When you’re traveling abroad, differences in culture, language, climate and overall atmosphere can compound what would otherwise be a relatively small problem. Along these lines, one of the biggest safety concerns that international travelers encounter is finding themselves in a situation where they don’t know how to respond.
At Friends for Asia, we’re sensitive to international travelers’ uncertainties. Safety is a priority at all of our project sites, and we work hard to make sure that our volunteers receive all the support they need to make the most of their assignment.
Chiang Mai and Bangkok are relatively safe cities by international standards. Even the US Department of State, which issues travel advisories for US citizens, considers the threat of crime in Bangkok and other Thai destinations to be lower than that in most US cities.
The locations in which we operate may a reputation for being safe and hospitable, but this hasn’t stopped us from going the extra mile to protect the people under our care. Every volunteer assignment begins with a weekend orientation that includes a briefing by a local registered nurse. This gives volunteers a head start on staying safe and healthy during their time in Thailand.
These are some of the other measures we take to ensure volunteer safety:
Twenty-four-hour Emergency Support
Most of our volunteers complete their assignments without hitch, but it’s still reassuring to know that you’ve got a support network to fall back on. No matter the hour, our volunteer coordinators are ready to intervene in case of an emergency. So, for this reason, Friends for Asia offers accident insurance to all volunteers during their entire volunteer and internship project.
Volunteer Insurance
Accidents are more then rare. However, just for an added benefit, we provide international accident and injury insurance for all of our Friends for Asia volunteers while on assignment. This is just another way we are there to help support our volunteers in the field and providing them with the safest environment possible.
Safe Volunteer Accommodation
Our volunteer accommodation in Bangkok and Chiang Mai have been selected both for their convenience and safety. When we expand or move into a new property, we take time to make sure that everything is up to code and properly registered with the local municipality. With this in mind, you’ll be much safer staying with us than you would with many of the budget guesthouses in town.
All of our volunteer accommodation is outfitted with the following:
• Fire extinguishers
• Emergency lights
• Automatically closing doors
• Security cameras
Well-vetted Volunteer Project Sites
Many international operations send their volunteers on assignment to project sites that they aren’t very familiar with. We take a more personal approach to selecting potential projects. We have established professional and, in most cases, personal relationships with all of the sites to which we send volunteers. If a problem arises, we take it up directly with the site’s management and work toward a solution. If we deem a particular site to be in any way dangerous, we’ll remove it from our list of projects.
World-class medical infrastructure
Thailand has a strong international reputation for its high-quality, affordable medical infrastructure. In fact, a strong contingent of ‘medical tourists’ travels to Thailand for everything from dental work to open-heart surgery. In Chiang Mai, we send our volunteers to Chiang Mai Ram Hospital, known for modern infrastructure and doctors with international credentials.
On a side note, we’re so impressed with Chiang Mai’s and Bangkok’s medical infrastructures, that we’ve established partnerships with a few of the private hospitals in the area. This allows us to connect international pre-med students with exciting medical internship opportunities in Thailand.
