daveyravey

Although I don't live near the ocean I am a keen diver and im saddened when I see Thai's just flick cigarette butts and rubbish into the sea.

Education is the way forward and this must come from the elders of the village first or the province or the country. Unfortunately it seems the elders

don't give a shit!

I moved to Korat from Pattaya a whileback. Although i work away a lot i still visit Pattaya a lot on my way to and from Koh Chang where i love to hangout. Pattaya is to busy now to live, but some great times can be had when i go there for a few days.

I get paid in Aussie dollars at the moment and i live in Thailand so i will be watching this closely.

^{So why doesnt someone set up a facebook page to complain, or publish their email address}

^{so that we can send the owners lots of emails. No place for this discrimination in Thailand for}

^{foreigners living here and having kids and paying Thai taxes.}

Scubadawgs Divecentre are a new centre on the island. They have just become 5 star PADI

so they are doing great and have the lowest prices on the island.

I dive regularly with them and assure you that they won't be beaten on price or quality.

I am an ex PADI instructor and i now work as a commercial diver, so i assure you i know

a good divecentre when i recommend one. I have over 4000 logged dives.

Mr Toad is quite correct that BB divers are good but he seems to have an issue with Scubadawgs as he is

friends with the owners of some of the others he recommends. Truth be told i don't even think he is a diver himself

so how the hell he recommends i don't know. If you chose BB you also made a good choice.

I have no issue with Dawgs, of course you are entitled your opinions. I purchase PADI courses for my clients, which I made clear in my previous statement, and you probably know that, as you seem to think you know me. it seems it is you that has the problem. I suspect maybe you are the owner of aforementioned company. As a purchaser, we have done our homework. In the end, there is plenty of choice on the island, and yes I do know some of the owners, although that's to be expected as I live on the island. Given that in the past 3 years that around 300 of my clients have used several of the providers I have mentioned, with good feedback then I am perfectly entitled to comment, and when I say purchase, this is business to business. We have since September 2011 used Scandanavian, and we are very pleased with them as a provider.

MR TOAD i assure you im not the owner of Scubadawgs, Im just a customer and a friend of the owner.

. My only concern is that you mentioned every other divecentre on Koh Chang but Scubadawgs.

Scubadawgs is now 5 star Padi rated and almost 20% cheaper than all the others you mention.

their boat and facilities are topclass so why didnt you mention them?

If you want to give advice, give good advice and unbiased advice.

Yes you can offer advice but maybe you should mention that you are a non diver first and your information is

based on other peoples opinions. Then readers can decide.

My opinions are based on being an ex PADI dive instructor, and being a commercial diver. I know which divecentres are

good and which ones are not so good. I even offered praise for bb divers because they are good but a little more expensive.

If you think qantas are the safest you are sadly mistaken. It all started to go wrong when they subbed out their maintenance to asian countries like Phillippines.

Scubadawgs Divecentre are a new centre on the island. They have just become 5 star PADI

so they are doing great and have the lowest prices on the island.

I dive regularly with them and assure you that they won't be beaten on price or quality.

I am an ex PADI instructor and i now work as a commercial diver, so i assure you i know

a good divecentre when i recommend one. I have over 4000 logged dives.

Mr Toad is quite correct that BB divers are good but he seems to have an issue with Scubadawgs as he is

friends with the owners of some of the others he recommends. Truth be told i don't even think he is a diver himself

so how the hell he recommends i don't know. If you chose BB you also made a good choice.

Very difficult finding a good school in Thailand for kids that doesn't cost the earth. In the end we found a good school here in Korat for our oldest but me and the Mrs were appalled by some of the schools we checked out. We pay about 60,000b a year for extra english tuition now also. The funny thing is that when i check my sons homework his teachers english is quite bad.

Mark at Whitesands, Nick, Peter, etc, etc. The list goes on.

Blatant sales talk is what I smell.

Anyway my feedback is independent, as I have absolutely no link to any of the Centres other than living on the island for a few years.

Sorry but i also have no link to any divecentre on the Island. I am only giving my personal opinion of a very good divecentre

that i regularly use. BTW, i called Jack today and asked him how many certifications he has. He told me over 500 certifications so if

any of the 3 guys you mention i have more apologise but my guess is that he has more than the 3 of them put together.

Anyway im not getting into a pissing contest with you.

Im down pretty soon so PM me where you drink and i will come and buy you a beer and maybe we can dive together.

Did you book Nelly? i am going to Koh Chang in a few weeks time . I want to see how the wreck is doing after 4 months down.

How much do you want to spend, and what size of boat do you wish to buy?

I can think of a few instructors that might doubt the veracity of the statement regarding experience, but you are right about the price they are the cheapest on the island.

Actually with hindsight i should have said one of the most experienced as Patrick from sea and sun is also very experienced as is Patrick from BB divers.

If you are looking for a room and diving on Koh Chang then the best value divecentre must be www.scuba-dawgs.com.

The two other divecentres Mr Toad said are good but are much more expensive. Scubadawgs offer free rooms at their

resort www.cliff-cottage.com when you book a course.

I have used them lots and stay at their resort regularly. I have no vested interest in with them other than i am a friend

and customer of one of the owners Jack who is a great guy and the most experienced instructor on Koh Chang.

The boat is great and they have great food,new equipment and even give towels and free use of divecomputers.

I have lived in Thailand for 2 years and renew my visa based on marraige to

a Thai every year. I go through the usual rigmorole of getting updated marraige

paper etc and a million copies of everything. I also keep the required 400k in the bank.

During this last year i have got myself a workpermit , so my question is

how does this affect renwing my marraige visa this year? Do i still need 400k in the bank?

and do i still need updated wedding certificates etc?

thanks

unbelievable! This is why Thailand is never taken seriously in the real world.

I hope this guy rots and his sons all lose their jobs.

Lots of guys become dive instructors where multiple european languages

and web skills make you a hot commodity in Thailand.

I know a guy who owns a dive school on Koh Chang called Scubadawgs and they do

full packages to make you professional. Then you get to live the dream and get a work permit.

Google them or pm me if it interests you.

Dave.

Just found a local divecentre with a great link about the wreck. www.scuba-dawgs.com

Loads of info on the boat. Can't wait to dive it myself.

On the main notice at Ao Subparot they are not sinking the boat but "thinking of boat".

Actually it says Finking the Boat

Turn off Sukumvit up Soi Siam country club rd and just before the railaway line (100m) there is a small re-upholsterer on the left in a small shop/shed. He is very good and very cheap but also very busy. Ive recently had work done there and i was very happy.

Friend has asked me to buy him some boxing gloves. He does not want copies. Can anyone tell me where in central BKK can i buy some and how much is a fair price. I dont want copies if possible.

Cheers

MR Ambassador. Why do you have an uneducated man with conflicting business interests. ie Media running your Jomtien consulate.

This individual is not giving correct advice and has cost me money and wasted time by giving incorrect information and literature

regarding obtaining a passport for my daughter .

Mr Ambassador please tell him that no you dont need to pay nearly 10,000baht to register the birth to obtain a British passport,

and also tell him that the Embassy in BKK only accepts applications during the morning and not afternoons as the literature he gave me said, hence making me

have to travel to Bangkok twice.

And i second that passports and letters are way too expensive. Maybe you are giving to many Ferero rochey chocs away free at your parties. lol

When did you do this please? As far as I know the Embassy in Bangkok will no longer accept applications. I was told they have to be sent to Hong Kong by the applicant.

First time applicants have to use Bangkok, they will check your documents and forward them to HK.

http://ukinhongkong....me-applications

I got my daughters passport 3 months ago. First time applicants must apply in BKK british embassy.

Yes, just did the same for my daughter. Go to British embassy website and download the forms for passport for child.

1. You will need your childs Thai birth certificate and need it translated

2. you will need your own birth certificate- the long copy which gives your parents names and occupations. Short copy not acceptable.

3 You will need your Thai marraige certificate and translation.( if you are not married, its still ok but i dont know the procedure)

4 your passport.

5. copy of your wifes id card. If her name is in English you dont need it translated.

6 Copy of your wifes tabien baan(house book) and translated copy.

You will need a fellow Brit to certify the pics of your daughter. Any kodak shop will take the passport pics of your daughter.

Armed with the above, go to the British embassy before 11.30 am as that is when they close. Go on a monday-thursday. Friday is dodgy.

They will take your money (just over 4000baht) and check your documentation. They then send it all to Hong Kong and you get the

passport sent by courier(DHL) around 3 weeks later.

Obviously take photocopies of everything and get your wife to sign the copies of all her stuff.

You might be asked if you wish to register your childs birth and get a british style birth certificate. In my opinion

this is bullshit as it costs nearly 10,000baht and serves no purpose at all. Passports show nationality, not birth certificates.

I asked an ebassy official what purpose it would serve and she basically said none. Your child has all the same

entitlements with or without this paper.And it is not a british birth certificate. As long as your kid can prove she is your kid she will always

be British.

Hope this helps

This is BULLSHIT. First post and you recommend a Pattaya company! lol you must think we are nutters!

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