International Student Volunteers in Thailand

  Thailand

• Chiang Mai: 
Chiang Mai
• All Other Areas in Thailand: 
Surat Thani,  Hat Yai,  Pattani,  Udon Thani
• Phuket: 
Phuket

Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks

Description: The Standard ISV Thailand Program is four weeks in length and consists of a two-week Volunteer Work Project and a two-week Adventure Tour within Thailand.

Participants traveling to Thailand may also choose a Customized ISV Program and select an additional Volunteer Work Project within Thailand, extending their Program to a total of six weeks.

Conservation volunteer work projects:
Each project is two weeks in length and is run in collaboration with well-established local non-government organizations. Each work project team will be supervised and directed by professional, English speaking staff from the host organization. The size of the work team will consist of 10-15 student volunteers, depending on the project.

No prior experience in environmental or community related fields of study is required in order to participate. Accommodations vary with projects, ranging from basic local style huts and dormitory style accommodations to home-stays with local families. Meals (3 per day) will be provided during the work project and will reflect the local cuisine.

Projects:

**Wild Animal Rescue Foundation of Thailand (WARF): WAR has projects located in a variety of regions throughout Thailand. WAR's objectives are to prevent, educate and actively campaign against hunting and cruelty to wild animals. WAR actively rescues wild animals that have been maltreated or injured and if they are unable to be released back into the wild, helps them to spend the rest of their lives in a sanctuary in a natural setting. Here, these animals help to educate locals, especially school children, on the importance of conservation. ISV groups will volunteer at a WARF Gibbon Rehabilitation Project in Phuket. The rehabilitation and education centre is situated in a vast area of virgin mountainous rain forest. The centre is home to many rescued gibbons. This year WARF plan to release a family of Gibbons into the surrounding rain forest. Specific project work will include:

- Wildlife enclosure maintenance
- Research and data collection on the released Gibbons; including behavior, location and interactions
- Local community conservation education
- Preparation of research material for study of released Gibbons

**Elephant Nature Park (ENP): This organization is committed to the care, rehabilitation of mistreated and rescued elephants; education of elephant conservation issues to tourists and local elephant owners / mahouts; and developing sustainable alternate models for elephant tourism. ENP also provides local hill-tribe villages with education on taking care of elephants and also supports these hill-tribes on with small development projects. Specific project work includes:

- General maintenance duties at elephant nature park
- Elephant conservation awareness and education to visitors
- Education of local hill-tribe villages on elephant care
- Small community support projects in hill-tribe villages

Please Note: Project tasks can change, depending on the needs and circumstances of the host organization at the time. The above listed tasks are a guide only.

Highlights: Thailand - Adventure Tour
Participants will travel throughout Thailand. The five Included Activities (included in the Program Cost) will be determined by ISV, and will be included in the ISV Participant Travel Manual sent to participants 30 days prior to their departure date. The adventure will include such optional activities as:

- Scuba diving and snorkeling around Koh Phi Phi
- Rock climbing & rappelling on the world renown limestone cliffs of Railay Beach
- Sea kayaking beautiful islands and hidden Caves around Phang-Nga Bay
- Feed and bath elephants at an elephant conservation park
- Two day hill-tribe jungle trek, hiking in the jungles and to indigenous Hill Tribes in Northern Thailand
- Soaking up the culture and tastes of the Northern city of Chiang Mai at a cultural dinner and show
- Experiencing the Grand Palace & temples in the Thai capital, Bangkok
- Canyoning in the northern jungles of Chiang Mai
- White Water Rafting the Mae Taeng River
- Thai cooking school
- Rubber Tubing in Khao Sok National Park

Cost in US$: Please visit our website.

Credit Available: yes

Experience Required: no

Age Range: 18+

This Program is open to World Wide Participants.

Participants Travel to Thailand Independently Or in Groups

Typically Participants Work Independently Or in Groups

Application Process Involves:

• Written Application

Post Services Include:

• Exit DebriefingAbroad

International Student Volunteers's Mission Statement: To create an environment that combines conservation, education and recreation into the ultimate adventure travel program for students who desire to make a difference by volunteering in local communities abroad.

Year Founded: 1981