Holiday Helpers

If you’ve had it with posing in front of monuments, why not do some good and get to really meet the locals.

Voluntourism is hardly new, but it’s only just catching on with Asian travelers, Sangklaburi, a small town on the Thai-Burma border in Kanchanaburi, has been a top destination for voluntourists for almost a decade. First-timers to Sangklaburi will certainly be surprised to see so many foreigners milling about working on projects to help the Mon communities. But Thais are more than welcome, too.
​One of the most famous volunteer programs in Thailand is Kru Bannok, in Chiang Rai, under the direction of the Mirror Foundation, first formed in 2001. Supaporn Bangmung is a finance manager whose quest for new ways of traveling led her to get involved with Kru Bannok. “I just got bored of taking my own photographs at tourist attractions. Sure, it makes me happy, but I believe I can do something good for others, too, by being a giver, rather than a receiver.”

Her first trip was to Chiang Mai, where she ended up going it alone. “My friend couldn’t make it, so I had to go by myself. But as everybody there had a voluntary mind, I was welcomed warmly and without awkwardness. We taught children as well as prepared activities for them over a couple of days.”

Supaporn explains that nothing compares to the feeling of giving. “I’m not a kid person. But once I interacted with them closer, I was touched by their sincerity. I never thought that I would be so important to them. I proved to myself, too, that I can really do things to help others.” 

On top of emotional fulfillment, you also get a chance to make new friends. “Volunteers come from all sorts of backgrounds. One I met was there to get over his heartbreak. Ages vary, too, from a five-year-old kid tagging along with his mother to retired executives. But all of them are friendly and willing to make new friends.”

Supaporn adds that in order to be a good volunteer it pays to have the right attitude—sage advice for any traveler. “You need to be an empty glass and just be happy with everything that goes your way—even if it’s not what you were expecting. Everything is a life lesson.”

Be Good Projects

Restoration Works

Kru Bannok. One of Thailand’s longest-running volunteer programs started out under the Mirror Foundation in 1991 aiming to educate children in rural areas. So far, Kru Bannok has organized more than 150 trips that have drawn thousands of participants. Volunteers are required to travel to the project’s headquarters in Chiang Rai, before moving on to designated villages. Periods of stay vary from three days to basically as long as you wish. Fees for short-term stays are B1,500-2,500, which pays for your meals and transportation. The next trip will be to Baan Mae Aok Tai, Sob Mei, Mae Hong Son, from Feb 22-25. www.bannok.com/volunteer

Restoration Works International. Formerly known as the Cultural Restoration Tourism Project, this organization seeks to create economic and social benefits for local communities by restoring culturally important sites in Chhairo, Nepal. Volunteers and locals work side by side to restore religious landmarks and exchange cross-cultural understanding. The upcoming program runs Apr 15-26 and costs you around B91,230 inclusive of all transportation and meals within Nepal. www.restorationworksinternational.org

Red Bull Spirit. Sponsored by the energy drink empire, Red Bull Spirit is celebrating its fifth anniversary this year with the Red Bull Unite 5 trip to Salak Phra Wildlife Reserve in Kanchanaburi on Jan 26-27. Volunteers will be helping officials to build dikes and barriers to prevent wildfires. There will also be a small live concert at the end of the program, too. There is no charge but it’s limited to 500 volunteers only. www.redbullspirit.org

Habitat for Humanity. An international non-profit organization that specializes in building homes for those in need. And as they don’t want house owners to sit back and watch us doing the dirty work, volunteers work shoulder to shoulder with them. In Thailand alone, they have already built some 8,800 houses. Programs and locations vary so check their website for more info. www.habitatthailand.org

Organic Farm. Laos’ Vang Vieng has shed its backpacker paradise image, making volunteering there much more pleasurable for peace seekers. Located north of the Song River, some 4km from Vang Vieng town center, the Organic Farm is the hub for several community projects including chemical-free mulberry tea farming and goat cheese production. It welcomes volunteers who can help out either working on the farm or teaching English to kids in the village. You can go anytime and stay as long as you wish. Accommodation is 30,000-250,000 kip (B120-1,000) per night, depending on how fancy it is (www.laofarm.org).

Where to Start

Check out websites and webboards of volunteer communities to get the lowdown on upcoming projects; start with the Thai Volunteer Service Foundation (www.thaivolunteer.org), VolunteerSpirit Network (www.volunteerspirit.org) and Red Bull Spirit (www.redbullspirit.org).

Party Cruisers

Bangkok has long been home to massive gay circuit parties packed with visiting guys from Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong. This year, why don’t you pay them a return visit.

“Last year, around 12,000 tickets were sold and 70-80% of them were from abroad. That represents a big growth from 3,000 when we started out in 2007,” says Sumet Srimuang, the owner of gCircuit, the organizer of one of Asia’s most famous gay circuit parties, gCircuit Songkran, now in its seventh year (Apr 12-14). That means that last Songkran, 10,000 tourists came to Bangkok for a gay weekend, bringing with them a vast amount of pink dollars. The party business is getting bigger elsewhere in Asia, too. In Taipei, G5 has been organizing circuit parties since 2001 and its latest, the year-end Mega G5 attracted several thousand guys and girls. Meanwhile in Singapore, ZoukOut started in 2000 and has since become Asia’s largest beach party. The newest gay circuit party will be hosted at Boracay in the Philippines in February.

Hopping between parties in different cities might be common in Europe, but the trend is only now picking up in Asia. Jimme Seechompoo, a Thai hospitality executive based in Sydney, has been flying around the region to join big dance music events for the past three years. “So far, I’ve been to gCircuit Songkran for three consecutive years, Sensation in Bangkok, and further afield, to the Madonna concert with an after party in Chicago, and I am definitely going to Ibiza.”

Jimme explains that, on top of location, music and friends play a big part in a good party. “Top DJs draw the best crowds, and it’s really important to travel with a good group of friends. Without them, I wouldn’t go. I attend parties to catch up with friends and meet new ones. Well, hooking up, too, sometimes. And when we’re not partying, we do some shopping and make short trips to nearby areas.”

“But remember you don’t always have to travel for parties alone. And not all cities have good parties.”

Next Parties/Music events

gCircuit Songkran

Feb 28-Mar 4

BORACAY, PHILIPPINES Gcircus. Don’t confuse it with the original gCircuit, Gcircus is a party put on by organizers called Poseidon and a club called BED Manila (not to be mistaken for Bangkok’s BED either). Held in Boracay, the Philippines’ premier beach destination, it features two parties at two different places: a sailor party on-board a boat and the Gcircus party at Club Paraw. Honestly, we have no idea what’s it going to be like, as the Pinoy gay scene is quite beyond our network. Anyway, our nightlife editor will be there this year to check it out for you. www.facebook.com/events/555306437817776

April 12-14.

BANGKOK gCircuit Songkran 7. This year, Asia’s premier gay circuit party features five parties at four different venues: Zen Event Gallery, Renaissance Hotel, Imperial Queen’s Park and Sofitel So Bangkok. Music will be headlined by seven circuit DJs, including Head, Louis T and Preeda. Early-bird tickets for Thais are B3,200 for a super combo (three main parties and one choice of wet party); B2,600 for three main parties; and B600 for each wet party. www.gcircuit.com

Jun 8, Jul 6

ST PETERSBURG, RUSSIA; AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS Sensation. The massive white-themed party is back, with St. Petersburg seemingly the closest host city to Bangkok. But if there was ever a time to visit the event’s birthplace it’s now, with all forms of travel media, from Lonely Planet to New York Times, trumpeting Amsterdam as a must-visit destination. www.sensation.com

First Weekend of Dec (dates TBA)

SINGAPORE ZoukOut. One of Asia’s largest beach music festivals, ZoukOut has been the stage for most of the world’s top DJs since its inception in 2000. Think Paul Van Dyke, Armin Vaan Buren and Calvin Harris. Dates for 2013 are not confirmed yet but should fall on the first weekend of December like in previous years. www.zoukout.com 

Year End (dates TBA)

TAIPEI, TAIWAN Mega G5. Last time around, organizers G5 claimed this was Asia’s biggest gay New Year’s event with four parties spread over four days featuring thousands of shirtless boys. The DJ lineup was a bit like gCicuit’s, featuring DJ Head, Alex Acosta and Tony Moran, for instance. Details for this year have yet to be released, but judging from last year’s pictures, you should start looking for good air ticket deals now. www.g5-taipei.com

Where to Start

As DJs are essential to a good party, it might be wise to brush up on your knowledge of the biggest headliners. Personal taste aside, one good way to do so is by checking the various DJ world rankings. There are quite a few, but the most reliable are probably DJ Magazine (www.djmag.com), whose current top five consists of Armin Von Buuren, Tiesto, Avicii, David Guetta and Deadmau5, and DJ Rankings (dj-rankings.com), who list David Guetta, Tiesto, Von Buuren, Skrillex and Avicii as their top five.

Runs, Marathons and Triathlons in Thailand 2013

Voluntourism in Thailand and Around

On the Run

Marathon and triathlons are heating up all over the region.

Chanut Nawnarong, an executive at a public relations agency in Phuket, started running over a year ago. She just recently returned from Phrae where she ran her first marathon. “Like many, I started running to find a balance in life. It was a new challenge to overcome. I started at 10km and when you conquer that goal, you’re ready for another.” After a few runs, Chanut found a group of runners on Facebook who regularly travel all over Thailand in search of fresh challenges. “The objectives of the members are varied. Some are medal hunters, of course, but most people in our group just like the idea of a get together for runners. After each run, we extend our stays to travel within that area.”

The number of dedicated runners is growing steadily in Thailand, partly thanks to the 2012 film Seven Something, in which superstar Nichkhun stars as an aspiring marathon runner. Social media like Facebook seems to be the most convenient communication channel for aspiring runners. For instance, the Banana Running Facebook page, which started shortly after the movie’s release, currently has more than 11,000 members, while North Face, who also organizes marathon runs, jumped from just 800 to 18,000 members in the past year.

Chanut says long-time members are always welcoming of new runners. Her advice is to just pick a race and go. “One major upcoming marathon event is the one in Khon Kaen (Jan 27), which will be really large in scale with lots of participants. Another big one in Asia is the Singapore marathon, which had more than 50,000 participants last year. There is going to be the first women’s marathon in Malaysia and another interesting one coming up in Nepal, too.”

“You know what, I’ve never seen that movie [Seven Something] but it’s just like it says: running gives you a new life, new friends and new journeys,” Chanut says.

Next Races

Jan 27

KHON KAEN Khon Kaen International Marathon. One of Thailand’s largest marathons celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. There are four races to choose from, ranging from a 4.5km walk and fun run to the marathon proper. Entry is B100-1,500 for Thai residents and US$10-45 for foreigners. 043-202-388/9, www.khonkaenmarathon.com

Feb 2

NAKHON RATCHASIMA North Face 100 Thailand. Sponsored by the adventure apparel brand, the races range from a 10km run to a 100km solo iron man event. All races start and finish at Villa Paradis Hotel and the courses feature a combination of 20% road and 80% trail. Fees are B300-4,500. www.thenorthfacethailand.com

Mar 2

KANCHANABURI River Kwai Trophy. Another iron man event that kicks off from the Bridge over the River Kwai and features a bike and run through the jungle and a kayak and swim in the river itself. There are two levels: Adventure for newcomers and Extreme for advanced racers. Fees are per team of two: from B6,950 for race only, B8,800 for race and one night’s accommodation and B10,650 for race with two night’s accommodation. 02-718-9581, www.ama-events.com

Jun 9

PHUKET Laguna Phuket International Marathon. Now in its eighth year (there were more than 4,000 runners last year), the Laguna Marathon features everything for everyone, from a 2km-run for your kids to a full marathon for experienced runners. Fees are B200-1,200 for Thai residents and B200-3,000 for foreigners, payable through Mar 31. For accommodation, a three-night deal starts from B12,000/room. www.phuketmarathon.com

October (date TBA)

MALAYSIA Mt. Kinabalu Climbathon. Started in 1987, this is regarded one of the toughest races in the world as you need to run (or climb) 23 kilometers up the side of Mt. Kinabalu, Southeast Asia’s tallest mountain, to a height of 2,760 meters above sea level, and back down. The full details for the 2013 edition haven’t been announced yet, so keep tabs on www.climbathon.my

Nov 24

PHUKET Laguna Phuket Triathlon. Listed as one of the 20 races to do before you die by Triathlon Magazine, Thailand’s most famous triathlon is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Combining 1.8km swim, 55km bike and 12km run, this is tailor-made for tough racers looking for a big challenge. There is also a 6km fun run for those who just want a small piece of the action. Fees are B6,000/person and entry is limited to 600 people only. This year the event is combined with another race, Challenge Laguna Phuket Tri-Fest (Dec 1), which features shorter courses. Get all the info from www.challengelagunaphuket.com

Where to Start

Become a fan of Banana Running Facebook page (www.facebook.com/bananarunning) and get up-to-date schedules from www.patrunning.com. Some organizers also offer tour packages, inclusive of entry fee and accommodation, with some deals as low as B3,000-4,000 for one night.

Bangkok’s Gay Circuit Party Travelers

Voluntourism in Thailand and Around

Compact cameras with Wi-Fi connectivity are becoming more common; but with its first Galaxy Camera, Samsung has taken things to a new level, offering a complete Android OS touchscreen device with a 3G connection. That means you don’t need to run around searching for a Wi-Fi hotspot, or bother with tethering it to your smartphone; you can instantly upload your pictures wherever there’s a mobile phone network. And you can run the same Android apps as any Samsung smartphone would.

(+) The camera’s auto mode is fairly snappy, and the creative filters which make your pictures look instantly like they’re photoshopped are a lot of fun.
(+) The smart mode contains several settings, from night mode to silhouette. We love the “Rich Tone” that lets you take photos against sunlight.
(+) The expert mode allows you to adjust everything from aperture, f-stop, exposure and ISO.
(+) The slow motion video mode is really fun and helps make your HD video look instantly professional.
(+) You can sync the camera with Google Drive, Facebook and, most importantly, Dropbox, which allows you realtime storage of up to 500MB. Syncing with Dropbox means your pictures will be uploaded automatically so you can erase pictures from your camera at anytime.
(+) The screen is huge and the touch screen perfectly sensitive.
(+) It’s a full-blown Android device, meaning it plays games, or any other Android app you  may want.

(-) The picture quality is that of a very low-end compact.
(-) Bulky!
(-) When using the camera through Instagram, you cannot zoom.
(-) Turning the camera on and off results in a slight delay.

Verdict: If you are a real shutterbug, many compacts are much better cameras. But if you are simply addicted to the idea of shooting and sharing, and playing around with fun filters, this is possibly your best choice to date. Then again, if you’re not that avid a photographer, why not just get a Galaxy S3 or a Galaxy Note 2, and wait to see what the next in the Galaxy Camera series offers.

Specs: 16.3MP, 1,080p HD video, 23mm wide angle lens, 21x digital zoom, 8GB internal storage, Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean), 4.8inch multi touch screen, Quad core 1.4GHz processor. B16,900. www.samsung.com/th