About Healthcare in Thailand

World Endeavors Healthcare volunteers in Thailand help to provide quality healthcare for children and adults. Volunteers learn about the Thai healthcare system and contribute through a variety of projects. Volunteers interested in working in a hospital setting may be placed at a children’s hospital in Bangkok. Depending on their level of healthcare experience, volunteers may assist local medical staff with basic tasks such as taking temperatures, bathing patients, or changing clothing or diapers. They can also contribute by playing with the children or tutoring them in English or other subjects. Those with an interest in hands-on work may be matched with a project that will train them on the basics of Thai massage and place them with children with disabilities.

A Typical Day in the Life of a Volunteer in Thailand

World Endeavors volunteers in Thailand can expect their days to be a combination of meaningful volunteer work, cultural experiences, and free time for relaxation and reflection.  The sample schedule below represents a typical day for a volunteer in Thailand.  Keep in mind that when volunteering abroad, a typical day can be anything but typical!

7:30 am – 8:00 am:  Breakfast with your host family.  Breakfast in Thailand consists of porridge or boiled rice, local dumplings or fried flour, rice with curry, or bread with jam and tea or coffee.

8:00 am: Travel to your volunteer placement.

9:00 am – 12:00 pm: Work at volunteer placement.

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm: Grab lunch at one of the affordable restaurants in the volunteer project area.

1:00 pm – 3:00 pm: Work at volunteer placement.

3:00 pm – 5:00 pm: Thai language course.

5:00 pm – 7:30 pm: Enjoy free time by hanging out with new friends, visiting the internet café, riding a bike around the city, taking a Thai cooking class, or exploring Bangkok’s beautiful temples, museums, parks, flower markets, or Yaowarat (Chinatown).

7:30 pm – 8:30 pm: Dinner with your host family.  Dinners in Bangkok often include rice, curry, and a fried vegetable.

8:30 pm – 10:00 pm: Relax at home, practice your Thai with your host family, read a book, prepare for the next day’s volunteering, or plan a weekend excursion to visit some of Thailand’s many palaces, temples, floating markets, beaches, and national parks.

Project and class schedules, meals, and free time activities may vary depending on the details of your placement.

Eligibility

Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older. Successful volunteers are hardworking, flexible, and open to truly immersing themselves in Thai culture.