Volunteer Teacher Wanted.

[krudong]

My name is Dong.i am now teaching at the school on the mountain near Khoon Korn waterfall, called Mae Morn Witthaya school. The school is in the hilltribe village, so most oft the students are hilltribes. This year my school want 1 or more volunteer teachers to teach the students. There is no contract, no nothing. We offer house and meal on weekdays and you will have the day off on weekends. you can stay as long as you want. If anyone interest please feel free to contact me by PM.

Thanks.

Edited May 18, 2007 by PeaceBlondie
no emails or phone #s permitted - PB

[chang35baht]

My name is Dong.i am now teaching at the school on the mountain near Khoon Korn waterfall, called Mae Morn Witthaya school. The school is in the hilltribe village, so most oft the students are hilltribes. This year my school want 1 or more volunteer teachers to teach the students. There is no contract, no nothing. We offer house and meal on weekdays and you will have the day off on weekends. you can stay as long as you want. If anyone interest please feel free to contact me at [email protected] or 0898992519 ask for Dong. Thanks.

As far as I am aware Dong, it is illegal for a farang to get involved in this type of activity. Even though it will be voluntary and it is for a good cause.Except for maybe someone who is a permanent resident.

Good luck with finding someone who will take the job on.

P.s. I think that you will find your email address removed when the moderators wake up. Pm`s are the way to go.

Edited May 18, 2007 by chang35baht

[chownah]

My experience is that volunteer teaching like this is legal. I used to teach voluntarily at a school and the head of the school even gave me a letter stating that my puprpose for being in Thailand was to volunteer to teach at that school and I showed this letter to Thai immigration officials when applying for a visa. I had no work permit....they questioned me about whether I was being paid or not...I wasn't....so they said fine and processed my visa.

[Domyamkung]

My experience is that volunteer teaching like this is legal. I used to teach voluntarily at a school and the head of the school even gave me a letter stating that my puprpose for being in Thailand was to volunteer to teach at that school and I showed this letter to Thai immigration officials when applying for a visa. I had no work permit....they questioned me about whether I was being paid or not...I wasn't....so they said fine and processed my visa.

Wrong.

Please check your facts......volunteering in Thailand without a work permit is illegal.

Even in the tsunami volunteers had to get work permits.

You may have got away with it, others may not be so lucky so please check before you advise people.

[chownah]

My experience is that volunteer teaching like this is legal. I used to teach voluntarily at a school and the head of the school even gave me a letter stating that my puprpose for being in Thailand was to volunteer to teach at that school and I showed this letter to Thai immigration officials when applying for a visa. I had no work permit....they questioned me about whether I was being paid or not...I wasn't....so they said fine and processed my visa.

Wrong.

Please check your facts......volunteering in Thailand without a work permit is illegal.

Even in the tsunami volunteers had to get work permits.

You may have got away with it, others may not be so lucky so please check before you advise people.

Domyamkung,

I reported my experience....I have checked my facts, the ones about my experience...and they are all correct. Everything I related above is factual. It might be that some gov't agencies think that vounteering is illegal without a work permit and some think it is legal.

As to the tsunami volunteers....you say that "even" the tsunami volunteers needed to have work permits. My view is that "especially" the tsunami volunteers needed to get work permits ....the concept of a volunteer having a work permit never really arose until the tsunami hit.....when the disaster happened Thailand was inundated with globe hopping do-gooders who thought they would come here and help out. This is all well and good but it lead to a certain degree of chaos and one way for the gov't to sort out who was with a coordinated relief agency and who was not was to require work permits which were then handed out to workers of legitimate agencies. The requirement for a work permit was a way to control the flood of uncoordinated helpers who were ariving on an adhoc basis.

As to the law. I'm not really sure just exactly what the law says but I do know that for the longest time people said that having a hobby required a work permit....but then the head of an immigration office made a comment in the Pattaya newspaper that the law is interpreted that hobbies are ok and legal and do not require work permits....so....as you see the law is interpreted by the officials who are charged with enforcing them I guess and interpretations are sometimes quite liberal. An example of this is that some of the farang tourist police were never issued work permits and they did volunteer work for a law enforcement agency!!!!

I will repeat....my experience is that (reread what I've posted above).

Respectfully,

Chownah

Edited May 18, 2007 by chownah

[tayto]

A friend recently asked Mae Sai immigration if he could volunteer his services as a teacher for free and they replied that he could be arrested and deported if he did any kind of volunteer work without the proper work permit.

Also read recently about someone in Pattaya arrested for playing a few tunes with a band.

I suppose it depends on the immigration official but as far as I know there is a general rule that we cannot volunteer.

[tayto]

http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/visa_teacher.html

. On Voluntary Basis

The applicant must apply for a non-immigrant visa, type “O”. at the Embassy. The applicant is required to submit an official recommendation letter from the organization in Thailand to the Embassy. Information on the term of voluntary work of the applicant in Thailand have to be provided for the Embassy’s consideration. If the applicant has appropriate qualification, the Embassy will issue a non-immigrant visa, type “O”, single entry with three month validity to the applicant within two working days. With this kind of visa, the applicant will be permitted to stay in Thailand not more than 90 days. In case the applicant wishes to extend the duration of stay in Thailand, the applicant is required to apply with the Immigration Bureau in Thailand by enclosing an official introduction letter of the Organization in Thailand.

For more information, please contact the Royal Thai Embassy , Consular Section, 29-30 Queen's Gate, LONDON SW7 5JB. Tel. 0207-5892944

Please be informed that a foreigner who is holding a Thai tourist visa is not permitted to work as an English teacher in Thailand, even on a voluntary basis.

Edited May 18, 2007 by tayto

[PeaceBlondie]

chownah, nobody doubts what the Immigration Police told you, about immigration law (visas). However, they do not work for the Ministries of Labour or Education. If someone reports reliably that an officer of Labour says "no work permit is required for certain approved kinds of volunteer work," that's different. The consensus has been that work requires a work permit, with the possible exception of F visa holders working exclusively for the British Council.

[Joel Barlow]

Yeah but... when I worked for a gov't school, I had no work permit (nor did anyone ever really mean to give me legal papers promised and required, I'm quite sure!).

Recently, volunteers from Changing Worlds, England, helped as teacher-assistants there, and no fuss was made. they're gone now (seen as 'nice to look at' but useless), but -

it's not just here that LAW is flexible

(see "no smoking" rules in NewYork City vs brandy and cigar clubs for the rich there...)...

much depends on how quiet, peaceable and friendly, well-mannered etc one is.

The 1st law on record was against alcohol consumption. Which meant, in practical terms, if they want you, they've got you.

[tayto]

The volunteering business can be very profitable.

Changing Worlds prides itself on being a small organisation that knows each volunteer; assistance is always available in-country and in the UK. Prices start at £1775 and include return flight and transfer to the placement, courses, accommodation, and all UK and overseas support. Volunteers must budget for visas, insurance, pocket money and food in some cases. Fundraising advice is given at interview.

[Joel Barlow]

yeah, and they promised the volunteers free food nobody here had offered -

or was prepared to give

(although Wanpen Nanta of ABC Language Nest, Koh Loi, did provide some).

[Paul123456]

So obviously those obsessed with forms and formality and rules: Please don't go be a volunteer, but other people - is anyone interested in helping out the initial request?