The minimum period of stay is a 2 months service.

Kuan Mai Bong is a Buddhist village located in Cha-uat district of Nakorn Sri Tammarat province, Southern Thailand. The population of the village consists of approx. 720 people (212 homes). Most villagers make a living on their property such as rubber plantation and fruit orchard. Some others are temporary workers earning wages from occasional hire. The village was named Kuan Mai Bong deriving from its abundance in timber (Kuan Mai Bong = hill of timber). Due to its fertile of natural resources of hardwood and minerals in the past, this province as well as the neighboring provinces, Trang and Pattalung, was announced a concession of forestry by the government in 1971 along with the mine industry. The concession had continuously taken away lots of valuable trees and minerals for years. In the meantime, the government challenged an uprising of anti-government communist groups at the time, it therefore launched a campaign of communist crackdown throughout the nation; the mountainous landscape of the three provinces was thought to be a hidden place of the communists. The forestry and mine concession covering the mountain range of the three provinces was permanently restrained and brought under surveillance by the concerned government. Years later the situation had gradually improved, the government allowed people to make a living on the once-spoiled land. It was possessed by newcomers from nearby villages and soon after, an agricultural community was founded. In 1982, the present-running government proclaimed this area to be restricted and turned it into a preserved forest covering 1100 square kilometers throughout the 3 provinces (Nakorn Sri Tammart, Trang and Pattalung) and launched a policy of pushing settlers to relocate. The villagers rejected but after a negotiation with the government, they were allowed to continue living under the dealt agreement.

In 2005, Kuan Mai Bong villagers began to be aware of their forestry resources. Losses in natural abundance in the past made them concerned on how man and nature can live in balance. Serious forestry preservation and rehabilitation took place. They gathered to explore their forest, paid more attention to natural resources management concerning protection of flash flood and soil problem. They came up with activities such as building a natural dike, making a wildfire-defending range and building a boundary mark between villagers’ land and preserved forest, for example.

Roy Wan Pan Pba project was started from nothing but motivation and solidarity in March 2011 by the initiatives of a local environmental activist Pi Ju along with endless support of Kuan Mai Bong villagers and the work of the pilot international volunteers from Finland, Denmark, Germany and Thailand. The main aim is to focus on participants (kids, volunteers, and local people) to be aware of the importance of staying self-sufficient in their environment and to respect it as a vital part of their life. Of course, it goes along with managing a good community life between all participants, especially with the local community who are the guarantee of the continuity of the project. This atmosphere is the basic key of this alternative school that everyone can feel and learn from when joining. Volunteers are working/learning in the week and spreading their experience/feelings with local kids who are coming on Saturdays. We believe the growing temptation of parents to send their kids to study in the city (for “better education”) and the dream of some young locals to leave their village for the consumption world can be refrained by organizing activities, learning and sharing with volunteers from outside. Volunteers are at the same time students and actors of the project.

In the last 3 years, Pi Ju supervised this project to create a kind of model of sustainable garden, and thanks to a great solidarity between local people and volunteers managed to build most the facilities needed to welcome people to live there and visitors as well. There is now a lot of food available from the garden and big trees already planted.

The alternative school is located in a mountainous village of Ban Tad Mountain Range. It is approx. 16 kilometers far from the main road reaching up to the mountain. It is surrounded by rubber plantations, fruit orchards and scattered settlement of villagers’ homes.

This project is to build and run this alternative school together. Volunteers also dedicate themselves for community work when there’s need. You can this way experience real solidarity in this strong community where money is not as important as some would like to make us believe.

There is still some construction work to be built on/repaired in the school area. As part of the team, volunteers share great support to the local project to help keep the school and its landscape in good order. They are given responsibility to take care of vegetable garden, mushroom shed, compost making, tree nursery and seeds collection. One of the school plans concerning the campaign of agricultural self-sufficiency is that people need no buying food from a market but to grow or to raise whatever edible and make it into meals for their families.

On Saturdays, the kids gather at the school to do activities with the volunteers. Volunteers decide together how the school days are spent. The opportunities are endless: teaching different subjects such as basic English, art, agriculture, games. The kids vary in age (it can be from 6 to 20). This is never a problem. They like to participate in activities together. If you know any activities worth arranging for the kids from your country or any teaching ideas, please bring supplies you may need with you.

In everyday life, apart from main tasks, you are also expected to help with the family’s daily tasks which are helping preparing meals for family members, doing washing up, watering plants in dry season, and keeping the house area, kitchen, coffee-tea table, bathrooms and restrooms tidy and clean. Moreover, you’re more than appreciated to also spend some time after work with villagers in Kuan Kilom village playing sports or keeping on close relationship with them when you’re not very tired from your main tasks.

- To support Roy Wan Pan Pba project.
- To learn from each other among volunteers themselves, and from volunteers to villagers vice versa through “learning by doing” concept.
- To build good relationship between volunteers and local people.
- To be a part of Kuan Mai Bong community.
- To let children be familiar with volunteers and learn in international/multi-cultural atmosphere.

Huts shared with other volunteers/home-stay

Cha-uat district, Nakorn Sri Tammarat province, Southern Thailand.

Hat Yai (from Bangkok you can choose to travel by plane, bus or train)

The fee will be used for living expenses (gas, water, electricity, food) and materials used in projects/activities. Some part of the fee will be used to support Thai volunteers and our organization.

8,000 THB per month (approx. 200 Euro), but if you stay over 3 months, from 4th month onward, instead of paying 8,000 THB every month, we reduce the fee to 7,000 THB (approx. 175 Euro) per month.

A 6-month stay volunteer, during month 1-3, 8,000 THBx3=24,000 THB, and month 4-6, 7,000 THBx3=21,000 THB. Altogether 45,000 THB/6 months.

- Participant is responsible for their own travel costs and all personal expenses during free time.
- Participant is responsible for taking care of their own insurance.
- Participant should respect and have willingness to understand other cultures and backgrounds.
- Living conditions will be in Thai style (willingness to adapt and enjoy simple conditions of living).
- Willingness to work and live together, build friendship with local people and other volunteers, let's try to make this world a nice place to live in!
- Participant should have the basic skills/knowledge toward the project they apply for.
- Participant should ask for a visa “Non-Immigrant type”. DaLaa will provide an invitation letter and other officially registered papers.

Roy Wan Pan Pba project is located not far from a small village called Kuan Mai Bong (hill of timber). It’s a Buddhist village situated in a remote area of Cha-uat district of Nakorn Sri Tammarat province, Southern Thailand. Population of the village consists of approx. 720 people (212 homes). Most villagers make a living on their property such as rubber plantation and fruit orchard. Some others are temporary workers earning wages from occasional hire.

The project was started from nothing but motivation and solidarity in March 2011 by the initiatives of a local environmental activist Pi Ju ( Mr Surasak Yentua)along with support of Kuan Mai Bong villagers and DaLaa pilot volunteers. Its objective is to focus on participants (kids, volunteers, and locals) to be aware of importance of staying self-sufficient in their environment and to respect it as a vital part of their life. This atmosphere is the basic key of the site that everyone can feel and learn from. Volunteers are working/learning in the week and spreading their experience/feelings with local kids who are coming on Saturdays. We believe the growing temptation of parents to send their kids to study in the city (for “better education”) and the dream of some young locals to leave their village for the consumption world can be refrained by organizing activities, learning and sharing with volunteers from outside. Volunteers are at the same time students and actors of the project.

Since 2011, Pi Ju has supervised this project to create a kind of model of sustainable garden. Thanks to great help from the locals and volunteers that they managed to build most facilities to welcome people to live and visit. There is now adequate availability of food from the vegetables garden, and fruit trees which already planted.

Food Autonomy is indeed vital to man and Alternative Education is important as well as to give kids the possibility to learn some basic skills of life that are often neglected at regular schools.

The project site is located in a mountainous village of Ban Tad Mountain Range. It is approx. 16 kilometers far from the main road reaching up to the mountain. It is surrounded by rubber plantation, fruit orchards and scattered settlement of villagers’ homes. The project is less than a kilometer from the small village center.

For your entire stay, you’ll live with Pi Ju’s family. They are a father (Pi Ju), a mother named Pi Nong and their little son named Roy Wan. You know now where the project’s name is derived from

“It is to build and run this project together”.
There is still some construction work to be built on/repaired in the project area. As part of the team, volunteers share great support to the local project to help keep the school and its landscape in good order. They are given responsibility to take care of vegetable garden, mushroom shed, compost making, tree nursery and seeds collection. One of the school plans concerning the campaign of agricultural self-sufficiency is that people need no buying food from a market but to grow or to raise whatever edible and make it into meals for their families.

On Saturdays, village kids gather at the project site to do activities with volunteers. Volunteers decide together how to organize the Saturday’s activities. The opportunities are endless: teaching different subjects such as basic English, art, agriculture, games. The kids vary in age (it can be from 6 to 20). This is never a problem. They like to participate in activities together. If you know any activities worth arranging for the kids from your country or any teaching ideas, please bring supplies you may need with you.

In everyday life, apart from main tasks, you are also expected to help with the family’s daily tasks which are helping preparing meals for family members, washing dishes, watering plants in dry season, and keeping the house area, kitchen, coffee-tea table, bathrooms and restrooms tidy and clean. Moreover, you can spend some time after work with villagers in the village when you’re not very tired from your main tasks.

Drinking habit of male villagers -
You may be surprised to see men gather up for their after-work drinking party. After the exhausting day from gardening work, drinking is what they normally enjoy. It’s a local habit, way of community lifestyle.

From mid-March till mid-May and October’s time, it’s school holidays throughout Thailand. It means that you can create more activities with local kids at the project site.

Happening yearly from October to December, gardening work and other activities may be reduced because of the monsoon season (lots of rain). However, the project will still open for application. Volunteers coming during this period should acknowledge that they will have a lot of time “indoors”, here we would rather say “under roofs”.

- To support Roy Wan Pan Pba project.
- To experience and see the importance of “Food Autonomy and Alternative Education”.
- To build good relationship between volunteers and local people.
- To let children be familiar with volunteers and learn in international/multi-cultural atmosphere.

Huts shared with other volunteers.

Cha-uat district, Nakorn Sri Tammarat province, Southern Thailand.

Hat Yai (from Bangkok you can choose to travel by plane, bus or train).

The minimum period is a 2 months service.

The fee will be used for living expenses (gas, water, electricity, food) and materials used in projects/activities. Some part of the fee will be used to support Thai volunteers and our organization.

8,000 THB per month (approx. 200 Euro). If you stay over 3 months, from the 4th month onwards, instead of paying 8,000 THB every month, we reduce the fee to 7,000 THB (approx. 175 Euro) per month.

A 6-month stay volunteer, during months 1-3, 8,000 THBx3=24,000 THB, and months 4-6, 7,000 THBx3=21,000 THB. Altogether 45,000 THB/6 months.

- Participants are responsible for their own travel costs and all personal expenses during free time.
- Participants are responsible for taking care of their own insurance.
Participants should respect and have willingness to understand other cultures and backgrounds.
- Living conditions will be in Thai style (willingness to adapt and enjoy simple conditions of living).
- Willingness to work and live together, build friendships with local people and other volunteers - let's try to make this world a nice place to live in!
- Participants should have basic skills/knowledge towards the project they apply for.
- Participants should ask for a visa “Non-Immigrant type”. DaLaa will provide an invitation letter and other officially registered papers.