Our Staff

 

Management and senior staff

 

Dick Sandler (Founder)

Sometimes called the founder of eco-tourism in Thailand, he has brought thousands of tourists closer to nature through his sustainable resorts in Krabi, Phang Nga and Khao Sok.

Dick grew up in New York City and fell in love with nature after attending summer camps in the USA.

Dick has lived in Thailand for over fifty years and created Jungle Life Camp to fulfil his dream of making summer camp experiences accessible to the kids of Khao Sok and the surrounding area.

Bodhi Garrett (Advisor)

With a background including social entrepreneurship, community organising and disaster relief, Bodhi’s ongoing passion has been to develop grassroots solutions to global issues.

His other projects include community-based tourism with Andaman Discoveries, a school for migrant youth with the North Andaman Foundation, indigenous solidarity with Moken Islands, and efforts in Nepal and Kenya with Global Purpose Group.

Mike Horrocks (Director)

Mike has over twenty years’ experience working in outdoor education, and has been coordinating and facilitating programs in Thailand for international schools for over fifteen.

Mike believes that experiential learning is the most powerful form of education, and strives to give his students an experience they will never forget.

His main passions are adventure, sustainability and ecology.

Tik (Head of Operations)

Tik loves to see people working well together and getting jobs done. She fully embraces our community values and is not afraid to get her hands dirty and join the team with their tasks when things get busy.

Yok (Senior coordinator - local camps)

With decades of experience in community work, Yok has devoted her career to helping people. Even though she is not a local, she is a well-liked member of the community.

AK (senior coordinator - international camps)

Born and raised in Bangkok, AK swapped city life for the jungle in 2024 and hasn’t looked back. She is a passionate facilitator who loves to integrate personal reflection, mindfulness and adventure into her activity programs.

Facilitator team

Friend

Friend likes to keep busy. Despite being young, he is a jack of all trades. When he is not with the students he can often be found helping with the cooking, gardening, driving and maintenance.

Jaennie

Jaennie studied to be a teacher before returning to Khao Sok to work with the children in her community. Jaennie is passionate about learning English. She is helpful and organised. 

Bell

Bell loves to get stuck in with full energy for every activity, but is often working hard behind the scenes in order to get everything ready on time. She is friendly and always eager to learn.

Kong

Kong graduated in the culinary arts but feels equally at home in the jungle as he does in the kitchen. He usually runs our family activities, farm tours and cooking classes for guests.

Guides

Sky

Sky was part of our original team of full-time facilitators and transitioned from a self-confessed city boy to a nature lover in the process. He is now one of Khao Sok’s most sought after guides.

Ed

Ed is widely regarded as one of the best guides in Khao Sok, thanks to his knowledge of the jungle and his professionalism. His son is also one of our regular camp participants! 

Khao Sok Local Guide Bin

Chuen

Chuen’s family was displaced when Cheow Lan Lake was created. After working in Koh Samui for many years, she decided to return home and devote her life to guiding and community work.

Gai

Gai is a veteran in the Khao Sok guiding scene, and one of the first guides to run activities for local kids with us. His passions include birdwatching, survival skills and local history.

Operations team

lin (cook/clean)

Lin is a bubbly character who loves to cook almost as much as she loves to laugh. She is most happy when our plates are empty and our bellies are full! Her favourite food is noodle soup.

pare (cook/clean)

Before coming to work at Jungle Life Camp, Pare was working on her family’s rubber farm. She quickly learned the ropes and is a highly valued member of our team.

pam (cook/clean)

Pam comes from neighbouring Phang Nga province. She brings strong moral values and open-mindedness to the table – as well as her excellent food! 

Mad (Maintenance)

Uncle Mad used to work as a caretaker in a nearby school. Whilst he loves to chat, he also works hard to keep the place running smoothly and takes a lot of pride in his work.

Farm team

Tar

Tar is a highly skilled vegetable farmer from Nong Khai, in the northeast of Thailand, but has been living in Khao Sok for over ten years. She is our longest-standing employee and always brings a smile to everyone she meets. 

Sompan

Sompan moved to Khao Sok from the north of Thailand. He comes with a great attitude and likes to challenge himself with new projects and experiences. With Tar’s experience, Num’s strength, and Sompan’s modern knowledge, the farmers make a great team.

Num

 When he was younger, Num’s favourite thing was football. Before coming to Jungle Life Camp, he was working two jobs in order to send his kids through school. He is happy to now have a more secure job, closer to home.

Latest Updates

From the Jungle

Stories from the Jungle – August Newsletter

You've probably heard something similar to this before: "I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand." If you think back to your memories of school, what moments stand out?  For all the countless days you spent in a classroom, I'm sure that for many of you, there will also be at least some memories of the few days you spent...

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JLC Annual Report 2025 – 2026

Another successful year at Jungle Life Camp!Since our humble beginnings in 2017, Jungle Life Camp has grown in many ways. Our facilities now comfortably accommodate groups of 40 students, our activities conform with best practice concepts in experiential learning, and our strengthened relationship with schools and other organisations has provided...

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Four days that challenged the way that our students see the world

We just wrapped up four days with Si Ri Panya International School from the island of Koh Phangan. From the very beginning, these students brought curiosity and a willingness to dive into new experiences, even if they were uncomfortable. On the first night, rather than beginning with information, we began with a simple game. Each student...

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