You will need to put an address on your immigration card (if traveling internationally). Here is what you need to put down:
NRTC
6/479 RAMKHAMHAENG 2 ROAD SOI 6
DOKMAI, PRAWET
BANGKOK, 10250
THAILAND
After your team has collected all your luggage, look for the arrival door nearest to you, go through the customs check and exit out into the arrival hall. When you walk out to where all of the people are standing just look for the YWAM Thailand sign and that will be us! The whole process of going through passport control, waiting for your luggage, and then through customs, usually takes about an hour or so, if there are no hassles along the way.
NOTE – As you leave one of the three exits gates (i.e. A, B, C) you must walk to the area designated by signs as "MEETING POINT" (located by “EXIT 3” on the 2nd floor)". It is there that our airport pickup staff will be waiting for you and your team with a YWAM Thailand sign.
Once you have met our airport pickup staff, we suggest you exchange at least half (50%) of your teams budget at the currency exchange windows which are open 24 hours a day. This will cover transportation costs, the registration fee, first few days worth of food, and housing. It is much easier and convenient to exchange your money at the airport as getting to a bank can be a bit of a pain with long lineups etc.
NOTE - If your team encounters any problems with lost luggage, customs, passports etc, please call Paw Pan (089-209-7189) or Chris Lenty (081-695-5085) to inform them of your situation and the necessary steps to take, if any.
The staff of the Outreach Teams Department are available to serve and bless you 24 hours a day!
We will most likely use a specialized (covered- non air conditioned) pickup truck to pick up (800 baht, 10-12 people and luggage) your team. Depending on the size of your team, we may hire more than one specialized (covered- non air conditioned) pick up truck.
Once you get back to the NRTC, (if it is late at night PLEASE be quiet as many of our Thai staff call the NRTC “home”), our YWAM staff and/or your translator will help you guys get settled into your air conditioned rooms...complete with hot water showers and western bathrooms. The perfect way to relax after a long flight! we will take your team to the "Shake Shack". You will have your choice of various fruit shakes, cold and/or hot drinks and a plethora of sandwiches. It is located at BJD (Baan Jai Diaow) our university student dorm center (boys dorm) just a 5 minute walk from the NRTC. It is run by our Thai students and is a great way to grab a fast breakfast. If your team does get in at an earlier hour, feel free to also walk down to the corner to the mini-mart or to the Tops Supermarket behind the "Number One Plaza" to buy some bread, peanut butter, jam, fruit, yogurt to supplement your breakfast.
NOTE – If your team is scheduled to work / minister with BJD, or we are short on housing at the NRTC, your team will stay at BJD as opposed to the NRTC.
Because we want teams to be able to have the most impact for the cause of Christ, your team will receive a cultural orientation. Often times, we can be offending the Thai people by something we are doing all the while thinking we are loving them in the name of the Lord. Because we all live and work here, we feel a sense of obligation and responsibility to help you understand the Thai people and their culture so that you can minister most effectively to them.
As well, don't worry too much about being hungry as we will be having a big yummy Thai lunch together after the orientation is finished around noon, this is NOT covered by your teams registration fee. NOTE – The orientation lunch is held at a nearby air-conditioned restaurant called the “Turtle Bakery”. The approximate cost is 450 baht for 5-10 people, 900 baht for 10-15 people, and 1,300 baht for 15+ people. Rice is an additional 10 baht per plate and drinks vary in price, minimum 15 baht per person.
Following lunch, we will be sending your team out on a fun "get to know the area / meet some Thai people" scavenger hunt in the afternoon. While they are doing that, we will be meeting with the leaders to go over last minute details, discussing finances, answering any questions, reviewing schedules etc.
The day after your orientation, we usually take teams on our NEW! Bangkok Prayer Walk. This is a great introduction for outreach teams who have never been to Asia, Thailand or the 10/40 Window before. It is also a great introduction to understanding the role of Buddhism in daily life and provides your team the opportunity to lay a great spiritual foundation for the remainder of your outreach. NOTE – The cost is approximately 250 baht per person. This includes transportation and all temple entrance fees.
Please click on the following link - http://weather.yahoo.com/thailand/ - to see the current temperature in the location(s) your team will be going to for outreach.
Lastly, we would encourage you to please make sure that you carefully go over the information on "clothing - what to bring, what to wear" one more time with your team, as we have been having a few problems with teams coming with inappropriate clothing for ministry here in Thailand! NOTE - There are still certain areas in Thailand that dress very conservatively (i.e. Chiang Rai, Isaan) and this dress code reflects that. However, different regions have different expectations when it comes to dress. While one or more of your ministry locations may be more relaxed when it comes to dress (i.e. Phuket, Pattaya), we do ask your team to dress as neat and proper as possible.
REMEMBER - Please bring clothes that are modest and neat. For example, NOtank tops, sleeveless tops, mini skirts or ridiculously short shorts (i.e. 1970’s style) during ministry times - although in your room to relax will be fine. You can bring several pairs of shorts to wear inside your rooms or to play sports, but shorts areNOT typically worn when doing ministry.NOTE - Many clothing items are also cheaply and easily available in Thailand.
For WOMEN and MEN: Long pants and slacks - cotton pants and slacks are preferred for comfort in this climate - must be dressy, nice and neat. Nice shirts and blouses - short sleeves are fine - such as button up or polo style, and other tops, etc. are permissible.
For WOMEN: Again, dressy, neat, and clean are the important guidelines. In addition to pants and slacks, modest dresses and skirts are fine, as long as they at least reach the knee and have sleeves. Capri pants (a cross between shorts and pants) that reach down to at least mid-calf can be worn anywhere EXCEPTwhen teaching/preaching/visiting schools.
If doing ministry at a school or business, it is most important to dress properly. The nicer you look, the more effective your ministry will be. If wearing sandals, be sure to wear socks to schools.
Nice t-shirts of any type are fine. Nice jeans are fine also (leave the heavy metal t-shirts at home please!). If you are in the villages it is better for the guys to wear either polo shirts or a button up shirt when not doing practical work but nice t-shirts will be OK for many things. In the villages the girls will need to move more towards skirts (longer than the knees).
1 pair hiking or trekking (if going to hilltribes), 1 pair walking, 1 pair nice for church.
* sandals/flip flops - extremely useful for entering houses or using for showers (must remove shoes whenever entering a house in Asia). Sandals with a backstrap will also be necessary to enter any/all temples here in Thailand. Please pay close attention to where others have taken off their shoes and follow their lead. If your shoes are expensive, you may want to carry them in with you and store them inside.
* if you are going to be doing extensive trekking in the hills, please contact your host for specifics on clothing and footwear etc.
Gods richest blessings upon you and if there is anything further we can do for you, please feel free to let us know! We are here to serve and bless you and consider it an honor to do so.
Have a great day!
Chris Lenty
Outreach Coordinator - Outreach Teams Department
National Office - YWAM Thailand