Volunteer Programs in Thailand | Best Volunteer Projects

I loved the experience I had with the elephants, hearing the sad stories of each individual elephant and then knowing I was helping them was very empowering. Happy elephant home is a great place to go for volunteer experience, the people there are so nice and are so fun! They care for their elephants and want the best for them! The people in Thailand are some of the nicest you will meet. The food was very yummy. All the adventures we went on were very fun. I would highly recommend going to Thailand and this program.

This camp is ran extremely well, the staff is extremely kind and accommodating, the food was fantastic however this is mainly a tourist attraction. The camp is advertised as a sanctuary where elephants run free and are given the best care and life possible given the circumstance that they can never be taken out of captivity. We signed up for this volunteer program under the impression of helping maintain and giving these elephants the best quality of life. There are multiple tour groups that come during the day, where they take the elephants on walks, feed them and bathe them. Some of the Mohouts (elephants trainers) are kind and caring towards the elephants and some are not. I do not agree with forcing animals to perform tricks simply for just the entertainment of humans. I question whether the elephants would get the same amount of exercise and care had we not been here or the countless vans full of tourists. On the count of them being chained up when the Mohouts are taking a break or busy working on the rice fields. On our final day we witnessed one of the Mohouts using a bull hook on an elephant continuously and the reason being unclear. I noticed the elephants ankles bleeding and asked what had happened and I was told they get hurt sometimes in the jungle…. This was a lie. Another concern was the behavior of one of the elephants that constantly rocks back and forth when she is chained up, this is a sign of distress. I was told that she’s young and has a lot of energy and “likes to dance”. Im sad to say I’m disappointed, I had higher hopes for this camp with low expectations and realize now that I should have set my expectations lower. Do your research throughly before you come and volunteer for modern day circus.

I volunteered at this project in Chiang Mai for one week. This was a short trip which was preceded by a much longer one in Cambodia. The Friends for Asia staff located in Chiang Mai are very well-organized and keep the volunteer house in Chiang Mai very tidy for us. The house itself is well-located in the city. The staff at Changland (the official name of the camp) are very kind to all visitors and are intent on giving the volunteers a variety of tasks that will enhance the experience while also contributing to the operations. The food provided at the camp is truly exemplary also. The experience was slightly marred by COVID-19, considering that the number of volunteers is still low - but I would expect that to change in the coming months. Every visitor and volunteer is a contribution to these communities, so I strongly encourage all travelers to participate in this program.

I volunteered at the Elephant Camp (Changland) program in Chiang Mai for one week. The staff are very polite and they are very careful to give you work that they believe might enhance the experience while also arranging fun activities outside of work. The chance to work with the elephants and interact with the many foreign visitors is unforgettable.
Since I was the only volunteer staying there at the time, the volunteer house itself was a bit empty - although I would expect that to change soon as Thailand continues to reopen to foreign travelers. This program is very good for anyone seeking an introduction to Thailand as a whole.

I volunteered at this project in Chiang Mai for one week. This was a short trip which was preceded by a much longer one in Cambodia. The Friends for Asia staff located in Chiang Mai are very well-organized and keep the volunteer house in Chiang Mai very tidy for us. The house itself is well-located in the city. The staff at Changland (the official name of the camp) are very kind to all visitors and are intent on giving the volunteers a variety of tasks that will enhance the experience while also contributing to the operations. The food provided at the camp is truly exemplary also. The experience was slightly marred by COVID-19, considering that the number of volunteers is still low - but I would expect that to change in the coming months. Every visitor and volunteer is a contribution to these communities, so I strongly encourage all travelers to participate in this program.

As an animal lover, I absolutely loved volunteering at Thai Elephant Home Nursery. The elephants were rescued from poor situations (such as logging camps) and given a great life. The animals were so well taken care of and loved by their caretakers. I learned about the day to day care of the elephants and was able to participate and get to know the animals as individuals. The tourists were given the opportunity to learn about and enjoy the elephants...it was not just about making money. The staff was dedicated, friendly and so enjoyable to get to know. It was a great place that I recommend to animal lovers and travelers of all ages. Please check out my book about my experience, available on Amazon: "Maetang to Koh Chang" by Katie McGee :)

The trip had the perfect combination of action, volunteering, and relaxation. The local team genuinely cared about helping the community and getting involved with charity work. We worked at a few schools, and the atmosphere was entirely professional, whilst easing us into working with the kids at our own pace. The children were wonderful to work with and really wanted to learn as much as they could. One of the highlights of the trip had to be snorkeling in Koh Tao. We saw amazing coral and even some sharks.

Working with Volunteering Solutions gave me more than just a typical cultural experience in Bangkok. My volunteering with these children, teaching English in a Thai Middle School changed my life. The selflessness and kindness of the kids I worked with has made me reconsider my degree. I was well prepared with information, being taught Thai prior to beginning work and more. I may consider teaching again in an international country for much longer than 1 week, perhaps maybe a year. My favorite memory is the last day with our students, seeing how grateful they were for my time there. Tears were shed and there were plenty of hugs. It’s something I will never forget and an experience beyond what I was expecting from Bangkok. I absolutely would come back again to work with Volunteering solutions!