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8 Destinations to Volunteer and Help out in Phuket, Thailand
By: Thip, May 19, 2022
Listed below are 7 ideas for volunteering and helping in Phuket. Whether you are a student looking to contribute in community service, a local or expat looking to do something good for the Phuket community. This list will be very helpful to you as these organizations are genuine and trustworthy. They all have a website of their own which will be linked below the descriptions so you can learn more about it if you wish!
Preview of Volunteer Places and Aid in Phuket
- Soi Dog Foundation
- Gibbon Rehabilitation Project
- Go Eco Phuket
- Phuket Sunshine Village Foundation
- Phuket Animal Welfare Society
- Life Home Project Foundation
- Phuket Elephant Sanctuary Volunteer Program
- Phuket Coral Conservation Program
Soi Dog Foundation in Phuket
Established in 2003, Soi Dog Foundation was founded in order to provide dogs and cats in need with humane places to live with adequate medical care. In addition to this, the organization was also created to provide multiple solutions to managing the stray population. To become a shelter volunteer, you may email the volunteer office of the organization to learn more about the role.
Every month, there are new volunteers who are eager to learn more about these solutions and how to care for dogs and cats. Becoming a shelter volunteer is usually the most convenient for everyone as you do not need any qualifications to do so. During your time here, you will learn a lot more about the founders’ story, John and Gill, and what it took to get to where they are now. Additionally, you will learn more about dogs and cats in general as you spend more and more time with them!
More information: www.soidog.org
Gibbon Rehabilitation Project in Phuket
The Gibbon Rehabilitation Project organization is on a mission to return Thailand’s most intelligent wildlife species, Gibbons, back to where they came from where they were previously extinct. The volunteer program requires you to be at least 18 years old and able to complete 12 full days of volunteering within 3 months. There is a THB 2,500 registration fee which includes training.
During your time here, you will learn more about conservation and you will meet new people! You do not need to commit to volunteering if you do not want to, you can just simply donate and it will assist the organization immensely.
The volunteer program that is available to you as of August 2019 is the Gibbon Information Volunteer, which includes the roles of speaking to visitors/schools about the organization and what they do, and fundraising for the project. You can find out about it in the link below.
More information: www.gibbonproject.org
Go Eco Phuket - Reef and Ocean clean up volunteer
Are you a diver? Or are you passionate about eco actions and projects? Working with the Go Eco Phuket organization means that you will be able to use your diving skills and your eco knowledge on how to save the ocean and clean up! Simply visit any dive centers involved in the Go Eco Phuket Project, and you will find more information on it.
The website of the organization is slightly outdated, so you may find more chance of getting useful information if you physically visit the various dive centers located in Phuket. There are numerous projects and events to be involved in, ranging from beach clean ups to shark conservations. You will meet countless new people which will make the experience fun and exciting!
More information:http:www.goecophuket.weebly.com
Phuket Sunshine Village Foundation in Phuket
This organization is simply a foster home for children in need, where they still have some family left. The foundation is often mistakenly referred to as an orphanage. Volunteering at the Phuket Sunshine Village Foundation means that you will take part in assisting the children in their everyday lives. You may be expected to teach English as this can make a massive difference in the children’s education. As a volunteer, there is no registration fee but there are a lot of things expected from you as the organization requires a lot of hardworking people to help them.
The duration of the volunteer program is very long – 16 consecutive weeks and you will be expected to work 5-6 days per week. If you decide to apply and get accepted, you will be given a place to stay for free with all meals included.
More information: www.phuketsunshinevillage.org
Phuket Animal Welfare Society
The Phuket Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) is made up of members of the local Thai and expat community who travel to destinations where animals in need are, such as temples, beaches, villages.
The society feeds, sterilizes, treat diseases/injuries, and vaccinates animals. In order to volunteer at PAWS, you are usually required to have knowledge about veterinarians and animals so you can donate time, advice and expertise. However, if you are not a vet and you are looking to just help out, you may donate directly to the organization.
More information:
www.facebook.com/pawsphuket
http://www.pawsphuket.com/
Life Home Project Foundation (HIV and AIDS) in Phuket
The main aim of the Life Home Project Foundation (LHPF) is to help women and children suffering from HIV/AIDS in Thailand to have a better life with a caring home, educational opportunities and access to treatment.
The organization is a foster home situated in Phuket. You can help this organization in many ways varying from donating food/necessities/money. Schools usually set up fundraising activities and donate at the end of the fundraising period. Locals donate supplies to the women and children.
More information: www.lhpf.org
Phuket Elephant Sanctuary volunteer program in Phuket
Volunteering in the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary is an opportunity to support the very first genuinely ethical elephant sanctuary in Phuket. This organization is unlike many others as they are true to their aims and will not take any donations into profit. While assisting with the tasks around the sanctuary, you will learn more about how elephants are often mistreated in Thailand and how you can help further even when you are no longer in Phuket.
All your time and other contributions will be extremely helpful to the elephants as they will be put into the effort of providing food, shelter, vet care, and enrichment. However, volunteering at the sanctuary is not free of charge. At the time of writing this article, you must pay THB 18,000 per adult. This can seem as a very high price to just volunteer, but it will cover accommodation, meals, and daily transport from volunteer sites. Please note that this program is only suitable for volunteers of 18 years or older.
More information: www.phuketelephantsanctuary.org
Phuket Coral Conservation - Restoration and Preservation
Thavorn Hotels & Resorts, which constitutes Thavorn Beach Village Resort and Spa and Thavorn Palm Beach Resort, is working together with Thailand's Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) to restore the reefs. This collaboration, privately funded by Thavorn Hotels & Resorts, is called Phuket Coral Conservation.
Phuket Coral Conservation aims to help restore, preserve and grow the local reef in Nakalay Beach, the private beach of Thavorn Beach Village Resort & Spa. Through this partnership with the DMCR the conservation efforts not only restores coral reefs on the beach, but is also used as a research case study to be used in other parts of the Andaman Sea.
Interesting Fact:
- Phuket Coral Conservation is the FIRST private organization to restore, preserve, and grow natural coral reefs in Phuket
- Phuket Coral Conservation is the FIRST private organization to establish a coral learning & nursery centre in Phuket
Thavorn Hotels & Resort's ultimate goal is to become a successful case study for Phuket's travel industry in coral reef conservation and eventually inspire other businesses to do the same in their locations.
Basic Phuket Coral Conservation tasks include:
- Diving and Transplanting corals and bringing broken corals to the resort’s nursery
- Setting up free/subsidized environmentally enriching classes for local enthusiasts.
- Diving coral conservation sessions in other Phuket beaches using know-how from Nakalay Beach
Since this organization is privately funded and requires professional diving gear, a schedule of activities will be strictly followed. If you are interested in volunteering, we recommend you contact the resort directly to inquire on overlap between your travel dates and Phuket Coral Conservation dates.
