Marine and Wildlife Conservation in Thailand

Overview

Explore this beautiful country to its fullest as you immerse yourself into the local culture and scenery of the Andaman region and the beautiful forests of Northern Thailand. Contribute to valuable conservation projects and make a lasting impact during your time in the country.

In the stunning coastal province of Phang Nga, you will join a team committed to the conservation of the regions coastal and marine ecosystems. Your time on this project will give you a holistic and well-rounded insight into the conservation issues facing the regions and the measures GVI teams are taking in response. Besides hands-on conservation activities, you will also be promoting various environmental education initiatives and delivering English programmes to the local community.



Please note our conservation efforts in this region are seasonal, so projects will vary throughout the course of the year.

While volunteering in the lush mountain forests of Chiang Mai, you will be working closely with local Mahouts (elephant keepers) as you assist with the rehabilitation of captive elephants back into their natural environment. During your time on the project, you will have the opportunity to learn about elephant history, behaviour, training, biology, social kills and more, drawing on generations of tribal knowledge from the Mahouts.

Although both projects have different goals, both are committed to conserving the various ecosystems in Thailand for the continuous survival of the different species that call these regions home.

Highlights

Experience a unique adventure in this amazing South East Asia country; experience living and volunteering in Thailand; immerse yourself in the local culture; try exotic local dishes; participate in one of the many optional side trips on the weekends; explore beautiful coral reefs and limestone cliffs; get up close and personal with Thailand’s unique biodiversity; contribute to the long-term conservation of the endangered ecosystems; develop a well-rounded education on sustainable conservation, environmental conservation and community development; contribute to the rehabilitation of Asia’s endangered elephant and feel safe with the knowledge that you are making an important impact on the lives of these amazing creatures, the local community and the environment.

Program Details

Project Life

Phang Nga

Throughout your stay in Thailand, the various projects you participate in will very much depend on the needs on the ground and the time of the year. From November to March, you may be involved in sea turtle research and conservation. The rainy season of May to October sees more terrestrial and community work such as mangrove research and planting, biodiversity surveying in nearby National Parks and environmental education.

Volunteers may also have the chance to take part in various environmental education workshops with the local community. Projects can vary from environmental education with the general community, schools, hotels and tour operators to English language teaching.

Accommodation will be small but comfortable with shared facilities, with enough space for people to relax together or in private. If you would prefer to stay in private accommodation while in Thailand, this location does offer upgrades. Contact us for more information, or mention to your Country Expert who will be able to assist you.

Chiang Mai

Your elephant adventure in Chiang Mai begins when the sun rises, with early mornings and long days spent in the field. After breakfast the local mahouts will lead groups of volunteers and staff out to where the elephants have stayed overnight.

Occasionally you will the opportunity to assist with a quick but thorough health inspection of the elephants, providing a few minutes of close contact time. The rest of your hike will be spent following the elephants as they move through the forest, socialising and foraging. During our time observing the elephants, you may help collect data on their social interactions, what food sources they are utilising and survey forest biodiversity.

Afternoons will see you returning to base where you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the local community by helping to teach English, weave baskets, play football with the Mahouts and cook with your homestay family.

Weekends will be yours to relax, explore the nearby area or travel back to Chiang Mai for some sightseeing. Accommodation will be very basic, so you should be prepared to adapt and appreciate the living conditions that are sure to be very different from your home.

Project Details

Our aim in Phang Nga, Thailand is to better understand the effect of changing environmental climates in conjunction with the local communities. Our goal is to sustain the long-term conservation of the area and aid in the preservation of the natural environment.

The population of Asian elephants and their habitat is rapidly declining. With less than 1,000 left in the wild in Thailand, but around 3,000 in captivity, we are one of the few viable alternatives to the reality of their domesticated future within detrimental tourist camps. Your contribution to this project will help keep these elephants in protected forests and provide funding to keep the project running and offer alternative livelihoods to the local community. The goal of this project is to have semi-wild herds of elephants living, socialising and foraging in their natural habitat.

Please note, this is an ethical volunteer program and we do not partake in riding elephants, demonstrating unnatural skills, or interacting hands-on with the elephants more than necessary.

Chiang Mai and Phang Nga’s short, mid, and long-term objectives:

All of our programs have short, mid and long-term objectives that fit with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This enables us to report on our collaborative impact across the world in a streamlined manner, measuring which UN SDGs we are making a substantial contribution to. Furthermore, this will help our local partners and communities measure and visualize their contribution to the UN SDGs.

Upon arrival to base, you will be educated about the history of the UN SDGs. You will learn about the specific goals of your location, the long-, mid- and short-term objectives, and also clarification of how your personal, shorter-term involvement contributes to these goals on a global level.

Our aim is to educate you on local and global issues, so that you continue to act as active global citizens after your program, helping to fulfill our mission of building a global network of people united by their passion to make a difference.

Learn about the long-term objectives you will be contributing to:

In Chiang Mai:

1. Increase and promote elephant ethical treatment
2. Create a viable selfsustaing eco-tourism program for the village. As well as supporting a stable herd of elephants living naturally in the forested area of the village.
3. Improve standards of living and job opportunities for people in the Huay Pakoot village
4. Improve sustainable natural resource management in the Huay Pakoot area

In Phang Nga:

1. Increase awareness of local populations to environmental issues and facilitate change towards sustainability through scientific studies
2. To assist and develop local coastal conservation efforts through providing practical support to project partners, data collection, awareness raising and habitat restoration

How this project makes a difference

Your presence as a volunteer in Phang Nga will help protect some of the world’s most beautiful beaches and coral reef systems. By adopting a holistic conservation approach, we are educating the community on local environmental issues, dealing with the social and economic pressures that leading to the destruction of reefs, fish, coral and turtle populations and aim to end unsustainable food systems and development.

In Chiang Mai, elephants can be very expensive to care for, and are viewed as private property and a means of generating income for the local communities. The elephants are often forced into camps or street begging to make money through tourism in Thailand. The lack of viable alternatives for income from elephants is detrimental to their health and well-being.

As an unregulated industry, elephant tourism can be an ugly business. Elephants require a specific environment that provides them with social, mental, and physical stimulation to thrive. With a huge increase in the demand for tourist camps, elephants are deprived of their imperative self-medicating diet, migratory urges to move, complex social interactions, and brain stimulation, leading to shocking repercussions in the health of the elephant.

Our volunteer project aims to provide an alternative way for the elephants to bring in money for the local village while continuing to lead healthy lives that will ensure their long term conservation and survival.

*During national holidays and festival periods participants will have the opportunity to get involved with community celebrations and activities.

What's Included

What's Not Included

Exploration

Volunteering with GVI not only allows you to participate on programs assisting disadvantaged communities or endangered ecosystems, but it also offers wonderful opportunities to travel in the local area in your down time or further afield, either before or after your program. Below is some information on trips and travel options in Thailand.

Included Side Trips

The location of our Chiang Mai base is remote. Leaving Chiang Mai city you embark on a 5 hour journey into the mountains. On the way, we pass through Doi Inthanon National Park (Thailand’s highest peak) and usually stop for a walk in one of the spectacular waterfalls.

Optional Side Trips

The Phang Nga province offers a myriad of amazing sites and scenery to discover! Explore the amazing Khao Sok National Park, including the stunning Cheow Larn Lake and 740km² of rainforest and which is home to elephants, leopards, tigers, deer, monkeys, lizards, birds, and the Rafflesia  – the largest flowers in the world, 90cm across with a unique aroma… of rotting flesh! Take a day trip for a quick sample of the park’s delights or stay overnight and discover even more – perhaps in one of the jungle tree houses, or even on a bungalow that floats on the lake. Trek through the jungle, kayak around Cheow Larn lake visiting spectacular limestone caves, swim in idyllic waterfalls or just relax and see what you can spot!

Khao Lak is a very popular tourist spot close by, with beautiful, seemingly endless beaches, so many dining options you’ll be spoilt for choice and hundreds of spas offering massages and treatments at reasonable rates. With a wide range of accommodation options, from luxury resorts to hostels, Khao Lak offers you the chance to spoil yourself for a few days, whether you’re on a budget or looking to splurge a little.

The Similan and Surin Island groups, both under the protection of their Marine National Park status, are home to some of the best diving and snorkelling spots in the region. You can take a day trip, stay on a live aboard boat or even stay overnight on the islands themselves.

Phuket Island, about 90mins south of Khao Lak and renowned for its colourful nightlife is also a great stop-off for divers and snorkelers, but if you’re not the diving type you can explore Phang Nga Bay by speed-boat or sea kayak, stopping off at James Bond Island, made famous by the 1974 film ‘The Man With the Golden Gun’ before visiting the floating Sea Gypsy village. Phuket is also very popular with surfers, playing host to annual surfing competitions, though there is a great ‘secret spot’ near Khao Lak… if you’re interested GVI staff will show you the way!

Neighbouring Krabi Province is a treasure trove for intrepid travellers; from the crystal clear Emerald Pond to the epic 1,237-step climb up to the Buddha image and stunning views at the Tiger Temple Cave to the enchanted scenery and pools of Than Bok Khoranee National Park to the shopping and late night bars of Ao Nang to the chilled out beaches of Koh Lanta Island to the parties of Phi, where ‘The Beach’ was filmed – the options are truly endless!

While at the Chiang Mai base, there is ample time for you to plan side trips and organise transportation. These are not part of the program and are best taken as a weekend trip or as an activity before or after joining the program. We are always ready to assist, provide recommendations and up-to-date information. Locally, trips can be arranged to neighbouring villages and town like Mae Chaem and Mae Hong Son. These are great places to wind down, get a traditional Thai massage or explore the temples.

Though we are well off the main tourist route, opportunities exist, before or after the program, for you to go bamboo river rafting, rock climbing, visit Doi Inthanon National Park, relax at a local resort/spa, and take advantage of everything that the Chiang Mai Province has to offer!

Further Travelling Opportunities

Thailand is a country with a massive range of fantastic places that you could visit. If you have the time and budget, you could consider going to see the following; the waterfalls of the picturesque Khao Yai National Park, the local tribes of Nam Province, the beaches of Ko Tao and Mu Ko Chang Marine National Park, the golden kingdom of Ayuthaya, the temples and nightlife of Bangkok, just to name a few!