Medical Ministry International in Thailand

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The Medical and Dental Teams in Thailand are normally composed of volunteers from North America and the Philippines and led by Dr. Allan Melicor. They provide curative and preventive care to the villagers living in the Tsunami-hit outlying areas of Phuket and among various ethnic groups and migrants, as well as those in flood-damaged villages around Samroiyod. The team works closely with the workers and missionaries of the Philippine Association of Baptists for World Evangelism – Thailand. Medical Ministry International Philippines leads the way as they reach out to neighbouring countries.

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Allan B. Melicor, M.D.

Dr. Allan B. Melicor, pictured left, is a General, Cancer and Laparoscopic Surgeon serving with Medical Ministry International as a Project Director throughout Asia. Allan was trained in the United States, U.S.A., U.K., and Japan. He lives with his wife Blessie, an RN, and son Allen Paul in the Philippines. They were introduced to Medical Ministry International in 1993 when a surgical team went to the Philippines. After volunteering that year, Allan has continued to host projects at the Bethel Baptist Hospital in Bukidnon, Aklan Baptist Hospital, Leyte Baptist Hospital & Leyte Province, Palawan Baptist Hospital and in North and South Palawan, the Tboli Evangelical Clinic and various places in Northern Philippines, as well as in Nepal, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Project Sites:

Kanchanaburi & Korat


Kanchanaburi is a town of 30,000 people and is situated 3 hrs by land transport northwest of Bangkok. It’s known for the Death Railway, built during WWII ,and the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery. It a popular destination for tourists. People in these villages are farmers and speak the Thai language.

Korat is approximately 5 hours northeast of Bangkok by land. It is the heart of the Nakhon Ratchasima metropolitan area. Korat's economy has traditionally been heavily dependent on agriculture, processing rice, tapioca, and sugar. Korat is also one of two sites in Thailand manufacturing disk drives, employing 12,100 workers in Korat.

* Project Description:
The medical and dental clinics on these projects are in the outlying villages around Kanchanaburi. The clinics are often held inside prisons as our partners and prison authorities requested MMI's presence and support among this marginalized group. Our visits include sharing with them that God cares for their bodies, souls, and spirits.

Elevation
30 m (98 ft.)

Climate
A lot of rain (rainy season) falls in the months: May, June, July, August, September and October.
On average, the temperatures are always high.
Average min and max temperatures in Kanchanaburi, Thailand

Phuket & Samroiyod


Phuket, a rainforested, mountainous island in the Andaman Sea, has some of Thailand’s most popular beaches, mostly situated along the clear waters of the western shore.

The villages around Phuket area are mostly fishing villages, and those in Samroiyod area are mostly farming villages. Although many of these villages have recovered, there are places that are still without adequate health and dental facilities.

* Project Description: The medical and dental teams composed mostly of volunteers from North America and the Philippines provide curative and preventive care to the villagers living in the Tsunami-hit outlying areas of Phuket and among the sea gypsies and migrants, as well as those in flood-damaged villages around Samroiyod.

Elevation
529 m (1,736 ft.)

Climate
A lot of rain (rainy season) falls in the months: April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November.
On average, the temperatures are always high.
Average min and max temperatures in Phuket Town, Thailand

Travelling on a Project

Entry & Exit Requirements


Travelers must present a passport, which must be valid for at least six months. U.S. or Canadian citizens entering Thailand for fewer than 30 days do not require a tourist visa. Thailand Airport Departure Tax of 700 Baht is usually included in your flight ticket. Proof of return or onward travel is required. If you have visited a country where yellow fever occurs, proof of yellow fever vaccination is required. For a list of countries please see:
http://www.who.int/ith/2015-ith-county-list.pdf?ua=1&ua=1

• Americans: For more information see the US State Department website:
https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country/thailand.html

• Canadians: For more information see the following website:
https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/thailand

• International: Please contact MMI office or Key Travel (formerly Raptim Humanitarian Travel) for visa requirement if needed.

Application Requirements


Please email ALL CREDENTIALS upon application, as these must go to the Project Director in the country to be translated and then taken to the Ministry of Health to get temporary licenses prior to your arrival.

• For everyone, we need:
- Colour Scan / Photocopy of Passport (photo page)
- Colour photo for your name badge (any good photo, we can adjust size)
- Travel Itinerary
- Supply Lists

• Medical Professionals, we also need your:
- Current License (through time of project)
- Diploma (Techs, Nursing, Dental, MD and Board Certifications)
- Curriculum Vitae or Resume (this also will help the Project Director know your skills & experience to assign you a task on the project, especially for 1st time participants)

• Health Care Students: Letter of Good Standing from your school (including year of study and graduation date).

• All MINORS travelling with only one parent, or without their parents, will need a letter from BOTH parents stating that it is OK for the child to travel with one parent or an appointed guardian. The letter should be signed and notarized. MMI needs a copy of this letter, and the parent or guardian should carry the original letter while travelling.

Travel


Airfare is not included on the Project Schedule because the costs for airfare vary significantly based on the country location, location of team members, and time of year.

Once accepted for a Project Team, participants can contact our designated travel agent to coordinate schedules with the team itinerary.

Globespan Travel Management www.globespan.com
Email: Globespan on behalf of Medical Ministry International mmitravel@globespan.com
Phone: Connie Kelsey at: (800) 810-1948 or (416) 322-7629

• Applicants from outside USA or Canada:
Travel arrangement can be procured locally or with the recommended agency, but arrivals & departures must coordinate with team.

Immunizations


We strongly recommend that you consult a travel clinic, as they are aware of outbreaks and can suggest preventative immunizations. All routine immunizations should be up-to-date. Please check the following website for the most current information.

• Americans: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/thailand

• Canadians: https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/thailand

Accommodation and Meals


MMI will arrange local accommodations for the team.
• Laundry Service: usually available for additional fee
• AC: dependent on location
• Phone Service: check with your cell phone provider, roaming is very expensive
• Wifi/Internet: dependent on locations
• Voltage: 220V (converter or adaptor required).
• Meals: MMI will provide meals for the team. Dietary restrictions can be indicated on your application and we will do our best to accommodate your needs. Be sure to bring your own re-usable water bottle with a wide mouth for refilling. Purified water is supplied. If you would like to bring snacks to have throughout the day, please bring items such as peanut butter, granola bars, trail mix or pretzels and crackers in sealable containers (like Ziploc bags).

Culture

• Language: Thai (official), Burmese and other
• Religion:
- Buddhist (official): 93.6%
- Muslim: 4.9%
- Christian: 1.2%
- Others: 0.3%
• Government: Constitutional Monarchy

Currency


The money in Thailand is called the Thai baht (THB). MMI staff will help you exchange money. All major credit cards are accepted - Visa and MasterCard the most widely accepted (make sure to call your credit card company and let them know that you’ll be traveling internationally). Traveler’s cheques are not easily cashed. You must bring US dollars in good condition. Torn, stamped or old bills will not be exchanged. $100 bills older than 2006 are also not accepted.

About Thailand

COUNTRY BACKGROUND

Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and formerly known as Siam, is a unitary state at the center of the Southeast Asian Indochinese peninsula composed of 76 provinces. Thailand has a population of 68 million people. It's known for tropical beaches, opulent royal palaces, ancient ruins and ornate temples displaying figures of Buddha. With a high level of human development and the second largest economy in Southeast Asia, Thailand is classified as a newly industrialized economy; manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism are leading sectors of the economy.

LOCATION:

Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma

GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES:

15 00 N, 100 00 E

MAP REFERENCES:

Southeast Asia

TOTAL AREA:

513,120 km²

BORDER COUNTRIES:

Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia

COASTLINE:

3,219 km

MARITIME CLAIMS:

12 nautical miles

CLIMATE:

Tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid

TERRAIN:

Central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere

ELEVATION EXTREMES

LOWEST POINT:

Gulf of Thailand - 0 m

HIGHEST POINT:

Doi Inthanon - 2,576 m

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