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01

Build Details

Thailand

Location

$3,750.00

Fundraising goal*

May 7, 2026

Start Date

May 18, 2026

Last Date

16+

For Ages

40

Service Hours

Chiang Mai

Meeting Point

*Not including self managed airfare

Experience Thailand and change lives forever

While in Thailand, you will have the opportunity to be a part of making a tangible difference in the lives of children. Since 2007 LiveDifferent has partnered with Kru Nam and the Baan Kru Nam Foundation which advocates for the rights of children who are stateless and living in Northern Thailand. Kru Nam is an internationally recognized advocate for children and the Foundation offers a safe space for children and mothers affected by human trafficking and drug trafficking. The Foundation operates both a Children’s Shelter and Drop-In Center which is located at the Thailand – Myanmar border.

During your Build, each day will look a little different as you find yourself involved with volunteering on-site at the Children’s Shelter, participating in improvement projects, organizing camp-like activities and/or accompanying children for some offsite adventures. Together, our group will work alongside the Foundation staff and learn from them as they teach us about their culture and how they care for, advocate and secure education for vulnerable children.

Past projects LiveDifferent volunteers have supported through their fundraising and hard work include: building/improving housing, office and clinic space, contributing to the water treatment centre, improving garden space and maintaining a safe playground for the children.

Thank you for your interest in LiveDifferent Builds! Please read through all the following information and feel free to contact us anytime if you have any questions.

**Trip dates are subject to change. The Fundraising goal will be confirmed by Sept 1, 2025.

Minimum fundraising requirements

$3,750 – This is the amount each volunteer has been asked to fundraise/contribute in order to join us on this LiveDifferent Build, with an initial $500 due within two weeks of registration.

A note in planning your travel to and from SE Asia

If you are planning to spend additional time in SE Asia, we highly recommend planning for your extended travel time for after your Build experience rather than before.

Have Questions?

 

Tyler Leighton, Coordinator of International Programs

Toll-Free: 1-866-432-4464

Email: tyler@livedifferent.com

02

What's included?

  • All transportation, accommodations, and meals during the Build including airport pick up and drop off in Chiang Mai
  • Local translators while onsite with the children or participating in the improvement project(s)
  • Materials for your Build project(s)
  • Local contractors to work alongside the team and help facilitate the work being done
  • Daily itinerary guided by LiveDifferent team including: work project, structured time with the children alongside foundation staff, debriefing sessions, cultural outings and evening activities
  • LiveDifferent staff on-site and available 24/7

What's not included

  • Flights to and from Chiang Mai, Thailand
  • Any immunizations or testing required for travel (please consult your family physician or local travel clinic prior to your Build)
  • Airport shuttles to and from ​the accommodations IF arriving before the Build starts or leaving after the Build ends
  • Entrance or visa fees needed to enter or exit Thailand if needed
  • Emergency Travel Medical Insurance (required, please see here for important considerations outlined by the Government of Canada)
  • Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance
  • Excursion: Cost to be determined (optional)
  • Personal spending money
  • Please Note: LiveDifferent is not responsible for flight delays or cancellations.
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Check out our itinerary

Day 01/12

Day 02/12

Day 03 - 09/12

Day 10/12

Day 11/12

Day 12/12

Welcome to Chiang Mai

Team meets in Chiang Mai (CNX). A staff member will meet you as you leave security and bring you to our accommodations in Chiang Mai. Orientation and meet the staff/team.

Off to Chiang Saen

Drive to Chiang Saen in the morning and meet the staff and children at Buddies Along the Roadside. Spend the afternoon getting to know the children and experience their warm welcome!

Jam-packed activities!

During these days we will be participating in the following activities

  • Awareness tour, which will include the Hall of Opium, in introduction to the Golden Triangle and a history of the area.
  • Building Projects: In the past, Live Different has helped to fund and work on a water treatment facility, a staff office building, rebuild the main kitchen, a greenhouse and also provided a sound system for the home to do presentations in markets. Details of this Build's project will be shared approximately 6 weeks before departure.
  • Hang out with the children! There are about 90 children currently living in the home. They range in age from 3-19, and most have been rescued from many different forms of exploitation and abuse. Together, we have visited elephant sanctuaries, swam in natural pools in the mountains, hunted for Easter eggs, played games and sang songs, and experienced much laughter and tears.
  • English and Summer Camps: English is a widely used language in Thailand, and knowledge of English helps to equip these children with a wider range of education and job opportunities. We have also helped with an arts training camp for painting, photography, videography and storytelling. Please come prepared with a willingness to have fun with English, and with possible activity ideas!
  • Visit Drop-In Centre on the Myanmar border. Meet some of the families whose lives have been changed by the projects, hear their stories and meet the people who work directly with children who are currently living on the streets. There is also a safe international shopping area across the border in Myanmar, and if our participants choose to experience it, they will receive a day visa and be allowed to cross the bridge into the shopping district in Tachileik, Myanmar. (The trip to Myanmar is not a mandatory event, and volunteers under the age of 18 must have permission to join from a parent/guardian.)

Wrapping up

We will drive to Chiang Mai where we will have a final debrief from our Build, and then check out everything the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar has to offer.

Excursion in Chiang Mai

We’ll spend the day in the high mountains of Chiang Mai to visit the Doi Suthep temple, and then head back to the city for the Chiang Mai Sunday Night Market.

Time to head home

Please arrange for flights back to Canada on this day.

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Frequently asked questions

Where do I stay?

We do not usually book hotels until we are closer to the date of the build, but typically we will stay at Imm hotel in Chiang Mai and hotels similar to the Siam Triangle hotel or the Serene Hotel up in Chiang Saen. Once the hotels have been booked, we will let you know where we will be staying.

How do I fundraise for my Build?

Most volunteers choose to fundraise using their my.livedifferent.com fundraising page. When you register for a Build, you will have the opportunity to create one too. Not everyone fundraises though, some choose to pay for their Build themselves.

What supplies do I need to bring with me?

We will provide all of the building supplies, but we do ask that you bring your own work gloves (two pairs), and have proper footwear (such as work boots or running shoes) and a hat. A specific packing list will be provided for each trip.

Can I bring gifts for the children?

When we host volunteers in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Haiti and Thailand, we are always amazed at the generous hearts of those who come to work with us. Many volunteers bring donations with them in hopes of being able to give them directly to those they meet on their trip. After years of working in various communities and countries, we have unfortunately seen this create many problems.

Instead, we want to inform and inspire our volunteers with the many valuable ways that LiveDifferent already has in place to enable them to make a contribution to the communities we work in.

Do I need a travel visa?

If you hold a Canadian passport, you do not need a travel visa to participate in a LiveDifferent Build. If you hold a passport from another country, it is your responsibility to ensure you have met all of the requirements for entry into the country you are visiting, and for some countries, this may include a visitor’s visa.

All FAQ's

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