Phuket Elephant Sanctuary was founded in 2016 by Montri Todtane, a local from Paklok in Northeast Phuket. After more than a decade working with elephants in traditional tourism, Montri witnessed firsthand the physical and emotional impact that riding, performances, and demanding working conditions could have on elephants. Inspired by elephant conservationist Lek Chailert, he decided there had to be a better way. He closed his former elephant camp and opened Phuket’s first ethical elephant sanctuary: a place where rescued elephants can finally retire and simply be elephants. Today, our sanctuary covers 30 acres of tropical jungle bordering Khao Phra Thaeo National Park. Since opening, we have provided a home to more than 20 elephants rescued from tourism, riding camps, shows, and the logging industry. Here, elephants are given the space and freedom to roam, forage, socialize, and bathe on their own terms. Our mission is simple: to let elephants be elephants. Since April 2026, Phuket Elephant Sanctuary has become completely hands-off. There is no touching, bathing, or feeding with visitors. Instead, we believe meaningful experiences come from respectfully observing elephants behaving naturally and learning about their individual stories, welfare, and conservation. Over the years, we have continued to grow, opening Thailand’s longest canopy walkway in 2020 and Phuket’s first dedicated elephant hospital in 2025, supporting elephants in need across Southern Thailand. Volunteers become part of this ongoing story. Rather than interacting directly with elephants, you work behind the scenes alongside our team, helping with practical tasks such as preparing supplementary food, harvesting elephant food, maintaining the sanctuary, cleaning night shelters, composting elephant dung, and supporting other projects depending on what is needed at the time. By volunteering with us, you support rescued elephants and help promote a more ethical and respectful future for elephants.
Lanta Animal Welfare was founded by Junie Kovacs in 2005. Her mission was to end the suffering of the hundreds of homeless, abused, and injured animals on Koh Lanta. To date, we have sterilized and treated over 85,000 animals, and with your support, we continue to grow, helping more and more animals each year. At Lanta Animal Welfare, we provide critical, life-saving treatment to injured and sick stray animals across Koh Lanta. Our veterinary team delivers urgent medical care, including emergency first aid, vaccinations, wound treatment, and preventative healthcare for animals in distress. LAW’s main focus is the treatment of stray animals and sterilizations. Animals are brought to us for many different conditions, from skin problems to road traffic accidents and poisonings. Stray animals will sometimes stay with us for several weeks to ensure they are fit and well before they are released back where they came from. Unfortunately, some of the animals that find themselves needing our help are unable to return to where they came from. This may be because they were too young upon their arrival, they are at risk of abuse, or simply because they have undergone treatment for such a long period that we can no longer return them. These animals will remain at the centre and will join our rehoming programme, with over 150 animals each year finding loving homes both here in Thailand and across the world.
Pun Pun is an organic farm and learning centre that began working with the land around 2004. Through organic farming and sustainable practices, we have transformed land that was once used for corn plantations into a thriving, biodiverse organic farm. Today, Pun Pun is home to a community of around 15–20 people who live, farm, and build together while raising their families. It is a place for learning, community living, sustainable agriculture, and connection with nature.
Gaia Ashram is a tropical permaculture farm and learning centre in North-Eastern Thailand, set on 6 hectares of land developed using deep ecology, permaculture, and ecovillage design principles. We believe all living beings are part of one interconnected family and that every being has a role in sustaining the web of life. Gaia Ashram aims to be a place where people can live more holistically, learn from nature, and experience the interconnectedness of all life while practicing sustainable ways of living.
Kindred Spirit Elephant Sanctuary (KSES) is a non-profit foundation working alongside Karen communities in Northern Thailand to support elephant welfare, sustainable livelihoods and the protection of the forests they depend on. Our elephants live in the forest, where they are able to move, forage, socialise and rest according to their own rhythms. Our approach prioritises autonomy, space and natural behaviour. Visitors do not touch, feed, bathe or ride the elephants. Instead, they hike through the forest and observe them from a respectful distance, learning to appreciate elephants as individuals with their own needs, relationships and behaviours. Alongside our elephant welfare work, we contribute to behavioural research, community initiatives, environmental projects and education. We work closely with the local Karen community, recognising and valuing the knowledge, experience and long-standing relationships that exist within the community. Our work is based on collaboration, with initiatives developed alongside the people who live and work here. KSES is a small organisation, and collaboration is at the heart of what we do. Our visitors, interns, mahouts, community members, researchers and partner organisations all contribute to the work we share: supporting elephant welfare, community life and the forest environment in ways that are respectful of the people and place at the heart of KSES.
**Volunt2Thai** is a nonprofit community-based organization located in rural Northeast Thailand. Since 2013, we have connected international volunteers with local communities to create meaningful cultural exchange while supporting children's education and community development. Our mission is to help children develop confidence, English communication skills, creativity, teamwork, and global awareness through fun and engaging activities. Volunteers work alongside local teachers in village schools, leading English lessons, sports, music, arts, games, computer activities, and other educational projects that inspire children to learn. Unlike traditional volunteer programs, Volunt2Thai is deeply integrated into village life. Volunteers become part of the local community, experience authentic Thai culture, and build lasting friendships with children, families, and teachers. We believe that genuine cultural exchange creates positive and sustainable change for everyone involved. Our campus serves as a learning and cultural centre where volunteers receive orientation, participate in Thai language and cultural activities, and contribute to community initiatives including environmental projects, health and wellbeing activities, and educational workshops. With more than 30 years of experience in Thailand and over a decade of operating Volunt2Thai, we have developed a unique community-based model that combines education, intercultural learning, and sustainable development. Since our foundation, we have welcomed hundreds of volunteers from around the world and supported thousands of children through partnerships with village schools. At Volunt2Thai, volunteering is not about charity—it is about learning together, sharing knowledge, building friendships, and creating opportunities that benefit both local communities and international volunteers.
Eco-Logic Thailand was established to support the projects of the Thai Child Development Foundation (TCDF). Both organizations are located on the same premises. The premises include an organic garden, a food forest, chickens and ducks, and a mushroom farm. Students at TCDF's Special School receive part of their education through activities on the farm. We are located in the heart of nature, offering plenty of opportunities for our guests and visitors to explore the surrounding area. Discover the real Thailand!
Eco-Logic Thailand was established to support the projects of the Thai Child Development Foundation (TCDF). Both organizations are located on the same premises. The premises include an organic garden, a food forest, chickens and ducks, and a mushroom farm. Students from TCDF's Special School receive part of their education through activities on the farm. We are located in the heart of nature, offering plenty of opportunities to explore the surrounding area together with our guests and visitors. Discover the real Thailand!
We are a marine conservation organisation with over a decade of hands-on experience protecting the reefs of Koh Tao. Our focus is to protect coral reefs through restoration, research, education, and community action. We train both divers and non-divers to take part in real conservation work, including coral restoration, reef monitoring, citizen science, internships, and environmental initiatives. We collaborate with local dive centres to promote a united, science-based approach to reef protection. As climate change and human impact continue to threaten marine ecosystems, our mission is to provide practical skills and real field experience that participants can apply beyond the program. Our projects focus on both natural and artificial reefs, collecting long-term data and actively supporting reef health improvement. Whether beginner or experienced, everyone can get involved in meaningful marine conservation.
We are a public school teaching kindergarten, primary, and secondary pupils. We are based in Uttaradit, Thailand. We welcome volunteers and interns who would like to help us teach basic spoken English or Chinese (Mandarin) to our students.