Thai people are very generous and friendly, so you will not have a difficult time making new local friends as a volunteer in Surat Thani. Your local friends will likely become like a second family to you, inviting you into their homes to get to know each other over a home-cooked meal. As in other Thai regions, volunteers should always wai when meeting a new person or seeing a familiar face too, so as to show respect.
There are many cultural characteristics and traditions that volunteers should be aware of to successfully integrate into life in Thailand. For example, volunteers should remember to never show the bottom of their feet (ex. propping your feet up on a chair is a no-no), as feet are considered the dirtiest part of the body according to Thai culture. You should also never step on money (even if it is flying away!) because the king’s face is on the bills and the Thai people have immense respect for their king.
Surat Thani is much more relaxed than major cities in Thailand, like Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Volunteers should be prepared for “Thai time,” which basically means all meeting times are very, very flexible. For example, if you are supposed to meet someone at 2 p.m., don’t be surprised if they show up thirty minutes later than planned. Although this may frustrate some people, this can be appealing for those who want to enjoy a stress-free life as a volunteer abroad in Surat Thani.
Volunteers will still have the opportunity to travel as much as they please with ease, since there is an international airport located in Surat Thani. There are also plenty of other accessible modes of transportation too, including buses, ferries, trains, and tuk-tuks, that can help volunteers get around the region and both in and out of the country.