PhuketdashScuba

just had a look at thier website

doesnt appear to be TAT liscenced [or not advertised]

ive heard that without any complaints to the TAT that nothing is being done to make companies comply

nor is there any insurance valid without TAT registration

would have thought a big operator like this would advertise thier TAT membership

also dont understand why they say 12 year old thai girl

foreign news reporting israeli girl , and if reporters dont know , then why not write simply 12 year old girl ????

And why does Thaivisa keep reporting that the incident was in Phuket in their headline but actually acknowledge that it was on approach to Ao Nang?

Because Phuket sells better.

Anybody ever tried to import a decent marine automatic fire extinguisher to Thailand? (almost) mission impossible, this while they are no Thai alternatives. Another day, another boating acccident.

You will find these on quite a few of the liveaboard diveboats.

3 days only?

Do you really think that this is enough?

As long as the performance requirements are met it is according to PADI and all the other certification organisations for that matter.

Whether those organisations have standards that are high enough to suit everybody's needs is a different discussion, but one that we maybe could discuss in a separate thread.

The Open Water Diver course, a complete diver certification program, can start every day and be completed in only three days. At the end of the course when all performance requirements have been met the worldwide recognised PADI Open Water Diver certificate is awarded.

The program is divided into five academic and five pool sessions, followed by four open water scuba dives. This approach will make sure that you have fun, become comfortable in the underwater world and dive safely.

The two course options most of the student divers prefer are either two boat dives and two shoredives or four boatdives. For a small extra charge we can add one more boatdive to the course. And we offer something most dive centres on Phuket will not be able to offer: an extra cheap course; the same program as mentioned here above but with four shoredives.

Prices for the open water course start at 11,450 Baht, and all our course prices include all scuba diving equipment, use of other educational materials and daily transfers from and to your hotel.

The Open Water Diver Course can be fun for the whole family, also kids from 10 years on can follow the course, which will be the same course as the one for adults.

Of course it is possible to start your open water course from back home and finish all knowledge development already before coming here. Only the inwater training remains to be done here on Phuket.

For more information on the Open Water Diver course contact us via PM or at [email protected].

Hi stevennl,

I'm also looking for years to do the PADI.

Maybe you have another candidate then. (van een brabander)

You're very welcome, we can even do it with a Brabants accent.

He should have replied by now... He must be at the pier

Yes, I was diving today, 3 seahorses and 3 ghost pipe fish, lots of sepia, muray eels, lionfish, etc. A really good and very enjoyable day today.

@ the OP: I'd be happy to help you get certified, you can contact me by PM or email, info[at]phuket-scuba.com. You can of course also check out our website, www.phuket-scuba.com.

Steven

As I said, not available in Thailand.

GoPro has made the choice to sell via the general outlets and not the specialized diving outlets. This means that only rarely will GoPro be available at divecenters, and specialized gear like what you're looking for is not available in Thailand.

The PADI Discover Scuba Diving program allows those who have never tried it before to safely experience the thrill of scuba diving. It is also known as introdiving or resort dives.

First your instructor will conduct an orientation, followed by practice in shallow water. Once you feel at ease, you'll make your open water scuba dives with your instructor by your side. This can be spread out over 2 days, with the introduction and pool practice done on the first day and the open water dives the second day, or the program can be conducted in one day with introduction, practice in shallow water and open water dives all conducted on the same day.

We offer this shore based at our housereef in Kata Beach (takes about 1/2 day) or from the boat with 2 or 3 dives (takes a full day). And the maximum we take is 2 students for 1 instructor.

This is for many people the highlight of their vacation on Phuket, and often the start of a new hobby!

For more information on the Discover Scuba Diving program and about introduction diving for kids, the Bubblemaker program, contact us via PM or at [email protected].

Many people to beach dives at paradise, instructors and fun divers alike

Yes, divecompanies that are not welcome on boats because of unpaid invoices and people staying in that area who don't have time to do proper diving or who are sold a dive there by unscrupulous divecompanies. Or in low season of course when those companies don't have an alternative since they're not welcome on boats anymore.

There are simply much better alternatives in both shore diving and boat diving.

Edit: yes, IE's are there because diving there can year round and they save the money and time of a boat trip.

Beach dives on phuket are ok but it cant be compare to divesite like Shark Point, Phi Phi or even Kho Racha.

We use Aluminium tank here. So you ll have to adjust your weigh.

However, I m not sure if any diveshop will let you dive for 2 hours.(they usualy give 1 hour max time)

The best would be to rent your own equipment/tank and find a buddy

I would say the shorediving at quite a few sites is much, much more interesting than the west side of Racha Yai.

The maximum divetime is based on the boat schedules as well, but if the OP just wants to dive independently he can rent a tank (and other gear if required) and dive as long as he wants. Even 16 liter steel would be available for a 4-hour dive

There is some decent shorediving on Phuket, but only available from November through April. Nothing spectacular, but easy going, relaxed diving at a few nice divesites.

If you come to Phuket I'll take care of you personally . You'll just have to take some no flying time into account after your last dive of the trip.

I think from Phuket you can also go with the bus (train??) overnight to Bangkok.

Last dive in the evening and overnight back??

Yes, that's an option, but would limit the divesite selection for an early enough return to be guaranteed to catch the bus.

And on the trips to nearly all sites, last dive finished latest 16.00 hours would after 18 hours no flying allow flying again the next morning 10.00 anyway, arrival Bangkok downtown 12.30 hours, so busing gains some time but not that much.

So as an alternative I think the bus is good, but when possible I'd prefer the plane.

If you come to Phuket I'll take care of you personally . You'll just have to take some no flying time into account after your last dive of the trip.

Wholesaler for Aqualung (owner of US Divers) in Thailand is Aquamaster, for Scubapro it is Divesupply.

And both have shops in Bangkok, so I would recommend you to contact those 2.

Or for just basic servicing also your friendly DC down the road will probably be able to help you.

But expensive doesn't mean that everything is OK. Very common to cut corners on the teaching in Thailand.

And that is exactly why I don't take the job offers here.

So only DC's that are cutting corners are offering you a job? Hmmm.

Well in Pattaya all DC either cut corners, or go for the absolute low limit that PADI allows and not 1 minute more.

Of course Pattaya is a bad example and I assume in better places the DC are more careful. But fact is that if you go in other places diving they make a difference if your certification is from Thailand or from say Germany, as the professionals seem to know the situation.

Sad is that PADI isn't doing anything (beside taking money).

If you don't believe it go in random DC and tell them that you don't have much time but want to make the certificate, how fast they can do it. "Rescue Diver" can be done in 1 day I heard the sales guy. If I recall right mine was 2 days (which is also a joke).

Yes, certificates from certain Thai areas are not highly regarded. But only certain areas.

But expensive doesn't mean that everything is OK. Very common to cut corners on the teaching in Thailand.

And that is exactly why I don't take the job offers here.

So only DC's that are cutting corners are offering you a job? Hmmm.

1:0 for you.

No, of course not. But I found it hard to find out and choose from abroad. And I certainly didn't want to work without a WP - which seemed to be a major problem for those DCs I contacted.

Yes, fully agree, that is very difficult from abroad.

In certain places workpermits are required to work, in others (nearly) everybody works without one. In all places legally a workpermit is required. And in places where a workpermit is common place it is quite ofteh the instructor who has his own workpermit as a freelancer with own company.

cheapness and sufficient standards (security, teaching, etc.) are opposing concepts.

But expensive doesn't mean that everything is OK. Very common to cut corners on the teaching in Thailand.

And that is exactly why I don't take the job offers here.

So only DC's that are cutting corners are offering you a job? Hmmm.

Agree, very, very nice diving at Richelieu Rock. IMO on par with Richelieu Rock are Koh Tachai, albeit a completely different divesite, and in the south Hin Daeng and Hin Muang. The latter 2 are a bit like Richelieu Rock with many soft corals.

Traditionally Richelieu Rock is the best place for a whaleshark encounter, the last years though Hin Daeng and Hin Muang have been at least equally good for that.

The main problem at Racha Yai is that it is the island closest to Phuket with good snorkeling. This means there are often many speedboats and fishing boats, all mooring in the same area as the diveboats.

I therefor prefer the trip to Racha Noi and Racha Yai. 1 dive more for relatively little money, normally excellent visibility at Racha Noi plus at Racha Noi there is hardly anybody. By the time the trip reaches Racha Yai most of the other boats have left already.

Best place for diving in Thailand is the Andaman Sea.

I would not recommend a Similans liveaboard with a kid of that age, unless you choose one which has dedicated supervision for non-divers, like http://www.thailand-scuba.com/similans-liveaboards-diving-A1.htm.

For daytrips, all places would be suitable. Phi Phi would be nice because of shorter boat rides, but also Ao Nang, Koh Lanta, Khao Lak and of course Phuket would be very suitable. Especially with non-divers also look at things to do for the rest of the family.

The crossing at Three Pagoda Pass is open to Thais and Burmese only.

I've crossed there, but only on a 1 day visa given to me at the border. There was a small fee, a photo taken, and a one sheet visa paper issued. Had to return before midnight. We just went to shop in the border town.

And that option does not exist anymore.

What is your age? If you are just SCUBA diving you should be OK. Free diving might be risky

Sorry, but this is a very dangerous comment.

At the OP, why don;t you ask one of the Pattaya DC's? They must know the local doctors best suited for your question.

Before you make such remarks about my dangerous comment you should be sure that i am not qualified to answer such a question. If you care to PM I will tell you who I am.

I really don't care who you are.

If you are a diving doctor you should know better than to give advice like that without a proper examination. So yes, dangerous and irresponsible advice, even worse if you're trained in this field.

The best diving in Thailand you will find year round at the Andaman Sea. From 15 October onwards the national marine parks in the region open again, and besides these parks there are some really very nice other divesites available as well.

What is your age? If you are just SCUBA diving you should be OK. Free diving might be risky

Sorry, but this is a very dangerous comment.

At the OP, why don;t you ask one of the Pattaya DC's? They must know the local doctors best suited for your question.