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Teach English in Thailand: Chiang Mai
On the banks of the Ping River in northwest Thailand, nestled among some of the highest mountains in Thailand, Chiang Mai is known as the centre of Thai craftwork. Centuries ago the city, which today is home to over 150,000 residents, made a name for itself for the creation of exquisite jade jewellery.
With over 200 temples, Chiang Mai is also a centre of traditional Buddhist life. Although the old trading town is rich in tradition, its name translates as “New City”, and it has already made the leap to become a modern cultural city.
Does TravelWorks accept participants from outside the UK?
Do I need to take a test to prove my English skill level?
Do I need special references or experience in order to participate?
Is there an age limit? How old are typical participants?
Can I participate with a friend?
Can I combine my volunteer work in Thailand with a programme in another country?
What is the health/safety situation in Chiang Mai?
What will my project activities include?
Should I bring my own teaching materials?
How long does the programme last? Can I extend my stay?
When can I start the programme?
Do I need to apply for a visa?
Should I buy travel insurance?
What other expenses to I need to consider?
Will I have contact people in Thailand?
Can my activities in Thailand count as a practicum or internship?
Will I earn money during my project work?
Does TravelWorks accept participants from outside the UK?
Yes. Participants from the United Kingdom and the United States are welcome to work with elephants and teach English in Thailand, as are citizens from other countries. If you are from another country, we will have to check your country’s visa requirements to see if you can participate.
Do I need to take a test to prove my English skill level?
No. No English test is required, and even if you are not a native English speaker, you may still participate and teach English in Thailand. However, it is important that you bring very good English skills, especially if you will be teach English in Thailand.
Do I need special references or experience in order to participate?
No. You do not need to have any specific educational or work experience in order to volunteer with elephants and teach English in Thailand. However, teaching experience, experience working with children, and travel experience are definitely helpful.
Is there an age limit? How old are typical participants?
No, there is no upper age limit, although you must be at least 18 in order to participate. Most participants are between 18 and 30 years of age.
Older participants are always welcome to work with elephants and teach English in Thailand, although if you are older, you probably will not be working with anyone in your age group. In any case, it is extremely hot and humid in Thailand, so it is important that participants be physically fit.
Can I participate with a friend?
Yes. When you apply, you may list a travel partner, and we are generally able to place travel partners together at the same project. However, we cannot guarantee 100% that you will be placed in the same project as your friend as you work with elephants or teach English in Thailand.
Can I combine my volunteer work in Thailand with a programme in another country?
Yes. It is often possible to combine programmes. Feel free to contact TravelWorks for more information.
What is the health/safety situation in Chiang Mai?
Thailand is a country where the health risks are considerably more severe than those in Europe and the United States. For example, the risk of contracting malaria is present in some parts of Thailand. It is important that you visit a doctor as early as possible before your departure for advice about necessary vaccinations and health precautions. You can find useful information regarding vaccinations at www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk.
Thailand is a wonderful place to travel, as long as you are careful. You can find extensive information about the safety situation in Thailand and other countries on the website of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office: www.fco.gov.uk or the website of the U.S. Department of State: travel.state.gov.
Thailand is a very tourist-friendly country, and we repeatedly hear from participants that women are able to travel here safely. Be aware that you will be surrounded by a completely foreign culture. It is absolutely necessary that you dress appropriately (for example, women should cover their shoulders) and you should be courteous to the local people.
Where will I live?
During the orientation weekend, you will stay in a room with several other people in the volunteer house in Chiang Mai. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.
If you sign up for the elephant project, you will stay in a single room at the camp as you volunteer with elephants and possibly teach English in Thailand from Monday through Friday. During this time, you will receive three meals each day. Since your weekends will be free and participants usually use this time to travel, weekend accommodation at the camp is not included in the programme price. If beds are free in the volunteer house at the weekend, you can also stay here if you want. Otherwise, our partner organisation can help you find affordable accommodation elsewhere.
If you decide to teach English in Thailand in a Buddhist temple school, you will stay in a room with several other people in the volunteer house in Chiang Mai. In rare cases, volunteers stay in a nearby block of flats. This accommodation is also provided at the weekend. Breakfast is provided every day, and lunch is provided on weekdays.
Please be prepared for living conditions which are considerably more basic than what you are used to. Participants usually share a room with other volunteers. Please note that the accommodation includes only very simple amenities. For example, you will most likely use a bucket to bathe yourself, as most places do not have regular showers. Water and electrical failures are not uncommon.
What will my project activities include?
Volunteering with elephants in Thailand, you will be working from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. There is a broad range of activities which you could be doing, from bathing and feeding the elephants, to cleaning out their enclosures. There are also other possibilities, such as teaching English in Thailand to your co-workers or to village children.
In the temple schools, volunteers work 3-5 hours each day, helping monks to teach English or teaching English classes independently. Depending on the circumstances on location and on your own abilities, you could also teach other classes.
The mentality of the Thai people will play a big role as you adjust to life and work in Thailand. It is important that you be yourself and discuss your ideas with teachers and project leaders.
You will need to be flexible in Asia as you travel and volunteer. You will also need to show personal initiative as you pitch in and help. You may end up working together with other volunteers at a certain project, but you could also be the only person volunteering at your project site.
Please note that your project work will not be meticulously planned out for you, and you may not receive concrete instructions as to what you should be doing. Therefore, you will need to be creative, adaptable, flexible, and independent in order to really help out at your project site.
Should I bring my own teaching materials?
If you are taking part in the temple school project, you may teach English in Thailand on your own, with a fellow volunteer, or with a teacher from the school. You will most likely be expected to plan your own classes, with whatever materials you deem necessary. You may also teach English in Thailand if you volunteer in the elephant camp. Therefore, you should start preparing some lesson ideas before you leave for Thailand. English songs and games often work well, and are fun ways to teach simple English in Thailand.
How long does the programme last? Can I extend my stay?
The programme lasts for at least 2 weeks and up to 24 weeks. Please indicate when you sign up how long you would like to participate.
When can I start the programme?
The programme starts every first and third Monday in the month. Participants should arrive on the Friday before the programme starting date. From March to the middle of May, it is not possible to start the temple school programme.
Do I need to apply for a visa?
Depending on how long you plan to stay in Thailand, you may not need to apply for a visa. If you are from the UK or United States and are planning to stay for fewer than 30 days, you do not need to apply for a visa.
Citizens of the United Kingdom and the United States who are planning to stay longer than 30 days in Thailand need to apply for a tourist visa prior to leaving for Thailand. The tourist visa is valid for 60 days after your arrival in Thailand.
Should I buy travel insurance?
Yes, we strongly recommend that you get travel insurance to protect yourself abroad. WorldNomads offers flexible travel insurance for short-term and gap-year travellers like yourself. Note that this is only a recommendation. Feel free to search for the travel insurance which is right for you.
What other expenses to I need to consider?
How much money you spend on extra costs will depend to a large degree on your personal lifestyle. Aside from the programme costs, you will need to factor in the following expenses:
- Flight to Thailand
- Travel Insurance
- Vaccinations
- Police background check
- Miscellaneous travel, souvenirs, etc.
- Some meals
- Visa costs
- Accommodation at the weekend (for participants in the elephant programme)
Will I have contact people in Thailand?
Yes, the staff of our partner organisation will be your contact people for the duration of your stay in Thailand, and will be happy to help you with any questions or problems which may arise as you work with elephants and teach English in Thailand. At the beginning of your time in Thailand, our partner organisation will pick you up at the airport, and they will offer an orientation to help you adjust to Thai culture.
After the orientation, you can call our partners in their office, or visit them directly if something remains unclear. If you are sick or need to extend your visa, our partner organisation will be there to help.
Can my activities in Thailand count as a practicum or internship?
This depends on which criteria your practicum must fulfil, but working with elephants and teaching English in Thailand usually cannot be accepted as a practicum. At the end of the programme, we will send you a certificate of participation, which will certify when and for how long you took part in the programme.
Will I earn money during my project work?
No, this is volunteer work! This means that when you work with elephants or teach English in Thailand, you will be supporting people in need and assisting in projects, which usually have barely enough money to cover their own essential expenses. Please do not expect payment for your volunteer work. Instead, look at this as an amazing opportunity to help people and gain meaningful life experiences.
What are my next steps?
If you decide to work with elephants or teach English in Thailand with this programme, just fill out the PDF or online Booking Form. Please note that if you are booking online you will need a credit card (we accept Visa or MasterCard). If you choose the PDF booking form, please print, fill out, and sign the form before faxing it to TravelWorks. As soon as we have received your application, we will process your booking. At this point your application will be legally binding. We will contact you if we need any additional information.
You will receive various application materials by e-mail after you have applied for the elephant camp or temple school English-teaching programme. These documents need to be completed and returned to TravelWorks.
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