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Welcome to Reef Check Thailand, the Thai chapter of Reef Check International,
a non-profit with the mission of understanding and protecting the world’s coral reefs and marine ecosystem.
Reef Check Thailand is dedicated to understanding and conserving Thailand’s coral reef and marine ecosystems and the communities that depend on them. We do this through a combination of science, education, and conservation activities. We use the globally standardized Reef Check survey methodology to monitor coral reefs and also use many other sampling techniques to study reefs thereby gathering scientific information that can be used to better manage them. We also work with a network of people, organizations, and communities around Thailand helping in the effort to protect the resource that provides Thailand with its main tourism income- the sea and its coral reefs and white sand beaches. |
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As part of our program in Thailand we offer positions on volunteer research expeditions and projects whereby you can contribute to coral reef and marine conservation in Thailand while learning about the undersea ecology of the area and about marine science methods. We provide full training to volunteers on how to help us collect data counting fish and other sea creatures and coral, no previous training is necessary. If you want to get certified to dive we can include that as part of the training.
We have had volunteers join us from around the world, coming from the U.S, U.K. Germany, France, Russia, Canada, Australia and other countries. We have received great feedback from our volunteers about their experiences- they love being able to visit a part of Thailand that the average (or even the adventurous and very lucky) tourist won’t, and take part in an activity, learning about conservation and ecology while doing something to really help the nature and culture of Thailand. It is eco-tourism, voluntourism and conservation, at its best and in action.
We have a field research base on the Andaman Sea island of Koh Ra, where co-coordinator Mr. Kim Obermeyer is based, and a program through the Department of Marine Sciences at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, where co-coordinator (Dr. Suchana Chavanich) is based. We cooperate with the Phuket Marine Biological Station where program advisor, Kuhn Niphon Pongsuwan, is based.
The field research base at the (Koh Ra Ecolodge), Phang Nga Province, in the beautiful Andaman Sea is a great place to join us for our field expeditions (click here for the expedition and training schedule). As part of our program we conduct not only marine ecology and conservation projects but also community education and coastal ecology projects. We house and coordinate our research staff and volunteers from our own accommodations set in the beachside jungle of this remote but easily accessible island. Come join us for a remarkable experience studying Thailand’s amazing ecology and culture.
