Sahai Nan Organic Farm is a local organic Permaculture farm which aims to offer a Permaculture education and demonstration centre for all people from around the world. Here, we do natural building, organic planting, food forest, water and soil conservation, green renewable energy, and much more. We offer building and Permaculture courses from time to time; you can volunteer on some hands-on project and have fun. You will also have chance to play with bamboo, natural swimming pool, and experience local food in our farm.
Location: Thung Chang, Nan, Thailand
Volunteer Work: We appreciate if volunteers can help in planting, watering the garden, harvesting food, cooking, collecting fire wood, construction (furniture or building) or any type of farm work. The tasks are dependent on the need of the farm and season. We do not make any of these jobs compulsory to volunteers because we want them to choose what they prefer to do and enjoy farm life. Volunteers can propose any project to us, and we will carry out the project together if it is suitable.
Commitment: 5 days minimum. When we have 10-30 days of courses in our farm, we might not have enough accommodation for all volunteers.
Cost: 200 Thai Baht per day which includes accommodation and food.
Kwah Dao (formerly known as the Burmese Refugee Project) is a 501(c)3 organization seeking to build participatory models for education and community development in northern Thailand. We hope to empower disenfranchised stateless Shan Burmese communities with the skills, knowledge and education necessary to improve their quality of life, increase their future opportunities and protect their often-abused fundamental human rights.
Location: Pai, Changwat Mae Hong Son, Thailand
Volunteer Work: One of Kwah Dao’s core programs is our After-School English and Arts Program. Our volunteer program is a great opportunity for young people seeking teaching experience or experienced educators looking to volunteer abroad. Volunteers typically teach five days a week – three weekdays between 4pm and 6.30pm and both Saturday and Sunday for full days. The weekday sessions are focused on English, whereas the weekends incorporate both English and a range of arts, crafts and other extracurricular activities. While teaching experience is a definite plus, the most important qualities we look for in volunteers are enthusiasm, passion and dedication. If there are additional projects volunteers wish to work on or skills they want to develop (in management, non-profit administration, etc.), we do our best to accommodate and make it possible.
Commitment: 3 months minimum
Cost: There is no cost to participate but volunteers must cover their own living expenses. We provide free housing for our volunteers who are able to commit to 6 months or more.
Thoo Mweh Khee Migrant Learning Centre (TMK) is situated in Tak Province on the Thai-Myanmar border. The school is 30km from Mae Sot, a local border town. This school provides education to over 600 students, nursery to post-high school, who come from Myanmar. There are around 350 students living on site in dormitories. The ethnicity of the students is Karen. In the past Karen were oppressed by the Burmese military, forcing them to flee their homeland and come to Thailand as migrants, refugees or displaced people. This school has a high reputation for teaching through the English and Thai languages, with students coming from various parts of Myanmar to gain access to a high level of education.
Location: Phop Phra, Tak
Volunteer Work: There are a variety of teaching opportunities available, from English in the primary and high school to science, social science, community development, teaching training, and computer science in the upper division. In addition to teaching in the school, there are numerous extracurricular activities that could use additional support including music instrument training (piano, guitar, violin), dance (hip hop and ballet), sports (football, volleyball, and caneball), crafts (weaving and sewing), and agriculture (dormitory garden and livestock raising). We encourage volunteers to establish new programs as our students are eager to learn new skills. We are looking for committed, experienced, and energetic individuals who can share their passion with our students. There is no requirement for teaching English, although some teaching experience or formal training is preferred. A bachelor’s degree is required for those wishing to teach in the upper division, although special exceptions may be allowed.
Commitment: 3 month minimum, although shorter terms will be considered for certified teachers
Cost: TMK provides free on-site accommodation and special meals are prepared by students on request. If meals are provided, a donation is appreciated, but not required. The accommodation includes a kitchen and there is an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables available from our school garden and the daily market in town. A volunteer can live comfortably on around 5,000 Thai Baht a month, although it could be more or less depending on personal habits and preferences.
Mabprachan Animal Shelter is a private shelter that is currently home to 350 rescued dogs and 35 cats and the owners of the shelter, Mali and Derek Doyle, care for the animals 7 days a week, 24 hrs a day.
Location: Tha Mai near Chantabhuri, Thailand (about 250kms south of Bangkok towards TRAT)
Volunteer Work: General volunteer assistance. Volunteers help care for the dogs and cats and must be capable of handling hot and humid conditions.
Commitment: 4 weeks minimum
Cost: Volunteers receive basic accommodation and food at the shelter and are asked to contribute 1000 Thia Baht per week.
Santisook Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation operates one dog shelter, home to 340, and one cat shelter, home to 150. A brand new third site is opening by July and this will house approximately 160 sanctuary dogs, 25 special needs dogs, and all puppies going out for adoption. This new facility will also be home to the new Santisook Rescue Clinic. In addition to the shelters, we assist in the care of dogs and cats living at local temples, operate field sterilization projects for feral and free roaming dogs and cats, and frequently rescue sick and injured animals off of the streets.
Location: Chiang Mai, Thailand
Volunteer Work: We are excepting volunteer applications from veterinarians, vet nurses/techs, experienced shelter volunteers, vet students, and those who may not have experience, but are committed to working hard and learning to skills. We ask for a minimum commitment of one week, two being even better, but occasionally have short term 3 or 4 day stays as well. Veterinarians, we may be able to offer one vet at a time free housing and simple meals, please contact us with availability. Experienced nurses and techs, depending on availability, we may be able to offer free housing and simple meals to those who commit to a one month stay.
Please contact us for availability.
Commitment: From 1 week to 3 months
Cost: There is no fee to volunteer, onsite home stay is available for 350-400 baht per night.
Phayalaw Wittayakhom is a public school catering to students between the ages of 12 to 18. The school strives to give its students the best possible education, teaching them a variety of subjects such as English and Art
Location: Chun district, Phayao Province
Volunteer Work: Currently the easiest way of contributing to Phayalaw Wittayakhom School is by applying to be a volunteer teacher at the school. This is what all our volunteers currently do as their main purpose of stay. Outside of teaching there are a number of activities that volunteers may join in if they would like to contribute more. Volunteers will be assigned class schedules of between 1 – 5 periods per day from Monday to Friday. Volunteers will teach with a qualified English teacher and have the opportunity to either follow class plans from the text book, or make their own lesson plans. Many students are very willing to participate in activities outside of class. This could be either sport related activities or arts and crafts. Volunteers have the opportunity to suggest new activities and clubs and lead them. Certain activities may need prior acknowledgement by a teacher in charge, however all new ideas and suggestions are welcome.
Commitment: 1 month minimum
Cost: Admin fee: US$50-100. Our admin fee is optional for all volunteers. We are attempting to make our small organization more sustainable by rewarding those that do the tedious work (e.g. replying to 10 emails a day and answering all questions in a timely manner). Therefore, volunteers who pay this fee will know they are supporting us in expanding our organization and offering the same experience to others. Weekly fees of US$35 are requested in order to cover accommodation and food for volunteers.
Baan Unrak Children’s Village is dedicated to providing shelter and opportunity to marginalized and displaced children and single mothers in Sangkhlaburi, Thailand. We also aim to reduce the immediate suffering and achieve lasting improvements in the local community through our food, medical, educational and sustainable livelihoods relief projects.
Location: Sangkhlaburi, Kanchanaburi Province
Volunteer Work: Every volunteer brings a unique set of skills, experiences and expectations to Baan Unrak. We will try to utilize these skills to meet the needs of the home. It is helpful for volunteers to remain flexible, as some roles will need to be filled more urgently than others and assignments will depend on a variety of factors including the presence of other volunteers and the best distribution of available skill sets. At some points you may feel overloaded and others underutilized. You will be expected to ask for help when overloaded and find more duties for yourself when underutilized. You are expected to be independent, and to be able to work unsupervised. Some examples of what volunteers do: teaching English to housemothers, home schooled kids and other staff; teaching basic Computer P.C. skills to staff; organize weekend games/activities with the children; relief work with the teenagers; driving the school bus and assisting with weekend field trips; supervising children and managing our library; conducting tours for guests/visitors; fundraising; website maintenance; office/administrative tasks as required; maintenance; painting and decorating; agriculture/gardening. Volunteers can also teach English at the local government High School (part time or full time) through a new partnership with Baan Unrak.
Commitment: 1 week minimum, 6 months or more preferred
Cost: Food and accommodation are provided free of charge to full-time volunteers who stay for 6 months or longer. Volunteers who stay for shorter periods are charged US$150 per week, with a maximum of US$900 as a donation to help cover the expenses of the project.
Foundation for Education and Development (FED) works to promote and improve the recognition of the rights of Burmese Migrant workers and their families living and working in Thailand. FED operates 4 main programs: Migrant Children Education, Health, Human Rights, and Women Empowerment. Each program works to meet the needs of the migrant community at the grassroots level.
Location: Khao Lak in Phang Nga Province and Mae Sot District in Tak Province
Volunteer Work: FED is looking for volunteers with a wide range of skills and experience including: Healthcare, Education, Human Rights, Women Empowerment, grant writing, project planning, training facilitation, and IT expertise. Volunteers will have the opportunity work alongside our Burmese and Thai staff; learning about the migrant situation as well as experiencing the local cultures.
Commitment: 1 month minimum
Cost: There is no cost to participate but volunteers must cover their own living expenses.
Lanna Dog Welfare is a non-profit volunteer organisation that aims to promote the understanding of animal welfare in Chiang Mai, in order to improve the quality of life for both owned and stray cats and dogs within our city. Lanna Dog Welfare does not rescue animals, nor run a shelter. We operate a capture, neuter and release policy, returning strays to their normal environment.
Location: Chiang Mai
Volunteer Work: Volunteers are welcome to attend field sterilisations. Dog lovers with any background are welcome.
Commitment: Flexible
Cost: There is no cost to participate but volunteers must cover their own living expenses. We provide food during work hours.
Development and Education Programme for Daughters and Communities (DEPDC) in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (DEPDC/GMS) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization headquartered in Mae Sai District, Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. The organization works to prevent young girls and boys from being trafficked into exploitative working conditions such as commercial sex work and forced labour. DEPDC/GMS does this by providing education, protection, community outreach, and youth leadership development to at-risk individuals.
Location: Chiang Rai Province, Thailand
Volunteer Work: Since its inception in 1989, DEPDC/GMS have welcomed volunteers from all over the world. Volunteers are essential to the organization as they share their experiences, expertise, skills and culture to help run the projects and contribute to the organization’s growth. Here is a list of the most common areas in which volunteers participate: teach English to various levels, in various formats; produce DEPDC/GMS quarterly newsletter; coordinate visitors and giving presentations; write grant proposals and reports; write blog posts and other forms of social media; attend events and meetings; assist in other areas based on skill set. Please note that DEPDC/GMS requires a volunteer commitment of at least 6 months in addition to a 30 to 40-hour Thai language course prior to arrival if applicants do not already speak basic Thai. DEPDC/GMS also offer volunteer opportunities in Chiang Khong and Mae Chan districts.
Commitment: 6 months minimum (plus 1 month if Thai lessons are necessary beforehand)
Cost: There is no cost to participate, but volunteers must cover their own travel, visa(s), and living expenses.
The Fellowship Foundation for Child and Youth Development (FCYD) is an officially registered organization with a mission to assist children in difficult circumstances, child protection, promotion of child’s right and right to education (RTE), English teachers for underserved Thai schools and inclusive development for under-privileged children. We are working with all relevant stakeholders including local authorities, private and non-governmental organizations and community-based groups to ensure mutual collaboration for the benefit of child development.
Location: Nong Khai (bordering Laos) and neighbouring provinces in the upper north-east of Thailand
Volunteer Work: As a team member of child and youth development, the volunteer(s) will be responsible for a study of ‘child and youth situation in the upper north-east of Thailand’. This is quite challenge for volunteers to do the study in collaboration with local authorities and educational institutes. Report and findings of the study will be used as evidence and presented to relevant local government authorities, in order to seek for appropriate measures and strategy. Other assignments are all about field work, home visits, and child activities with the team. Except for the position of English teacher, it is optional to be intensively trained and taught how to be a teacher for a Thai school and to teach English to Thai students in different classes from primary to secondary education, and other aspects on how to stay and live in school and community. This is good opportunity for volunteers to acquire work experience and to find good teaching job in Thailand.
Commitment: 2-3 months for general volunteers, 1 year minimum for English teachers.
Cost: General volunteers will be provided accommodation and a food allowance for 3 meals a day. If the period of stay is longer than a tourist visa (3 months), we will provide the visa extension. English teachers receive a monthly allowance in a range of 15,000 Thai Baht (expense for accommodation is about 2-3,000-Thai Baht per month). We will provide work permit and a year-long visa extension as required by the regulations of Thai government.
Phuket Has Been Good To Us Foundation works to improve the economic and life opportunities of young people, by funding and implementing high quality, practical English language education in government schools on Phuket Island.
Location: Phuket
Volunteer Work: The volunteers who work with our foundation provide a wide variety of assistance for our organization. They come from all walks of life, bringing an incredible amount of experience and heart to our program. Long-term, full-time volunteers (called ‘Fellows’) work in either the administrative office or in one of the schools with the teaching staff. Office Fellows assist with operations, special events and fundraising, volunteer coordination, and general administrative tasks. Teaching Fellows support the education curriculum by assisting in teaching, working in the afterschool and weekend programme, and occasionally assisting with special events. Short-term or occasional volunteers spend time in our afterschool programme, provide one-on-one tutoring, assist in the classroom and reading groups, or provide office support.
Commitment: 3-6 months for long-term volunteers
Cost: There is no programme fee. Fellows are provided with accommodation, local transport, visa and work permit. Other volunteers are responsible for their own living costs.
Child’s Dream is a charitable, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to empowering marginalised children and youth in the Mekong Sub-Region, which includes Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia. We achieve this by working in partnership with communities to improve the educational and health situation for their children and youth.
Location: Chiang Mai, Siem Reap and Yangon
Volunteer Work: Child’s Dream is looking for volunteers who would like to work in our Chiang Mai or Siem Reap offices (six month minimum stay) or on site in a project supported by us (length of stay varies). Please visit our website for a list of current volunteer openings and permanent staff openings (paid positions).
Commitment: 6 months minimum
Cost: There is no cost to participate but volunteers must cover their own living expenses.
PhaNgan Animal Care for Strays is primarily a nursing clinic, providing nursing care for the island’s stray, temple and unwanted animals. We have a dedicated neutering and vaccination programme, aided by volunteer vets, which has made an enormous difference to population control on the island, as well as the health of the individual animals. Until the founding of PAC in September 2001, there was no veterinary care or advice on the island, no vaccination, and no population control measures except for yearly poisoning by dart or bait. Baiting usually targets the well-fed animals as they can keep the weaker strays away, resulting in a great many yearly tragedies with pets. Our mission is to create a healthy, non-breeding stray animal population but we need the help of volunteers.
Location: Koh Phangan
Volunteer Work: Volunteers will be asked to assist with clinic duties including; treatment of the animals (training will be provided), catching dogs and cats, feeding, cleaning out kennels, laundry, bathing, dog walking and anything else that the clinic needs to stay functioning on a day to day basis.
Commitment: Volunteer vets can come for any amount of time and will be helping mainly with our sterilisation program. We ask for fully competent surgeons as you will be most likely the only vet at PACS, therefore, 2-3 years surgical experience is a must. Veterinary nurses are asked to dedicate a minimum of 1 month of their time. All non-medical volunteers will also be asked to commit to a minimum of 1 month (for training) and work 3 days minimum per week.
Cost: Accommodation will be provided on a first come, first serve basis for a cost of just 2500 Thai Baht per month. For veterinary nurses who work full time (5 days per week) this is offered for free. If the accommodation is full, or you wish to live offsite, PACS can recommend some places to stay to suit all budgets. Volunteers are responsible for covering their living expenses, however, drinking water, rice, tea and coffee are provided for all volunteers whilst working. The centre’s motorbikes can be used for all PACS work but volunteers will need to hire their own bike out of work hours.
Asia Centre Foundation (ACF) is a registered Christian, charitable NGO, focused on providing disadvantaged and at-risk Thai and Burmese children with education, sport, life skill and health care opportunities and support.
Location: Phuket
Volunteer Work: ACF is looking for volunteers to teach English, dance, drama, art, computer or sports activities. Volunteers may also be placed at the ACF head office to use their skills and experience to benefit the management, marketing and general requirements of ACF.
Commitment: 3 months minimum
Cost: There is no cost to participate but volunteers must cover their own living expenses. ACF does provide a standard Thai lunch for volunteers.