Thailand is a country that has some of the most beautiful landscapes. The luscious green and yellow paddy fields have become a symbolic statement and so have the floating markets and the waterways. Whether it is the busy and over crowded beaches of Phuket or the tranquil and far from the madding crowd beaches of Koh Samui, the beaches of Thailand drives a major part of its economy. Thailand has varied natural splendor from the mountains to the statues of Buddha and from the meandering waterfalls to the Grand Palace with the Emerald Buddha and from diving near the Similan Islands to a cruise on the Chao Phraya River. Among all this lies an opportunity for Volunteering in Thailand.Why Volunteer In ThailandThere are different cultures and different segments of people in Thailand. Depending on the volunteer project, you can get to work with people who are living in the urban area or the people living in the rural area. As a volunteer in Thailand, you will get good amount of exposure in terms of the level of work and the cultural immersion. Types Of Projects AvailableAs a part of volunteering in Thailand, you will get to choose the kind of project you are interested in. The different types if projects available include:• Working with under-privileged children: Thailand volunteer projects include taking care of under-privileged children and teaching them. • Teaching: There are different types of teaching work available and you can volunteer in Thailand to teach English, History, geography, tourism, Business etc. The most common type of teaching work includes teaching English to primary as well as secondary school students in the rural and urban regions.• Working at elderly homes: The elderly need to be taken care of and this is not just in Thailand but across the globe. As a volunteer in Thailand, you can work at an elderly home that provides shelter, care and attention to old aged people. Taking care of elderly people is a serious work as the criticality can vary from one person to another.• Public health: As a part of volunteering in Thailand under the public health project, your primary responsibility will involve taking care of impoverished people. • Community Work with the tribal: There are different types of tribes in Thailand and as a volunteer in Thailand, you will get to concentrate your efforts towards helping the tribal children and women.• Conservation Projects: Conservation has become a necessity today and there is a lot of natural resources and wildlife that needs to be conserved. As a volunteer in Thailand working in a conservation project, you will be required to conduct environmental research, clean up the beaches, conduct various types of conservation surveys, educate children and adults and help in fundraising.Volunteer RequirementsThere are different types of requirements for volunteering in Thailand and some of the requirements vary from project to project. If you have applied for a health care project then the basic requirement will be knowledge in health care, nursing and paramedic. If you have applied for conservation projects then the requirements are very basic and non-technical in nature.Age: The minimum age for volunteering in Thailand should be 18 or older. All volunteer programs in Thailand are open to participants from all over the world and to individuals, families and couples.Fee and Other detailsThere is a fee attached to each of the projects that you volunteer for. The fee is charged in advance and is charged for the following:1. Accommodation2. Food/meals3. Travel insurance4. Transportation within the region5. Emergency supportAll types of training materials including books, CD’s and computers will be provided by the project co-coordinators. Most of your needs as a volunteer in Thailand will be taken care of by the project coordinator during the entire span of the project, which can vary from 7 days to 4 weeks.ConclusionThere is a lot of volunteer work that you can do in Thailand and all the work will reflect in your curriculum vitae. Some of the programs will offer you a certificate of completion at the end and this can help you in your later life if you choose a career that needs prior experience related to the volunteer work done by you. There are different types of internship programs also available as a part of the volunteering in Thailand and these internship programs will not only offer rewarding experiences but an opportunity for field work.

I’m not sure if there’s such a statue. Sorry.

The wheel or wheels of Dharma are the tools in which Buddha uses to teach us how we can reach enlightenment. Physically there are eight spokes on the wheel of Dharma and each spoke is a representation or reference point to the eight fold paths to enlightenment. When each of these paths is followed continuously through out a persons life then they will finally have inner peace.

The meaning of the word Dharma is protection. When a person follows the eight fold path they will be protecting themselves from suffering and other problems of this earth. As humans we strive every day of our live to reach a point where we no longer have to come up against metaphorical walls, or problems, but because from the beginning of time, we have created more and more chaos around ourselves there is no way we can run. Everyday during our lives, we as a race are ignorant, we chose not to see this even though it will never go way on it’s own. By practicing Dharma we can finally find the means to an end.

Our quality of life is dependent on or inner peace and happiness, not the items we own or our status in society. External development and material things have blurred our view of what is truly important in life. The only way to improve our quality of life is not to go subscribe to corporate greed but to practice Dharma and get control of our inner selves. Think about it, do you really need a big fancy TV or a big expensive house? Even if those things do make you happy for awhile, how long does the feeling last? The point is not give these things up completely but to live life in moderation. Buddha can teach us how to find pure, lasting happiness by using Dharma as a guide!

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Buddhism as a religious tradition started during the life of Buddha who was known as Siddhartha Gautama, also known as Shakyamuni.

Buddha was born in India around the end of the sixth century.

The teachings of Buddha were an inspiration to many and soon started to spread.

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