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).