Thailand Bootcamps

Description: The facility trains soldiers at their camp in Kanchanburi province (2 Hoursdriving from Bangkok). This camp trains soldiers, male and female students from all over Thailand via activities such as an obstacle course, tower jump and shooting range. This training camp will be open to international tourists as an Adventure Boot Camp.

Org Website (if available):none

Job / Placement Information

Volunteer Placement Title: English Teacher Bangkok location ot Kanchanaburi Camp location. (Volunteers in Thailand for 4 weeks or more may choose to split their time between the two locations, spending at least 2 weeks at each.

Placement Type: English Education and Eco-tourism Consulting, Documentation

Description & Background:

Location 1. The volunteer is here to help prepare the camp facilities and tour guides to be a tourism destination for international visitors. The camp is already used for Thai tourists and groups such as boy scouts and girl scouts, but the staff is not equipped to accept non-Thai speakers.

Location 2. Volunteers will help improve the English skills of the soldiers who will act as guides, may help to create English signs, guidebooks and brochures, and will provide feedback and ideas for tour services and activities. The department also runs a museum, and the museum guides need help presenting their information in English.

Typical Day

There are 2 possible placements. One at the Department headquarters in Bangkok, and the other at the Training Camp.

Typical Bangkok day:

1.  General English conversation class with soldiers
2.  Presentation: teach the museum staff how to present the information in English
3.  Presentation: teach the bootcamp staff how to present the adventure activity instructions in English
4.  Write/Edit Boot Camp tourism documentation
5.  Write/Edit museum documentation

Typical Camp day:

1.  General English conversation class with soldiers
2.  Presentation: teach the bootcamp staff how to present English instructions for one of the following activities:
            -  10 Stations
            -  Shooting Targets
            -  Mountain Trek
            -  Survival Course and Camping
            -  The stories of the statues
3.  Write/Edit Boot Camp tourism documentation

Volunteer Tasks

Volunteers may do one or more of the following tasks, depending on the project status. Please indicate your preference, if any.
1. General English teaching to soldiers: (lessons developed from previous volunteers).
2. Teaching job-specific English: and providing English practice to the soldiers who act as guides leading the Adventure Boot Camp or giving tours at the department museum
3. Guidebook Development:  help to develop English language guidebooks for tourists to read while participating in the various activities and viewing the sites
4. Brochure Development: help to develop English language brochure that will be used to advertise the Boot Camp
5. Tourist feedback: provide feedback on activities and facilities experienced as a tourist

Goals/Objectives of Placement: To improve the spoken English and the services and activities the department provides the activity operator of the boot camp. The department also aims to develop the soldiers’ families as eco-tourism professionals.

Academic/ Educational Requirements: None. Teaching experience is preferred, but not required. Military background is a plus.

Work Experience Requirements: None. Teaching experience is preferred, but not required. Military background is a plus. Physical Requirements None.

Physical Requirements: None. There will be many optional recreational sports at the camps.

Ideal Volunteer Profile: Volunteers will be self-motivated and confident, able to shape the environment they are in and tailor their experience to best meet their own needs and the needs of the department.Volunteers will also be outgoing, friendly, and willing to take initiative in speaking with others in Thai and English, and will be able to creatively design and deliver English lessons and games. They will be comfortable in a military setting, and in spending time with Thai soldiers and military personnel (who are very friendly!)Camp volunteers will enjoy participating in adventure activities such as obstacle courses, boating, trekking, target shooting.

Deliverables:

At the end of the placement, the volunteer will complete a Volunteer Report and Survey (word | html) and, depending on the status of the project, volunteers may also deliver one or more of the following documents (specific deliverables to be determined upon volunteer placement/arrival of each volunteer):

• Teaching: materials and any materials created and used when teaching English should be copied and delivered at the end of the placement.
• Guidebook: write, design or create an outline for a tour guidebook, describing the tour activities. To be given to tourists and used by tour guides for English practice.
• Brochure: write, design or create an outline for a brochure to market the Bootcamp to tourists.

Length of Placement: 4-6 Weeks preferred. Minimum of 2 weeks.

Dates of placement: Any time, except January-February (in Kanchanaburi), when the Bootcamp will be closed to the public in January and February for actual military training.Volunteers may still teach in Bangkok during this time.

Work Hours: The work schedule will be discussed and agreed by the volunteers and the personnel upon arrival. Volunteers generally work 5 days per week and have 2 days for touring.

Preparation and Materials Needed:

Volunteer should prepare to teach lessons on greetings, social conversation, tourism, etc. It is not required that you bring complete lesson plans.

Volunteers should bring

• an English-Thai and/or Thai-English dictionary or phrasebook. The Rough Guide phrasebook available in most bookstores is a good choice, offering phonetic spellings and an easy way to look up Thai words.

• Notebooks pens, pencils, folders, and markers

• Photographs and postcards of self, friends and family, and home environment

• Magazines or other pictures related to the topics the volunteer will teach (discuss topics with your volunteer coordinator before arrival).

• Books, music and other materials to entertain self during freetime

Volunteer should look over curriculum topics and suggestions from previous volunteers to generate ideas for teaching.

Volunteer may wish to review some ESL websites prior to the placement.

See teaching resources page for more information.

Materials Provided: Volunteer may be provided with

• writing utensils, a chalkboard and typical class-room materials at the Camp
• record of Curriculum Development, suggestions and teaching topics from previous volunteers through ETAC's Co-ordinator

Volunteer Comments about this placement: See our Comments Page

Cultural / Environmental Considerations

Organizational Routines and Protocols: None.

Clothing:

Volunteers should have a variety of clothing, appropriate for teaching, trekking, biking, rafting and swimming.

Teaching, temples, palaces, military facilities, and other places of repsect:

• Long pants or skirts

• Shirts with sleeves

At the Activities:

• Lightweight long pants

• Short or long sleeve lightweight T-shirt

• Hiking boots, shoes or sandals

In general, in Thailand you will be removing your shoes often. Easily removable shoes are recommended.

Other considerations:

Military staff and their family members will be very excited to have you there, and will want to spend lots of time talking with you, practicing English, and playing! You will need to exercise judgment and authority in order to spend enough time with the soldiers to create a good rapport, but enough alone time to satisfy your need for personal space and relaxation. This is best achieved at the beginning of the placement when the work schedule is created. You should build in some official "alone time" which they will respect.

While a few of the soldiers speak English well enough to discuss your needs, no one speaks fluent English. Having a second volunteer with you will provide companionship and a person who speaks your language.

One of the most important needs of all of the soldiers, young and old, is to get practice speaking and listening to native English. Most Thai's have had extensive English grammar and vocabulary in school, but get very little practice using the language. As an English speaker, you can help them immensely by speaking the language and by making them speak. You should center your lessons around these ideas and include lots of time for them practice speaking in small groups and in front of the class. You will be amazed at their increased confidence and improved fluency.

Location and Living Arrangements

Work Location: Military headquarters in Bangkok, or at a military training camp in a rural area

Type of work location (office, village, school, etc): Office or Military training grounds

Distance to living quarters: Bangkok - A few kilometers- Free transportation provided at 7.00 O'clock (Monday-Friday). Training camp - 0 km, stay at the camp during activities
Location (city name or village):

Distance to city with Amenities: Headquarters in Bangkok near the Dusit Zoo. Access to everything in the city via public transport.  Training Camp is 30 mins from a city with all amenities. Volunteers can take local bus in front of the camp to the city.

Communication facilities on site:

• Local telephone: Bangkok - yes Traning camp - ??
• Long distance telephone: Bangkok - ?? Training camp - ??
• Fax: Bangkok - ?? Traning camp - ??
• Internet/Email: Bangkok - ?? Traning camp - ??
• Computer: Bangkok - yes Traning camp - ??
  

Living Location, Description

Bangkok, Thailand or Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand

Type of accommodation: Bangkok - A large house for guests of military. with kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and cable television. Training Camp - in building on site - shared bedrooms

Accomodation Description

Sharing: Bangkok: May share home with others, including housekeeper. Training Camp -???????

Bedding: A king size bed with all bedding provided.

Fan or A/C: Bangkok - A/C in bedroom

Toilet/Shower: Bangkok - Private bathroom with western toilet and shower. Training camp - xx

Laundry: Washing Machine available. No dryer.

Transportation - Maps and Bus Schedules, Rentals:

See FAQ transportation section for bus and train schedules and phone numbers

*Note:transportation to and from placements is NOT covered by the pre-paid volunteer fees. Please be prepared to pay for bus or train tickets to your placement.

Bangkok Placement: Volunteers will ride with staff members to work at the headquarters. They will be able to go anywhere in Bangkok with local transportation, such as buses and taxis.

Training Camp: Volunteers will ride to the placement by a volunteer coordinator. Once there, he/she will remain at the training grounds, except when they arrange a ride into town with the local coordinator or by himself.

Back to Bangkok: The co-ordinator at the camp will give the volunteer a ride to Kanchanaburi when they finish the placement. Volunteers will need to take a bus or van from there back to Bangkok. The a/c van from Kanchanaburi to Bangkok is Bht 100 (leaves at 13.00 from the Jolly Frog Guesthouse everyday)

To other locations in Thailand: It is only 30 mins riding on local bus in fron of the Camp to kanchanaburi Bus Termianal, where volunteer can take a bus back to Bangkok( Ticket costs Bht 62) to further to other places in Thailand

Meals: Bangkok: Volunteers will be given a refund so they may get their own dinner.Breakfast and lunch will be provided by the department. The volunteer will be able to walk to Thai restaurants and convenience stores, and can go anywhere in Bangkok via taxi, bus, etc.
Kanchanaburi Camp:All meals will be provided by the camp food service, and volunteers will eat with the soldiers. Traditional Thai food for all meals. There are small stores nearby where you can buy local snacks, chips and soda. Western snacks like chocolate can be purchased in big city..

Costs - Food & Accommodation:

 See our volunteer fees and refund policy page.

Contact Information

Emergency Contact Information for all placements- Speaks English and Thai

Emergency Name: Mooknadda Pitakmahaketu

Street Address: 55/74 Phahonyothin 54 Rd. Sai Mai Bangkok 10220 Thailand

Home Phone: Phone/Fax 02-521-8579

Mobile Phone: 01-619-9663

Email: volunteer@ecoventurethailand.com

On-Site Contact Information will be provided upon placement acceptance