Thailand Short Term Sea Turtle Research & Conservation Internship

Your Impact

All of our programs have short, mid and long-term objectives that fit with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals or UN SDGs. This enables us to report on our collaborative impact across the world in a streamlined manner, measuring which UN SDGs we are making a substantial contribution to. Furthermore, this will help our local partners and communities measure and visualise their contribution to the UN SDGs.

Upon arrival to base, you will be educated about the history of the UN SDGs. You will learn about the specific goals of your location, the long-, mid- and short-term objectives, and also clarification of how your personal, shorter-term involvement contributes to these goals on a global level.

Our aim is to educate you on local and global issues, so that you continue to act as active global citizens after your program, helping to fulfil our mission of building a global network of people united by their passion to make a difference.

Please note: Both conservation- and community-focused programs are offered at this location.

Environmental Work

The environmental issues Thailand facing are many and varied. These include poor water, air and soil quality as well as biodiversity loss. Poaching, kidnapping of wild animals, deforestation, and unsustainable tourism threaten Thailand’s land and marine habitats and wildlife. The Thai government is constantly updating and improving environmental legislation and practices, and local and international non-governmental organisations and community groups can assist with achieving these conservation outcomes.

Sea Turtle Conservation

A large part of the environmental aspect of our project involves working alongside our partners at the Royal Thai Navy Sea Turtle Conservation Centre and the Phang Nga Coastal Fisheries Research and Development Centre. These are head-start centres, where turtle hatchlings are reared until they are between 6 and 9 months old before being released back into the wild. Turtle populations the world over are threatened, and it is estimated that only around 1 in 1000 hatchlings survive to reach adulthood naturally. These statistics are exacerbated by beach erosion as a result of tourism development. Head-start programs aim to increase the survival rate by protecting the hatchlings until they reach a size where they will face much less risk of predation. The work our participants carry out includes scrubbing the tanks to ensure that the turtles have a clean environment to live in, washing the turtles with an antibacterial solution to reduce levels of infection, and also applying antifungal and antibacterial treatments to any wounds the turtles have. We also conduct research at the centre, collecting data on turtle morphology and infection rates, as well as some behavioural research to monitor the effects of enclosure enrichment. We hope to use this data to gain further understanding of the best methods of turtle husbandry. This project runs year round and if you are lucky enough to be on the project during a release date, you will assist in releasing hundreds of young turtles into the ocean

Island Conservation

We also conduct biodiversity research on two nearby islands of Koh Ra and Koh Prathong year round to assist the Thai Department of National Parks in the effective management of these vital areas. We conduct surveys and run camera trapping research on the islands to build up a picture of the biodiversity there and we hope that this research will contribute to the islands falling under formal protection. We have already confirmed the presence of some critically endangered species on the islands so we know that they are of conservation value, and we hope through our continued and expanding research, we can learn more about the ecology of the islands and their importance in the region. Other activities include conducting research on mangroves and conducting further research on these plants.

*Please note that we only travel to Koh Ra and Koh Prathong once a month, so participants who only visit for two weeks might not get the opportunity to conduct island surveys.  

Bird Conservation

Another element to our projects is carrying out weekly bird surveys in the local area year round. Birds are an important part of healthy ecosystems and as such, building species lists and monitoring populations and patterns of migration is a valuable way to build a picture of how well nature is doing in an area. Participants are provided with training on how to identify birds in the field. Currently our data is submitted to a citizen science project, e-Bird, but we are looking at developing this project to commence our own research plan.

Plastic Pollution Cleanups

Year round we carry out beach cleans in our local area in Phang Nga. Marine litter is one of the greatest environmental challenges conservationists are facing today. Through regular clean ups we hope to make a difference through removing litter, and also occasionally through engaging the local community to participate alongside us.

Coral Research

During the dry season, November to April, we carry out one to two snorkelling surveys a week on nearby coral reefs. We monitor the health of the coral, and we also look at the variety and abundance of fish species present. Coral reefs are incredibly important ecosystems which are vital to the health of our oceans, which in turn means that they are vital to humans as well. Globally coral reefs are being affected by overfishing, climate change and irresponsible tourism. We aim to monitor the reefs close to where we are based to look at how well they are doing and to establish if there are any actions that could be taken to improve or protect them further. We carry out our surveys in partnership with Green Fins Thailand and REEF, which are both organisations using citizen science to provide research and monitoring of the world’s coral reefs.

*Please note that you will not be doing any diving, while conducting these surveys, only snorkeling.

Environmental Education

Throughout the year, we also conduct environmental awareness workshops at local schools, hotels, tour or dive operators, and anywhere in the local community when an opportunity presents itself.

Community Work

Ban Nam Khem, meaning ‘Place of Salty Water’, became the epicentre of a tin mining boom in the 1950s. The population grew from a few families to approximately 5000 people at its height. However, when all the tin was eventually extracted from the surrounding mines, the mining bubble burst, so that all remains of the industry today are lakes dotted around the village, marking where mines were dug out yet never filled back in. Today most people here earn a living from fishing, but many look for new income in the nearby tourist hub of Khao Lak.

Thailand, like many countries in South East Asia, suffered greatly in the wake of the Indian Ocean Tsunami on 26th December 2004. Phang Nga, the province in which Ban Nam Khem is located, was one of the most severely affected in the country. Many villagers lost their homes, relatives, and friends. The need for community redevelopment and regeneration is still present.

The GVI Phang Nga hub was initiated in September 2013 with the aim of supporting the continued redevelopment of Ban Nam Khem and increased access to employment opportunities through capacity-building initiatives. The local community’s efforts to diversify employment markets remains central to its well-being. Ban Nam Khem is well located to take advantage of the tourism boom in the area, but the population needs a good level of conversational English to enable them access to the corresponding employment opportunities. Furthermore English language skills can assist students in the Thai workplace and in the international economy.

Ban Nam Khem boasts its own primary school with an enrolment of around 250 children and a Community Development Centre which offers free education during the day for around 150 children who live in the village, and free after-school classes open to everyone in the evening.

English Education Program

Throughout the year we assist local teaches with running classes to improve conversational English. This might include everything from training local teachers, assisting with lesson development and providing one-on-one tutoring sessions for learners requiring additional support. We also conduct English lessons for adult learners from the community.

Construction Projects

We also assist educational or community centers around Ban Nam Khem with infrastructure development, depending on if and when they have requested the support. We assist by conducting basic maintenance and renovation work like maintaining fences or installing bathrooms.

Our Partners In Phang Nga

Project Objectives