Volunteering in Thailand
Discovering the Andaman Coast
 Sawadee ka, I am Lilia, the newest member of the Andaman Discoveries team! I wanted to introduce myself, and let you know I will be bringing you the newsletter and blogging for the next few months.
I am completely enchanted by the region's ecosystems, landscapes, sunsets, and people. I've visited Moken villages, national parks, beaches and islands, slept in a floating bungalow on a lake, and seen traditional tie dying - I can't wait to see what unfolds as I spend more time here.
One of my main focuses will be to engage you, our dear readers, more by bringing you stories and videos from the field to share the beauty and adventures surrounding this coast! [Read more]
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ToDo! Award - AD Does DO!
 A Win at ITB Berlin
Andaman Discoveries took home the ToDo! Award for Socially Responsible Tourism at this year's International Tourism Exchange in Berlin (ITB). The award, now in its 16th round, involves an intensive and comprehensive application process and a week-long site visit where every aspect of an organization is carefully analyzed. [Read more] |
It's All About the Kids
Helping students stay in school
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At the end of April, our office was filled with families from nearby villages - parents bringing their children in for our yearly scholarship interviews. Jaturong Klatalay, from Tung Dap village, likes reading books and cleaning up the village with his friends when not studying. He wants to be a scientist when he grows up. He sees the effects of climate change, and envisions a future for Thailand where plastic use is reduced, more trees are planted, and the villages are empowered.
We would like to thank all of the sponsors for their kind support, and we are also looking for more help. Thirty students are in need of further sponsorship, so if you're interested in helping, please send us an email. [Read more]
 | | Watch this video interview of one of our students! |
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Chickens & Pineapples!
Orphanage gets new chicken coop
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The AD staff recently went on a site visit to one of our orphanages just outside of Kura Buri, and have great news to report! Thanks to the hard work and donations from our volunteers, this orphanage was able to begin building a new chicken coop that will allow them to not only generate food for the children, but also provide a source of income. [Read more]
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Southern Thailand Orphanage
James and Rebecca's experience
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"We stayed onsite, lived, ate, worked and played with the family and the children. It has been an amazing experience, to see how well the children are cared for, how much the orphanage is like a family - providing love and care for all the children. It has been incredibly warming to be able to help and be part of the support to the children." [Read more]
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Conservation in Action
Volunteer activity development
|  Community members have expressed a desire to host volunteers year-round, and requested help developing activities. At the mangrove study site, we set up a number of plots and transects and developed a detailed monitoring sheet for volunteers. These can be used by short-term visitors in cooperation with village guides. To ensure local understanding and participation, the forms include Thai and English. Thanks to Naucrates, Planeterra, and Mangrove Action Project for their partnership on this project.
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Handicraft Development
Women's empowerment
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Started in late 2009, the women's tie-dye group is highly motivated, and improving rapidly, but still needs some help in capacity development. To jump start their business, we provided a small grant to seed a revolving fund for purchase of fabric. Field staff also provided ongoing business coaching and suggestions for product development. On the technical side, we facilitated preparation of a full color catalogue, price sheet, and web page for the range of products the group makes. [Read more]
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Community Garden
Homegrown is better
|  Vegetables and herbs are expensive in Ban Lions, as they are typically brought over from the mainland at high markup and transport cost. To demonstrate that locally grown gardens are feasible, over 20 villagers gathered together to clear and till the land for a community garden. Several bags of high-quality soil were brought in from the mainland and mixed in with the sandy local soil. A shade cover was erected to protect the plants from the harsh conditions of the dry season. [Read more]
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Hong Kong International School Tsunami Tour 2011
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A visit to the Andaman Coast
This March Andaman Discoveries was very pleased to welcome the Hong Kong International School in the Andaman coast. The of 20 keen students wanted to learn about the tsunami and volunteer at Yaowawit school.
They were all able to visit a Moken village to understand what they went through after the tsunami, and learn about how tourism can help or harm the local communities. [Read more]
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Why Us?
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Andaman Discoveries' internationally recognized community development and tourism projects make a real difference. Our International and bilingual staff have extensive knowledge, allowing guests to enjoy a true cultural exchange.
We have developed comprehensive teaching materials for those planning to volunteer in a school. And for folks new to Thailand we can arrange regional transport and accommodations, and even offer advice on traveling (our staff loves to explore the country, too!).
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Stay Connected!
Become a friend and be fan on Facebook, follow our moves on Twitter, and watch us on YouTube!
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"Thank you to all the family at Baan San Fan, we thoroughly recommend the experience to other volunteers - get involved and help this very worthwhile home provide support to the children"
James and Rebecca, Southern Orphanage Volunteers, March 2011 |
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