for most voluntary wok.

Although this may seem a bit harsh, these rules are often placed for the protection of those working and for those they are offering their services to.

For example, the authorities cannot just let anyone who is not registered with any authority loose in an orphanage or working with children, for obvious reasons, and also includes any technical workers, electricians, engineers and so on.

My advice is, those who would consider and are serious about doing voluntary work in Thailand for the long term, should register with some established charity that will assist in the applications of work permits.

[bgrassboy]

I too crave the volunteer experience, but alas it is not readily available in Thailand, nor legal. I have done 10 day stints in Cambodia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. They are grateful for your help and skills.

[HeijoshinCool]

I'm pretty sure you can hand out flyers on a university campus.

We're now making plans to do this late this month or early April, for drives to help Tia Pugh find a suitable bone marrow donor.

PM me if you're interested.

Please Help Tia.pdf

[pomchop]

Why don't you just go to a local public high school and ask if it would be ok for you to VISIT THE KIDS a day or two a

week....have lunch with them in the cafeteria and talk with them in English? Exposure to English with a falang is

exactly what a bunch of the kids need...someone to practice speaking and listening with. You might be surprised at how

quickly the kids will get used to you and some of the braver ones will use the opportunity to try and actually have a

conversation. Of course you have to have an outgoing personality and even a few magic tricks etc would quickly assemble a big crowd of kids around you to see what the falang is doing/saying. As far as I know "visiting" a school does not

require a work permit

[tim armstrong]

Try some of the charities working in the Thai Burma consortium they deal with the large numbers of refugees along the border with Thailand north from Mae Sot. best to go there and ask. The largest network in Thailand are the Catholic Church groups often run by CARITAS or within education by the Jesuit community. I would say education is the your best choice. Go to your nearest local primary school - they always want help, and often have ways of keeping the authorities happy. Also go into Cabbages and Condoms restaurants in Bangkok or Pattaya and ask them for advice. Its a great organisation with an interest in HIV, Family Planning, and schools. Also a very charismatic founder - you can find him on TED talks.

[rhythmworx]

Maybe join the red cross I looked into it after the Japan tsunami but unfortunately you can't can choose assignments you get sent where you get sent. Maybe you could join and when they say you are going to Nigeria just unjoin and go on holiday somewhere.

[Mario2008]

Any volunteering requires a work permit and you will only get a work permit if you are on a non-immigrant visa and work for a registered charity.

There are many organisations that offer volunteer work for a fee, I would ignore them. Most are not even interested in helping you with a work permit.

The police will not hunt you down for volunteering without a work permit. It still is illegal and can have consequences, for instance when an accident happens while you are volunteering.

I would look for an organisation in the area of Thailand that you like, also consider the age group you like to work with.

There are for examples schools that might be interested in you, but there is also adult education if you prefer to work with a more older group instead of teenagers.

[JLCrab]

Taking into consideration the above post, with whatever NGO or other organization on whatever basis with whom you might ask questions regarding your potential volunteering, if their answer is "We don't know -- you would be our first", politely decline and try elsewhere.

[jacksam]

Yep reading all the above posts makes it all to hard for me to bother. Sad as having a medical background and police checks in place from Australia for visa purposes and working with children, bit sad I couldn't do somethong . I'm not the OP,just happen to be in same boat

[NomadJoe]

You can do the occasional volunteering and not need a work permit, but anything that is regular you need one legally, but many people don't bother if it's temporary.

I have not heard of any volunteering I Thailand which would allow you to apply your skills specifically. You may want to check with these people.

http://www.goabroad.com/volunteer-abroad

http://www.gooverseas.com/volunteer-abroad

http://www.projects-abroad.org/

I'd be careful with any kind of volunteer work. It is technically illegal. .

Untrue. Not all volunteer work requires a WP. Regular volunteering does. There as an article that clarified it with officials recently but I can't find it now.

For example, when the US Navy visits and spends a day or two fixing up and painting schools, building playgrounds, fixing the electrical systems of schools etc, they do not need a work permit. The rotary club does this as well. Many local expats participate in this. ( This might be a good one for the OP based on his skills) They do not need a WP to do so. The US Navy League also does a big Independence Day celebration each year utilizing many expat volunteers. The yearly Laguna marathon uses a lot of foreign volunteers. they do not need a WP. When conservation groups do beach or reef clean-ups, or when the Phuket Marine Biological Center does shark and shrimp releases they call on local divers for help, volunteers do not need a WP for that either. Hell, I even have an ID card from the Highway Police which says "Volunteer" on it. It was issued to me after I spent 2 days at a civilian traffic law, accident management seminar put on by the Highway Police during bike week a few years ago. It is handy when I am helping out at accident scenes or other emergencies, or if I am a witness to a crime. I do not need a work permit for that work either.

The odd helping out here and there does not require a WP, at least according the recent officials comments which I will post if I can find it. This is why no one has ever been bothered by immigration while volunteering in this manner.

[NancyL]

Well, NomadJoe, technically yes, foreigners doing all the volunteer activities you described do need work permits. There is a provision for a temporary work permit -- I believe it's good for 14 days (maybe 15). I've engaged in activities similar to what you described in Chiang Mai province with groups similar to the ones you've described and we've applied for (and received) a temporary work permit from the provincial Labor Dept for these "one-off" projects. It's possible that the groups you described had done the same thing.

[Mario2008]

You can do the occasional volunteering and not need a work permit, but anything that is regular you need one legally, but many people don't bother if it's temporary.

I have not heard of any volunteering I Thailand which would allow you to apply your skills specifically. You may want to check with these people.

http://www.goabroad.com/volunteer-abroad

http://www.gooverseas.com/volunteer-abroad

http://www.projects-abroad.org/

I'd be careful with any kind of volunteer work. It is technically illegal. .

Untrue. Not all volunteer work requires a WP. Regular volunteering does. There as an article that clarified it with officials recently but I can't find it now.

For example, when the US Navy visits and spends a day or two fixing up and painting schools, building playgrounds, fixing the electrical systems of schools etc, they do not need a work permit. The rotary club does this as well. Many local expats participate in this. ( This might be a good one for the OP based on his skills) They do not need a WP to do so. The US Navy League also does a big Independence Day celebration each year utilizing many expat volunteers. The yearly Laguna marathon uses a lot of foreign volunteers. they do not need a WP. When conservation groups do beach or reef clean-ups, or when the Phuket Marine Biological Center does shark and shrimp releases they call on local divers for help, volunteers do not need a WP for that either. Hell, I even have an ID card from the Highway Police which says "Volunteer" on it. It was issued to me after I spent 2 days at a civilian traffic law, accident management seminar put on by the Highway Police during bike week a few years ago. It is handy when I am helping out at accident scenes or other emergencies, or if I am a witness to a crime. I do not need a work permit for that work either.

The odd helping out here and there does not require a WP, at least according the recent officials comments which I will post if I can find it. This is why no one has ever been bothered by immigration while volunteering in this manner.

The law is crystal clear: work, wehter for pay or not, needs a work permit.

Your volunter work also requires a work permit, unless there is a royal decree that stipulates that a volunteer for the police/government doesn't need one. I have never heard of such decree, but you can ask the police if they can point you to such royal decree.

[robertthebruce]

Yes, such a pity, i would like to do ''Volunteering'' as well, but the ''Work Permit'' issue is the biggest obstacle...

Hopefully one day all that will change, and it wil be easier ...

[craigt3365]

Let's also not forget, the police can, and will, do what they want. Especially if they feel they can extract money for their efforts.

[Banzai99]

Hey, my post disappeared, why ?

[Banzai99]

Let's also not forget, the police can, and will, do what they want. Especially if they feel they can extract money for their efforts.

I also agree with Craig, as well as Mario.

[craigt3365]

Hey, my post disappeared, why ?

It violated forum rules:

21) Not to discuss moderation publicly in the open forum; this includes individual actions, and specific or general policies and issues. You may send a PM to a moderator to discuss individual actions or email support (at) thaivisa.com to discuss moderation policy. Members should not block contact with moderators or administrators. Doing so will result in suspension.

[jackflash]

Thanks for the suggestions, a few good ones in there.

And yes, I am aware of the need to have a work permit (I wish that I had mentioned that in the original Post)..

I would apply in advance for a W.P., but I'm not sure how a Work Permit fits into a Retirement Visa (Non-Immigrant A-O)?

Does a retirement visa preclude a Work Permit for volunteering?

Edited March 3, 2014 by jackflash

[infinity11]

Hats off to all of you here for posting and especially for lending others a helping hand.

I volunteered in the states and it was well worth the experience.

Now a days i think about paying it forward and treating those around me well, still not always so easy.

To help those of less advantage or have less opportunities or resources is of a very high service.

Going about doing that in Thailand does not sound like such and easy or viable option, though and i hope, i could be wrong.

Keep it up folks i am rooting for you!

[craigt3365]

A post has been removed providing incorrect information. Nobody knows the laws here better than Mario. His post stands as the best source of information for the OP.

As has been mentioned, many do volunteer without problems. But some do run into troubles. It happens. Do what you want, just be aware of the potential consequences.

[NomadJoe]

Well, NomadJoe, technically yes, foreigners doing all the volunteer activities you described do need work permits. ...

Incorrect.

"Not applying the law beyond its intended scope is also what makes it legal for foreigners to assist in public cleanup campaigns and other community projects – as long as the volunteer work is not regular, she added."

-Yaowapa Pibulpol, chief of the Phuket Provincial Employment Office

http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Special-Report-Permission-to-function-in-Phuket-22548.html

[JLCrab]

And from the same article as linked above:

"Being a volunteer for an organization requires a work permit. This is because although you might not get money from the volunteer work, you might get food or a place to stay as a reward. So if you do not have a work permit, you are illegal,” Ms Yaowapa said

[infinity11]

I help the occasional cat or dog but mostly keep to myself and mind my own business.

I suppose something IS missing.

Thanks for the thread.

[craigt3365]

Joe: enough. Please. No more. Read this:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/26847-charity-workers-must-get-work-permits/

Tsunami volunteers warned: get work permits

PHUKET: Foreign volunteers assisting in tsunami-related charity work are required to hold work permits, regardless of whether they are being paid for their efforts or not.

Sayan Chuaiyjan, head of the Phuket Provincial Employment Service Office [ESO], told the Gazette yesterday that there could be no exceptions and that his office would begin to enforce the regulations soon – possibly in March.

[NomadJoe]

And from the same article as linked above:

"Being a volunteer for an organization requires a work permit. This is because although you might not get money from the volunteer work, you might get food or a place to stay as a reward. So if you do not have a work permit, you are illegal,” Ms Yaowapa said

Nothing we all didn't already know. I was addressing the statements by many that "any kind of volunteering requires a work permit" and NacyL's comment that "the types of volunteering I mentioned (beach clean-ups, helping organize a community event, etc) required a work permit, which is untrue.

I am truly astonished at the people on this board who claim to know more than immigration and labor officials.

Joe: enough. Please. No more. Read this:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/26847-charity-workers-must-get-work-permits/

Tsunami volunteers warned: get work permits

PHUKET: Foreign volunteers assisting in tsunami-related charity work are required to hold work permits, regardless of whether they are being paid for their efforts or not.

Sayan Chuaiyjan, head of the Phuket Provincial Employment Service Office [ESO], told the Gazette yesterday that there could be no exceptions and that his office would begin to enforce the regulations soon – possibly in March.

Well aware of that craig. The story is about people regularly working free for organisations (i.e. charity workers, says write in the headline), something we all completely understand is illegal but was allowed to continue for months after the tsunami before officials said enough is enough once things started to stabilize. That article explains it pretty well, and the logic makes perfect sense. It has nothing to do with volunteering for 1 or 2 day events as I described.