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Do I need any experience with animals to volunteer?
What will the work involve?
How closely will I be working with the animals?
What are the working hours?
What vaccinations do I need?
What should I bring?
What about clothes?
What are the food arrangements?
Is there a telephone and internet access at the centre?
What is there to do in the evenings?
No. Just lots of enthusiasm, the willingness to pitch in and work as part of a team, and the desire to help animals in need.
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What will the work involve?
The exact nature of the work you will be doing varies all the time and there is no such thing as a "typical" day. However there are certain everyday jobs that will be your responsibility, primarily feeding the animals and assisting with cleaning the cages. A rota system is followed for these jobs so that everyone does their fair share.
In addition to this you will probably be involved with, among other things, the construction of new cages and enclosures, working on cage enrichments, giving tours to visitors, working on new islands, maintenance work to cages and the islands, keeping the centre's grounds clean. The work can often be quite physically demanding but the end result is always well worth it!
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How closely will I be working with the animals?
Every day you will be working closely with several species of wild animal through activities such as feeding, cleaning and sometimes observing their behavior. In the vast majority of cases direct physical contact with the animals is unnecessary and discouraged and we do adhere to a "no petting" policy. This is because our goal is to rescue animals from their lives as "pets" and as far as possible allow them to live as "wild" animals once again. We are a rescue centre, not a petting zoo.
Also for safety reasons we must remember that wild animals are by nature prone to unpredictable and sometimes aggressive behavior. However, certain individuals such as those that are very young and those that are sick or handicapped in some way may require extra care and attention and direct contact may be necessary.
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What are the working hours?
Working hours are generally from 6.30 a.m. when the morning food preparation begins to around 5.00 p.m. in the evening with breaks for breakfast and lunch. However this is flexible depending on what projects are being worked on and what tasks need completing that day. You are expected to work a 6-day week and your day off is on a request basis and arranged weekly. If you ever want a day or a few days away from the project this is usually fine as long as we know a few days in advance.
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What vaccinations do I need?
Vaccinations against diphtheria, tetanus and polio (DTP) and also for hepatitis A and B are obligatory and without them you will not be allowed to work at the project. Furthermore we recommend vaccination against rabies and tuberculosis. However these vaccinations are entirely optional (at your own risk) as these diseases do occur in Thailand but have not occurred here at the centre. At the time of writing there is no occurrence of malaria in Petchburi. However if you plan to travel to other parts of Thailand you should consider taking anti-malarial precautions.
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What should I bring?
The following items are considered essential: Valid passport; valid visa; alarm clock; sunglasses; hat or cap; sunscreen (SPF 15+); working gloves; mosquito net; insect repellent; first-aid kit; toiletries; good shoes.
It is also a good idea to bring a torch, binoculars, a water bottle and a pocket-knife.
Items such as toiletries and clothes are widely available in Thailand and often at a lower price than you would pay back home. Some essential items can be bought in the village and volunteers usually make regular trips together to a large supermarket where you can buy almost everything you are likely to need.
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What about clothes?
Lightweight cotton clothing is best for the climate in Thailand. Bring plenty of old clothes to work in as they are likely to get very dirty and often covered in paint! It is a good idea to bring lightweight trousers and long-sleeved tops for the evenings to keep mosquitoes at bay. During the monsoon season it is necessary to bring a raincoat and trousers and/or poncho, rubber boots/ trekking shoes, thick socks, long trousers and a warm jumper for the evenings.
As the centre is located on temple grounds please dress accordingly- nothing too revealing or skimpy! For females shorts should not be too short (knee length or just above is best) and T-shirts/tops with sleeves are better that vest tops and should not show any midriff.
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What are the food arrangements?
Included in the price you pay are 3 meals a day. Lunch and dinner are prepared by our Thai cook, and you make your own breakfast. Both Thai and European food are provided and vegetarians are well catered for. Vegans must be prepared to help with their food preparation.
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Is there telephone and internet access at the centre?
You can receive (emergency) incoming calls at the centre, the best time for people to call is in the evenings and not after 9.00. It is not possible to make international calls from the centre, if you need to make an overseas call you can do so at one of the nearby towns such as Cha-am or Hua-hin. We have internet cafes in the village. There are also several internet cafes in both Cha-am and Hua-hin and volunteers frequently go together by taxi in the evenings.
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What is there to do in the evenings?
We have a TV at the centre that you can watch DVD's on and there is room for everyone to sit and relax in the main volunteer house. For a night out volunteers can take a taxi to Hua-hin where there are many bars and restaurants and also a night market. On Wednesday evenings there is a big night market in Cha-am selling lots of cheap clothes and souvenirs, which is very popular.
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