Volunteer in Thailand - Change the World By Volunteering in Thailand …. And Enjoy the Adventure of a Lifetime

Are you interested in joining a volunteer in Thailand project? Would you like to experience a different culture from the inside out? Do you want to make a lasting difference to the world? If so then one of RCDP’s cheap, safe and well designed volunteer Thailand opportunities will be perfect for you.

Thailand is known as the land of smiles, and visitors appreciate the genuine warm greetings from locals who really love to share their magnificent country with guests.

Visitors can also enjoy the contrast of a cooler, mountainous north, and the warmer climes of beach resorts to the south, all steeped in thousands of years of history, but for the Thai people struggling with poverty life is not so rosy.

Although conditions have improved in recent years there are still many children and adults who have little opportunity to learn, work, or change their lives for the better.

Why not enroll in a program today? Or get in touch with us to learn more about volunteer opportunities in Thailand.

You could be on your way to the trip of a lifetime; combining travel and service work in a way which transforms the lives of some very deserving people.

What kind of volunteer opportunities are available in Thailand?

We appreciate that while every potential volunteer has different interests, strengths, skills and experiences everyone interested in our volunteer programs in Thailand shares a common desire – to do something useful which contributes to lasting change in the world. RCDP offer a range of programs to help the needy, including teaching, orphanage support and conservation focused projects. They are all life changing for everyone involved.

Work In an Orphanage In Thailand

Far from the bustling capital of Bangkok and the touristy beach resorts you can find Surin, one of the most economically deprived areas of Thailand.

A popular stop off point for tourists heading to the islands, few visitors see beyond the main street cafes and stores vying for the dollar trade, and glimpse the struggles beyond. In rural areas like this, where many people work the land, salaries are chronically low and parents with young children must both have job to make ends meet.

RCDP support childcare projects in northeast Thailand orphanages which provide a safe and nurturing space for children to learn and play, while their mothers and fathers toil to provide for them. Without volunteer orphanage Thailand projects it would be a challenge to keep these vital centers open, so your help is really appreciated.

Volunteers can expect to help with things such as providing childcare, offering guidance on personal care and hygiene and even constructing, decorating, or maintaining facilities.

Skills/Qualifications NeededThere are only a few essential requirements for anyone wanting to apply for a place on this exciting and worthwhile Thailand orphanage volunteer program. Basically you need to be a kind, caring, patient and flexible person with a genuine interest in promoting child development.

Volunteer Responsibilities: We believe childcare involves meeting all of a child’s needs; so alongside providing food and shelter we give equal weight to stimulating and fulfilling their intellectual, educational and practical needs too. As a Thailand orphanage volunteer you may well be asked to paint, clean and fix things, as well as organize activities and classes for the children. [Tasks vary widely between locations.] In most cases volunteers work 7 hour days from Monday to Thursday, which leaves plenty of time for exploring during your down time.

Teaching English Project (Surin)

Our volunteer teaching English in Thailand program is extremely rewarding, as eager students soak up the language that will help them build a better future by finding work in the tourism industry.

Placements in Surin, a small, rural town in north-east Thailand, may be in an orphanage, or school, and include teaching children with special needs. No special qualifications are needed to volunteer to teach English in Thailand, but it is a great way to get hands-on experience if you are looking for that.

Thai schools close for vacation for a month in the spring and early fall, so the projects are closed during those times..

Skills/Qualifications Needed: Although previous experience of some form of teaching would be helpful it is not essential. However, applicants for this volunteer teaching in Thailand program must be fluent in all aspects of English, like being around children, and have a lot of patience.

Volunteer Responsibilities: On this program you can expect to work for around six and a half hours a day, finishing at 3.30 in the afternoon, from Monday to Thursday. This leaves plenty of time for you to sightsee, explore or simply relax.

Nursing and Medical Project (Surin)

Joining our Thailand medical volunteer, which operate from various places including small hospitals, clinics and local care centers, is a valuable way to help deliver essential health and medical services to the rural poor. From mainstream medical and dental treatments, to additional options such as physiotherapy, this may be the only opportunity some people have to get help.

General Medical

Living in the countryside makes it harder for Thai people to access medical services, so trained medical personnel in all fields of medicine are invited to join our medical volunteer program in Thailand. We run independent outreach projects, place volunteers in clinics to assist local staff, and run an education/health promotion outreach service, so there are plenty of opportunities to choose between.

Student Nursing

Student nurses are needed to intern or volunteer in drop-in clinics. As a nurse volunteer in Thailand your role is primarily to help local staff deliver nursing care, which means you get lots of practical experience.

Schedule

Thailand medical volunteering programs run for four days of the week, so there’s plenty of time to take a short trip and explore the country, or just chill and enjoy your surroundings. On a work day local RCDP staff collect you around 8am and take you to the project, then get you home again sometime around 3 or 4 in the afternoon. During the day they are on hand to help with interpreting, so your experience should always be low stress and well supported.

Skills/Qualifications Needed: Medical volunteer Thailand programs do have some strict guidelines for eligibility, so all applicants must be able to show evidence of a qualification relevant to the field they want to work in. Student ID is acceptable, so long as volunteers have already finished their first year of study.

Elephant Conservation Project (Surin)

Elephants are Thailand’s treasure, and there are more than average living around Surin. Many were once working animals which became too expensive to feed once their working life was over. Uncaring buyers then exploited them as tourist attractions, causing these majestic gentle giants a lot of distress.

RCDP have overcome this problem by creating a Thailand elephant volunteer program which helps a local village out with the work and cost of caring for their older elephants, which in return can enjoy a peaceful retirement.

Skills/Qualifications Needed If you have a passion for elephants, are okay with getting dirty, have a flexible attitude and lots of patience then you are qualified, and very welcome, to join our elephant volunteer Thailand program.

Volunteer Responsibilities: This is an extremely hands-on program which involves spending lots of time close to the elephants – feeding, bathing and riding them, and three nights every week living in the village as a guest of the village elder. This immersive experience offers our Thailand elephant conservation volunteers a one in a lifetime opportunity to experience authentic Thai village life, and to live and work as part of the elder’s family.

Thai culture has several key rules everyone should follow, and the important customs you need t know about will be explained in detail in your pre-departure literature.

Summer Volunteer and Adventure Program in Thailand (2 Weeks)

Imagine spending two weeks in a place featuring beaches, mountains, green fields and modern cities, where foodies find paradise and historical icons bring the past to life without threatening the new and the modern.

The heady mix of calm and noise, spirituality and hedonism is perhaps exactly what makes Thailand a pretty much essential stop on the gap year backpacking trail. By choosing to join our summer volunteer program in Thailand you can step into this magical world, and experience a country the way far more meaningful than the average tourist.

Arrival in Bangkok (1 night)

Having decided to volunteer in Thailand for the summer your adventure begins in the ancient city of Bangkok, where you will be met at the airport by a local staff member and taken to your hostel right in the center of the backpacking capital of the world – the Khoa San Road in the heart of Bangkok.

Transfer to project location for volunteer project (7 days)

For the next week you work on the project you chose; either in construction – helping to build a new orphanage, or at an elephant rescue center- helping their handlers wash, feed and generally care for their charges.

Relax and Explore the Regional Beaches (6 days)

After a week spent working the next stage of your volunteer Thailand summer program kicks in – it’s time to hit the beaches of Kho Pa Ngan. This lively party island has plenty of quiet spots for sunbathing and relaxing, plus lots to see and do if you like to explore. After five nights of fun it’s time to head back to Bangkok.

Travel back to Bangkok for Farewell (1 night)

After just two weeks of volunteering and relaxing together you will have made lots of great friends, and now it’s time to say goodbye to both the others on the project and the local staff. Enjoy this final chance to share stories and make a few more memories before heading home.

Please note that this is a sample itinerary, as activities and programs are designed to suit the needs of each volunteer group. A definitive outline will be provided when you attend orientation.

The Fee and Dates

Starting Dates

Ayuthaya: Every 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month.
Surin and Sangklaburi: Please click here

Every year hundreds of volunteers arrive in Thailand to volunteer from UK and USA based organizations and end up paying up to $2500 to volunteer for 2 weeks. Unfortunately, only a small portion of that money actually goes to host projects and host families. In our program, you will pay your fee directly to host families and projects up on arrival in Thailand. When you enroll our volunteer program we make sure that all of your money goes to the projects and host families. Part of your fees also helps us to cover our expenses. The program fee is divided in as registration fee ($269) and weekly fee (for room, food, coordination, and project donation).
Click to find the allocation of $269

You will pay your weekly fee directly to the host families and projects. The weekly fee is divided between room/3 local foods (no food included in Surin and Sangklaburi projects) a day (90%) and project donation/support of local project staffs (10%). This allocation may be different depending up on location, proje-ct type etc. However, our coordinator will explain these issues before you pay the fee.