Trip Highlights
- Volunteer with Elephants in Thailand, get to work in a quaint Elephant village in Surin, Thailand
- Responsibilities include working with mahouts, collecting elephant feed from the forest, helping in making their vitamins, taking them for walks, morning and evening bathes and taking care of baby elephants
- Volunteers also get to make different organic products out of Elephant waste
- An ideal break where volunteers get to live in the countryside and also take a break from their everyday life
- Great opportunity for all wildlife enthusiasts to work for the conservation of elephants at local elephant camps
- Get to meet passionate volunteers from all over the globe
- Opportunity to explore Surin and also take a weekend trip to Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Overview
Surin is said to be the “Elephant capital” of Thailand, and soon after arriving here volunteers would realize why. One of the most amazing things about Surin is its elephants. They are revered throughout Thailand and the Elephant Volunteering program is a unique opportunity, not only to get up close and personal with them but to live in a genuine Thai community and experience real rural Thai life first-hand.
Surin is home to over 400 of these wonderful animals. Generations ago the elephants were originally captured from the wild jungles to use as farming ‘machinery’ by Surin’s founding fathers. In more modern times, however, the use of elephants in logging and agriculture has become redundant and with a fully grown elephant eating huge amounts of food each day, these elephants are extremely expensive to look after. Many elephant owners (known as Mahouts) sold their elephants or took them to the streets of the big cities to beg for money from locals and tourists alike. Not a good situation at all for the elephants.
Located on the outskirts of Surin province lies the community of Tha-Tum. This community is home to approximately 250 people and over 30 elephants. Through many years of collaboration and volunteering effort, we were able to support this village and ensure that the mahouts no longer need to take to the streets and go begging with their elephants. Instead, the community focusses on giving visitors the opportunity to learn about elephants in Thailand, spend time with them and also experience living in the local community. Volunteers spend three nights each week living in the home of the village elder and his family. This is a unique opportunity to see how life operates on a day-to-day basis. During the village stay, three meals each day are included. There is a small shop in the village where you can purchase snacks. Volunteers are expected to help cook meals and join in with day to day activities in the village. It is important that throughout your time in the village (and indeed wherever you are in Thailand) that all volunteers respect the local community, their culture, and way of doing things. Our local team member based in the village will, of course, help you with this.
Volunteer Roles & Responsibilities
Volunteer Work Schedule
Living
Dates & Cost
Program Requirements
Reviews
FAQs
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How To Apply
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Login To Volunteering Solutions -
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Select Your Destination & Project -
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Fill the Application Form & Make Payment to Secure your place -
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Hurray! There you go!