Most Thais would agree that the real Thailand lies in the small rural communities where life flows in and from the local Buddhist temple. For volunteers who wish to experience the true Thai culture, this is its source.
Many volunteer programs offer placements in Bangkok. We do not. Schools in Bangkok and the bigger communities tend to be bigger with bigger budgets. They can usually afford to hire full-time native English teachers. More importantly, big cities like Bangkok and Chiang Mai lack the charm, intimacy and warmth of small communities and villages.
At VTT we deliberately select choose small villages and rural communities which are near but not too greatly influenced by popular tourist destinations. We choose schools that are quaint and charming and are the center of village life. We require schools which have accommodation for teachers and staff which is clean, sanitary and safe. In our interviews with school staff, we search for Directors who are committed to committed to making a real difference. Finally we look for village communities which are friendly and welcoming to our teachers. We know every one of our placement schools intimately.
The volunteers who choose VTT may be assured that we have researched every school, the suitability of its programs, the volunteer accommodation and the village life that will be encountered there. But at the smaller rural schools students may never see a native English teacher. So for these students and their parents, a volunteer teacher is a genuine gift. As a consequence, the number one challenge for our teachers comes on the last day of teaching when the farewells are often emotional and tearful
We have 20 hand-selected placement schools in every major region of Thailand. Where you choose to teach will depend on the natural and cultural environment you want to experience.
KORAT
Volunteers attracted to traditional Thai customs and food will want to make Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat) their base. Here in northeast Thailand (ISAN), we offer 2 placement schools. The area rests on the higher elevations of the Khorat Plateau and features Thailand’s most popular park, KhaoYai
National Park, a heritage wildlife protected area. The pace is slower here but the people retain the same friendliness that is found throughout the Kingdom. Both Lao and Khmer influences can be seen and felt within the ancient temple ruins, distinctive food, architecture, and the region’s dialect.
Our featured schools lie at the southern entrance to KhaoYaiNational Park with great scenery, lots of waterfalls and fast moving rivers as its main attractions. Sarika and Nang Rong are the two most visited waterfalls, both spectacular during the rainy season. Each school lies tucked away on the side of small rolling hills amidst friendly, self-sustaining villages.
BANGKOK
If the frantic neon pace of
BANGKOK attracts you. You can choose it to be your base We offer 4 placement schools within two hours by road of this city of 10 million residents. Bangkok is the center of what is known as the Central Plain of Thailand. It is the country’s richest agricultural area producing rice, sugar cane and a variety of fruit. Because of the area’s life supporting fertility, it is also features the oldest settlements in the Kingdom, including the former capital Ayutthya. Our placement schools in this region are among the most popular among volunteers. They tell us that the villagers and students make them completely forget that the area doesn’t feature the mountains or the beaches of other regions.
CHIANG MAI/CHIANG RAI
If a quieter more intellectual or cultural experience attracts you then make Chiang Mai (700 km north of Bangkok) or Chiang Rai your base. It’s a great base to study meditation, Thai-style cooking or massage. The north is a mountainous landscape of vast rugged vistas, waterfalls, and undisturbed nature. The first true Thai kingdoms began here. So the entire area is rich in traditional culture and architecture, including some of the country’s most majestic temples. Chiang Mai, the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand, attracts more than 1 million visitors a year. The nearby national parks include Doi Inthanon, the highest mountain in Thailand.
We have several placement schools near these two major northern cities. Our newest is at Pai situated between the two on the winding mountainous road between Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son. Pai is earning a growing reputation among international travelers who make the extra effort to visit the mountain villages bordering Myanmar to see up close the traditional ways of hill tribe villagers. KANCHANABURI
If you want Kanchanaburi (126 km west of Bangkok) to be your base, we offer no less than 5 placements within that region. The area has been made famous by the Bridge on the River Kwai. But a lot of visitors come to trek in the limestone mountains or to visit the area’s many spectacular waterfalls.
One of our featured schools here is close to ErawanFalls, considered by many as the most beautiful waterfall in Thailand. From here volunteers can catch a bus directly to downtown Kanchanaburi which features the famous bridge, war museum and bustling gemstone and clothing market.
