Volunteer Programs in Thailand | Best Volunteer Projects

I was awarded a travel bursary from my university to go volunteer anywhere I wanted to in the world. After searching the internet, I came across the Thailand summer programme which was being advertised by Volunteering Solutions. It was the one that sounded most appealing to me out of the dozens that I saw being advertised elsewhere. The programme definitely lived up to the hype. There were countless breathtaking experiences, too many to name in fact but if I had to pick a few, I would say the elephant village and the jungle trek. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is hesitant.

This was my first time volunteering and I couldn't be happier with the experience. Amazing program with amazing people,taking back home amazing memories. I really do recommend this program, Its really wide, you'll have the chance to visit the tourist part of thailand as the rural life and learn a lot about their culture. I can't wait to live again another volunteer experience with volunteering solutions.

One of the best memories I have was watching the sunset over the rice fields, 2 silhouettes of boys chasing a fire lantern along the little green paths, with elephants munching next to us, with the best friends I could have found on a trip, in the middle of rural Thailand. It couldn't get much better. Thanks to Volunteering Solutions I experienced almost all of a country I have always wanted to visit; we saw city, countryside, rural, urban, beach, mountain, National Park... the list goes on. If anyone is wavering about going, just go! Yes, despite being one of the cheaper ones on the market, it is a lot of money, but so worth it. Skip spending on the expensive handbags/shoes etc and save, I had the best 3 weeks ever! My favourite place was definitely the elephant village, but experiencing another city, seeing Thai wildlife and meeting locals (and eating scorpions) was all part of the fun too. To top it off we had such a great guide - JJ, who organised so much for us and without him, would have never had done so much. Cheers to another adventure soon!

I've been in the program for 2 weeks. The accomodation is basic but it really makes you feel in Thailand :). It was nice to be in a house with all the other people volunteering. The schools were amazing. The children where nice. The teaching was a great experience. You really try to connect with the children and make them pronounce the words. The older classes can speak and read Englisch very well. You get an inside look in the culture of Thailand. How children are raised. We did al lot of activities with the group like exploring the Island, beachparty,half moon party, BBQ etc.

If you are considering doing this program in Thailand, my advice to you would be to stop thinking and do it! When I initially signed up, I was nervous because I was going as a solo traveler. However, as soon as I arrived at the airport, I was met with a coordinator and 3 of the 19 volunteers I would be sharing this month with. This particular program was a great mix of volunteering experience and free time to explore on your own. The volunteering part included teaching English in a temple and in an orphanage, doing renovation work (planting, painting murals, making a concrete garbage pit), and, my favorite part, caring for elephants in a truly unique setting. The itinerary gives a great, basic outline with what you will be doing everyday but the wonderful program leaders planned so many voluntary excursions for us that enriched this program so much more. We were constantly on the go and saw so much in the month abroad. Whether you are going solo, or with a group of friends, this is an experience you will love!

Two weeks already since I came back to my country from Thailand. I knew it was going to be a great experience, but honest truth, was much better than I expected.
At the beginning, I was quite concerned about the security over there, if I was going to have problems, because I was travelling on my own. Finally I booked it and I can not be happier. We got the best guides, they helped us any time.
I have no doubt that it was the best experencie ever. I already miss it! I am looking forward to coming back again.
I leave behind me amazing people, stunning places, an incredible country. A culture and traditions completly different to our life-style, which makes this program so special.
I strongly recommend it, it will change your life and mindset for ever. Go for it!

In July 2015, myself along with two friends travelled to Thailand to begin our program. At 16 and 17 we were the youngest participants there but this did not affect the bonds we made within our group. In total, our group consisted of fourteen people from all different walks of life, from all over the world and becoming more like a family with these people is definitely one of the main highlights of our time there. Many were traveling alone but by day two you would think we all travelled together.

Our trip was planned very well. We received information at the start of each day as to what we would be doing and when we would have time to explore ourselves. Immense credit has to be given to our appointed guide and other vol-sol guides that were more than helpful throughout the duration of the experience.

We decided to set a goal of trying something new each day. This consisted of trying new food -which included scorpions at one point- to trying to learn some of the Thai language and this made each day more interesting.

I was incredibly pleased with the content of the program. There was a very good balance of volunteering and leisure time. This was important as it was amazing to travel and explore the city and also the rural areas of Thailand, as well as teaching children, working on local projects and living in an elephant village.

Bangkok was our first and final destination. We were ideally located as the famous Khao San Road was situated less than a minute's walk from our hotel and the markets did not disappoint. The nightlife is also a must. There are misconceptions about Thai nightlife however, personally, I had no worries about venturing out as long as there was a small group of us to ensure safety. It is definitely a unique experience but in the best way. The locals are always more than happy to help and most will try to engage in conversation just out of pure fascination. We also visited temples and learned about the culture of Thailand. We also volunteered at the Wat Pho temple, teaching children some English as well as playing games they came up with.

After Bangkok we travelled by train to Surin. Trains can be busy and the journey was long (thankfully there was air conditioning), however, this was not a big worry as vol-sol pre-book seats for the volunteers to make the journey as comfortable as possible. - The long journey's are a good time to reflect on the trip so far and I would definitely recommend having a journal of some sort on hand to document the trip as you go -
Initially in Surin we stayed in the '' hotel which was the most luxurious accommodation of the program. We soon set off to spend 4 days in an elephant village. We stayed in a house and the facilities were basic but nothing was missed. We were fortunate enough to be up close to one of the most beautiful animals. We got to feed, play with and bathe the elephants in the river daily. It is impossible to not become immersed in the culture and fall in love with the sights of Thailand.

After returning to our hotel in Surin we spent the remainder of our time volunteering at a childcare centre. We played with the children and taught English in the mornings and worked on improving the facilities in the afternoon and returning back to the hotel with plenty of time to explore the city in the evenings.

We had a free weekend and were given the choice of visiting Cambodia or going to Koh Samet (a beach island). The three of us and three more opted for the island as we were not going on the extended beach week and could not turn down the white sands and clear seas Thailand has to offer. This was very well organised by the vol-sol staff and even though this was our own choice and there was no obligation from the staff to help they went that bit further to ensure our safety. - I would highly recommend the beach weekend if you are not doing the extended beach week- The weekend was fun and full of new experiences that make great memories.

Back on the mainland we travelled to Khao Yai and trekked through the national park where we encountered a variety of wildlife within the jungle.

Finally we went back to Bangkok for our final couple of days. Returning to where it all began was a nice touch to end our journey. It definitely made us realise how much we had experienced and how we weren't ready to go home yet. It was sad to depart from our group as we had all grown so close as well as leaving Thailand where the people as so nice, the culture is incredible and the food is authentic and delicious.

Overall, I would not hesitate to return to Thailand and the vol-sol program was perfect, especially for a first time traveller. I'm so glad I used volunteer solutions for my first trip and I would not hesitate to try another vol-sol program in another destination. The best way to learn about the different cultures of the world is through first hand experience and I cannot recommend travelling new places highly enough.

The best souvenirs are stories, and this trip definitely left me with many of those. I participated in the Summer program where I got to spend time in Bangkok, work in a childcare center in Surin, and work at an elephant camp. When people ask me about my trip when I got home, I tried not to go on and on about it, so I limited myself to telling about five things.
1. The friendliness of the locals--during free time one night, our group decided to go out to a local hangout and a few of us got unbelievably lost, we asked a local to take us to the place, knowing that she couldn't understand us. She left her place of work and walked us thirty minutes in the opposite direction so we could reunite with our group. She hugged us and sent us off on our way, all on her own time. People were constantly trying to help us, talk to us, and even take pictures with us.
2. The elephants are amazing. They really have amazing capabilities and seem almost human. One of the elephants even picked flowers from a tree and handed them out to the girls.
3. The kids are so sweet. They hated going down for naps, and not getting to play with us when we needed to do clean up work around the child care center. Even though we didn't speak the same language, we still made strong bond with the kids.
4. On this trip you are never treated like a child. We were given free time to explore and do what we would like to do. One day while working in the elephant camp, after making lunch for everyone, the group decided to walk down to a local park and play a pickup game of soccer with some locals. We played for hours, making friends with the kids on the sidelines and getting shown up due to our lack of skills in soccer. We then walked down to the river and went swimming where the elephants usually bathe. One weekend, we had free and we planned our own trip to Cambodia. We had the free time to bond with one another, experience the real culture, and take advantage of everything the area had to offer.
5. The staff was always in good spirits. I won't lie, our group caused some trouble, but the staff was extremely helpful. I'm not saying they were always the most organized, and we occasionally felt like we had no idea what was going on, but they would always come through, and they needed to. I had the unique experience of breaking my ankle during the extended beach week. I had to have surgery while I was on the island, and the staff was extremely helpful in getting my things to me, assisting me in finding a good hospital, and making sure I eventually got home ok.

It's been four months since I've gotten home, and I'm still going to physical therapy and recovering from my ankle surgery. People see me still struggling and ask me all the time if the trip was worth it. I always have to smile, think back at my many experiences and consider all of the great stories I now have to tell.