Peace Corps return to Thailand Post-Covid

On Friday, the Peace Corps in Thailand saw the return of 52 American volunteers, who will be serving alongside community members throughout the country. This marks the first time since the evacuation of volunteers in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The evacuation of volunteers in 2020 was a historical moment as it marked the first time in the Peace Corps’ 61-year history that volunteers were evacuated from all posts globally.

Peace Corps staff in Thailand operated throughout the pandemic, mostly working with local communities through virtual service projects and other activities. Peace Corps Thailand Country Director Sonny Luu said they prepared throughout Covid to relaunch and grow.

“We are so excited to be a part of the historic re-entry of volunteers in Thailand. Since March 2020, the Peace Corps staff in Thailand as well as those around the world have been diligently working to strengthen the foundation of the agency and to prepare to deal with any future impact of the pandemic. We are now ready to fully relaunch volunteer service and to celebrate this important moment with our community partners.”

The returning volunteers will be participating in Youth in Development and Education Projects as requested by the Thai government. The Education Project will focus on improving English language instruction by working with Thai teachers. They will also encourage community service and assist in promoting the government’s education initiatives.

The Youth in Development Project (YinD) aims to create constructive citizens out of Thai youth through teaching life skills, service learning, healthy lifestyles, civic engagement, and entrepreneurial skills.

The pandemic has been a global health issue and the Peace Corps has been working hard to respond and recover from it. All volunteers will engage in some form of Covid response and recovery work, as either primary or secondary projects. Covid has been “the biggest development challenge the world has faced in more than a century.” The Peace Corps aims to work with community members to aid in recovery.

The Peace Corps was established in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, and more than 240,000 Americans have served in 142 countries worldwide to date. It has a mission of world peace and friendship. It serves as an international network of volunteers, community members, host country partners, and staff, tackling development in education, health, environment, agriculture, community economic development, and youth development.