Volunteer In Thailand

Volunteer in Thailand and get involved in our Community projects.  Known as 'the land of smiles', Thailand draws in more visitors than any other country in South-East Asia, it has a breathtaking combination of natural beauty, fascinating history, inspiring temples, mouth watering cuisine and the all famed hospitable people.  Add Thailand to your GAP year or career break and become part of something special! 

Volunteering in Thailand

From the dazzling palm fringed beaches, the jade green mountains of the North, to the infamous hill tribes and the tranquility of the river Kwai, Thailand has something to offer everyone.

The location of our volunteer projects in Thailand is the northern region of the country in the Chiang Mai province. Here, in rural Thailand, is the home of various hill tribes: Akha, Lahu and Karen, who are some of the poorest communities in Thailand, constantly in danger of the sex trade, physical abuse and in desperate need of education. Many of these communities have crossed the border from Burma due to persecution from the government, others are born in Thailand but still have gained no citizenship; they therefore have little or no rights to education, healthcare and clean water.

Join us on your GAP year in Thailand and get involved in our Volunteer projects helping to make a difference in a rural hill-tribe community.  Check out some photos below from past Volunteer projects in Thailand and see what other travellers got up to......

So why volunteer in Thailand with Madventurer?  To date, Madventurer volunteer and crew have been involved in the building of a bridge to facilitate the access of communities to local schools; the building of local style pit latrines in schools, the installation of a water tank in the local school, and building a hall for the community, plus lots of other side projects.  You can help with the building project, and get involved in teaching as well.

Volunteer Community teaching and Building Projects in Thailand

GAP year in Thailand - Our volunteer projects in this region are undertaken in partnership with a local NGO who seeks to empower communities and promote social change through mutual co-operation, self education and an active community. All projects undertaken are identified by the community, who play an active role in their realisation. You would be getting involved in a variety of building projects, as well as being able to try your hand at teaching in the local primary school.

Madventurer Hill-Tribe Volunteer Projects

Our recent volunteer projects in Thailand have been in amongst others, the village of Baan Nam Rin located around 75km North-East from Chiang Rai.  The villagers are from the Lahu tribes coming from China, Burma, Vietnam and Lao about 100 years ago and are on of the two biggest ethnics in Thailand.  The village has around 580 people with approx 85 families and was in desperate need for toilets, sewage drainage systems and water storage facilities.  The volunteers and Madventurer crew have been helping to build 4 toilets blocks with showers, and new water storage tanks as the old ones were leaky and filthy.

The Lahu grow rice and vegetables for subsistence. In every valley there are different crops according to the local climate, height and earth conditions. The crops are used by families and are also sold at markets etc.  Most Hill Tribe people live close to water not only for their plantations but also because they believe water has a special power. Within each house there is an ancestral altar and in each village there is a "village guardian spirit shrine" which is located above the village, in a roofed pavilion which women are forbidden to enter and no stranger should ever touch.  Our crew will point these shrines out during your project.  Please be respectful of these local traditions as they go back many years in Thai culture. 

A few of the villagers have recently set up a new little bamboo school project for additional teaching about organic farming (on a coffee farm) and other life skills for about 25 children on Sundays which volunteers have been getting involved in. The same villager is running a little chill out coffee shop in the village and has built a local style steam sauna for the massage students, which we are allowed to use in moderation. From the village there is great trekking in the mountains and jungle to a beautiful waterfall where you can swim.  They also have the massage courses, handicrafts, a silversmiths and a meditation retreat nearby. Then Chiang Mai with its big selection of leisure activities is only 1 and a half hours away for weekends if you would like to do some independent travel. 

Both Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai offer some great local eateries, markets, night bizaars and drinking spots. The 2 towns are 3 hours drive apart and within the area there are many temples and excursions such as elephant rides, waterfalls and lakes. Most volunteers like to leave the village at weekends to explore the local areas. The village has a local driver who you can pay to travel to the local towns.  Its best to do this in groups so just chat to crew if you would like to organise a weekend activity.

 Our volunteer projects in Thailand offer simple local style accommodation. Some projects offer the chance to live with local families, others will be simple dorm style accommodation with mattresses on the floor. Its usually girls in one room and boys in another.  Bucket showers will be your new washing facilities, along with local style long drop toilets.

Thailand Project Information

Ages: Min of 17 years and most volunteers are GAP year students and career breakers

Food: You will hopefully have the opportunity to try a lot of home cooked traditional Thai dishes, this can take a little time to get used to, especially as you will most probably be eating a lot of rice. Ingredients such as chilli,  coconut milk, ginger,  tamarind and lemongrass are often used to flavour dishes. Locally sourced vegetables are often served as well.

Accomodation: This can vary project to project depending on the villages resources and the number of volunteers. Usually volunteers will pair up and stay in a local host family or alternatively altogether in one of the neighbouring houses. Rooms are shared with mattresses on the floor. The majority of houses in the villages do not have running water and the electricity can be intermittent! You will take the sun's lead and learn early morning and early bedtimes!

Weekend Travel: The list of activities to do in the area are endless! Elephant trekking, white water rafting, mountain biking through its rolling hills, visit the cities of Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai where you can find backpackers, internet, bars, restaurants, night markets or take part in a Thai cookery class, or visit the very cool town of Pai in the middle of a gorgeous green valley with hot springs, rice fields and a lovely lazy river, visit one of the region's many buddhist temples. 

Weather: The area has a tropical climate, but is cooler and less humid than elsewhere in Thailand. Temperature's usually range between 25c and 30c. During the rainy season you may experience some tropical downpours but these usually don't last very long and occur in the late afternoon's.

Activities:  This is a combination of Teaching and Building and becoming a member of the local community. No experience is needed for the building or the teaching.

Location: All our projects are situated in the Hill Tribe Villages around Chiang Mai in the North of Thailand.

Highlights: The warmth and peacefulness of the community, learning about their traditional ways of life, huddling around a campfire with the villagers, laughing together at jokes that cross language barriers, Weekend travel.

Madventurer Contacts

If you have any questions on our Thailand community projects then just get in touch on 0845 121 1996, 01434 633137,  request a call back, or email team@madventurer.com