TEAM BUILDING and LEADERSHIP ENHANCEMENT
“I do, I then remember”
TEAM BUILDING is initially aimed to build “team work” and “self-confidence” and enhance “leadership” “relations” and “skills” that are essential to any organisations that prioritise “growth with quality”. Through the specially designed team-building games, the participants will be given an opportunity in the environment totally different from thier routine workplace to broaden their perspectives and to brigde the gab between staff from different levels. Of course, it proves a successful activity that gradually benifits the organisation and leads to the career development of individuals and organisation capacity in the long term.
This “Learning by Doing” process in specific circumstances will give the participants a chance to work and deal with the problems that they are facing while playing along in a systematic way. In addition, this also enables them to learn how to maximise the limited resources available.
The team-building programmes we offer feature a wide range of enjoyable and exciting indoor and outdoor activities. These include adventure challenge, i.e. bamboo raft building competition, that challenges physical and mental strenghts as well as team working ability of each individual as part of the team.
ICE BREAK
Crucial to team building, ICE BREAK session will work to ensure that all participants, no matter who they are, are given a chance “to get to know each other” through the enjoyments of team-building excercises. These include both indoor and outdoor team based activities that, for sure, add to both excitements and a lot of fun as well as relationship development.
TEAM DEVELOPMENT & TEAM WORK
Shortly after the ICE BREAK seesion, a variety of outdoor team-building games and activities will further lead to “team development” and “team work” through situations with more difficulties and obstacles. With their enjoyable attributes, the activities will enble the participants to develop relations, solidarity, team work, and leadership skill. Behaviours of each individual as being part of the team, be it leader or follower, will be easily observed at this stage. More discussions, planing and decision making begin and leadership will naturally emerge in certain team members.
REFLECTION & EVALUATION
Essential, and probably a must, to team building, this is to give the participants a chance to reflect and review what they have experienced and learnt throughout the team-building activities. Reflection/Evaluation, normally held after the end of the day or the entire course, will be done by both team represenatives, not necessarily always the leaders, and the observer arranged by the organiser.
During this session, adminisration/management issues and communication skills will be addressed to the participants by the observer to link with what they have to deal in their workplace. As a result, these issues can be later applied by the participants to get the work done more effeciently. In a final word, this session works very well to broaden the participants’ perspectives and to give them a good chance to review their own attitudes towards themselves, their colleques and organisation.
BEHAVIOUR OBSERVATION
If required, leadership/team work behaviours will be observed throughout the whole course with the results being produced and available upon request. Part of the findings will be addressed as an example, either positive or negative, of team work to the whole group during the reflection/evaluation session.
ADVENTURE CHALLENGE/BAMBOO RAFT BUILDING COMPETITION
Apart from the above team-building activities, team building with more adventure attributes can also be arranged in the jungle. Reputed with good forests and rivers, Kanchanaburi is also popular among corporate and incentive groups for its bamboo raft building competition. Until now, the bamboo raft is still a major source of transport for crossing or going along the stream or river for those living in the forest, particularly in the rainy or flooding season, or in a specific circumstance that you unavoidably need to continue a journey by waterway. Knowing how to properly build the raft is then practically useful and one of the basic knowledges to survive the forest life.
Locations for the challenge varies, from a remote stream deep inside the jungle to a wider stretch of the legendary River Kwai, depending on where the clients live and where they want it to be held. But they are all in the River Kwai Valley with splendid mountain views and secluded forests.
Added to more excitements is off-road adventure into the jungle that can be an unforgettable event. Themed lunch or cocktail break by the stream or the gorgeous lake can be specially arranged no matter how remote the location is.
FOREST SURVIVAL & RETREAT
For groups with more time available and fancy the idea of camping and jungle stay, the 2D1N or 3D2N team-building & retreat programmes can be organised in a remote forest of wild west Thailand along Thai-Burmese border. Added to team-building activities as mentioned above, the participants can also have a chance to learn how to survive the forest life from those with first-hand experiences.
Imagine how useful and interesting it would be to learn, for example,:
• how to forecast the weather from natural indicators,
• how to build a temporary shelter with limited resources/equipment during a jungle journey/stay,
• how to cook when it rains,
• how to know which plants are edible,
• how to make a maximum use of bamboo,
• and how to deliver a first aid (such as rescue, life saving and tending to the injured) when needed etc.
Last, but not least, ultimately enjoy jungle trekking, bamboo rafting along the stream with its marvelous scenery and swimming at the non-touristic tropical waterfall in the splendid atmosphere.
COMMUNITY-SERVICE TEAM BUILDING
There are many rural areas throughout the province with greatest needs, be it schools, orphanages or local communities and ethnic villages. The community service team building activity is for the organisation that wants to contribute to the community project and it can be arranged upon individual request. The activities involve such as minor constructions and paintings (for example fences, signs, common areas of the school and temple)
OTHER OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES/TOURS
A variety of nature/soft adventure tours (such as trekking, elephant riding & rafting), and golfing as well as cruising trips can be arranged as a break from team-building oriented activities. More details of these tours and related services are available on our home page.
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YOUTH/YOUNG TRAVELERS
Perhaps a hallmark of our successful performance concerning youth tourism or tourism for young travellers is the Jungle Expedition that we arranged for hundreds of scouts from different European countries who came for the Jumboree Meeting in Sattaheep, Thailand from December 2002 to January 2003.
No doubt, picture is worth more than thousand words to express how amazing it was for these young travelers while staying at our remote jungle campsite overlooking the fabulous stream deep inside the forest.
Jungle Adventure and WWII Discovery
Apart from the real jungle and adventure attributes, the young travelers are also given a chance to learn more about the history of WWII in this worldwide famous province, the historical railway construction from both the comprehensive exhibition of the WWII museum and the actual site visit as well as the discovery experience through a train ride along the Death Railway.
Local Insight into Thai Culture
In addition to this, a learning discovery trip also enables them to have a local insight into Thai culture by visiting traditional Thai farming village where its residents still make a living by planting rice. Cultural practices related to rice plantation are also highlighted in the rice paddy field to demonstrate how important rice is to Thai people.
Forest Survival & Nature Education
Notably, forest survival and nature education contribute as a significant part to the youth programme that enhances nature appreciation among young participants. It proves a great chance for many to observe patterns and shapes of forests and many forms of life in nature with fun and excitements.
First Aid – Great Mix of Local Wisdom and Conventional Treatment
Apart from learning how to deliver a first aid (such as rescue, life saving and tending to the injured) when needed, it is also really amazing to learn from the forest people about the same issue such as which plants locally available that can stop bleeding, which ones for relieving infection and some tropical deceases etc.
Sports and Recreation
Recreational activities and such sports as darts, beach volleyballand other water based games ensure that the young will have a great time to really enjoy themselves while staying in the forest.
Definitely, this adventure discovery and nature hideaway will remind them of their travel experience in the tropic.
Of course, youth programmes can be customised to suit individual demands.
PROFESSIONAL GUIDES
“Nice and fun”
“Service Mind”
“Inspired”
“Thai Hospitality ”
“Polite”
These are the commonest expressions we have ever heard from most of our clients, when asked to comment the performance of our guides shortly after they finished their trips. Despite being young graduates, they all are able to handle their work with great competence, according to our colleages from high profile travel agents. Most of our guides, trained in tourism and foreign languages from the local college, are local and this makes them more detail knowledgeable in the province than many guides from other parts of the country. Definitely, you will enjoy to have them as your company throughout your whole trip as many others did before. And you will discover why Thailand has a very good reputation of its hospitality and friendliness.
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School & Community Projects
A number of schools hidden in the remote areas and jungles of Kanchanaburi badly needs helps. Most of these schools are shortage of teachers and limited resources, in many cases basic infrastructures, to provide children a proper education and learning centre. This is always a case of the primary schools located so far away from the town, especially those with difficult access into the area blocked by mountainous terrains and waterways. Often, the chidren whose houses are too far from the school for them to walk forth and back everyday have to stay overnight at their schools with limited and poorly conditioned buildings, bedrooms and facilities.
For example, at some schools, a number of kids, upto 20 persons, sleep directly on a concrete floor (without any mattress) in a 4x4 room. Due to its location on the mountainous area, it is too hot in the hot season and it is too cold in the winter (Nov-Jan) when temperature can drop down to 4 celcius degree!
Most of the children at the schools near and inside the forests evidently need help with their daily life and fundamental education. Basically, they need blankets, jumpers or jackets, bedroom items, fans, bicycles etc, apart from stationery. In some other cases, the HIV infected children and those at the orphanage in the border districts also need help with food, clothes, housing and other basic infrastructures. Little things for some can bring a big change to many.
The pictures seen here are some of those taken from the school where the dormitory for 60 small kids (ethic hill tribe Karen) has undergone the construction process sponsored by individuals, both from overseas and Thailand, mainly through a TAT marketing representative in Austria with practical assistances and arrangements from us as the project coordinator.
The infrastructure assistance to the rural schools such as this is greatly needed. Your help and contribution can really make a big difference for thousands of children hidden from the sight of routine travelers to Kanchanaburi. Please feel free to contact us if you want to brighten the future of these children, or at least to contribute to a better life of them for the time being.
