stevenl

Since spear guns are illegal weapons here in Thailand, this whole discussion should not be here.

If anybody wants to go spearfishing, be it while diving or snorkeling: not with my DC, that is for sure.

You have much more redress with an owner operator if anything goes wrong.

Why?

A good boat and a good crew is very important. You are more likely to see the crew at the office of the owner.

No, you will not see the crew at the office of the owner, well hardly ever.

Make sure the boat has all the required safety equipment, including life rafts.

Agree, and an independent agent is much more likely to give a proper, unbiased advice, and make sure that the boat he books you on has everything necessary than the owner, who has no choice but to book on his own boat.

A big steel hulled boat with few customers is generally going to be the best in terms of service/comfort/safety though it should be more expensive than a small wooden hulled packed boat.

You are mixing up things here that have nothing to do with eachother: big/small-steel/wood-quiet/busy. For daytrips all boats will be wood by the way.

I personally prefer boats that employ local dive guides rather than foreign prima donna instructors.

Again, your opinion seeps though: I also prefer non prima donna instructors/guides, but that has nothing to do with Thai/foreign. In both groups you will find prima donna's.

As for dive supply shops all depends what you want to buy. You should know what you want before you go into the shop, don't let them sell to you whatever they want.

A good DC will not sell what they want, but what you need.

I was on a diving boat myself yesterday from Phuket to Racha Yai, so we received both currents and waves from the side, the same as a boat from Ao Nang to Phi Phi would endure.

Yes, the waves were high and the wind was strong, but nothing exceptionally bad and the whole trip there was no danger whatsoever. It sounds to me, but I don't know all the facts of course, neither doe anybody so far, that the boats (or actually boat, because one speedboat, not most suitable for this kind of weather) was wise enough to prevent accidents from happening) was either extremely unlucky or maintenance was low or there was something else wrong with the boat.

The wind and waves were not high enough for any well maintained boat to sink.

The retailers like it because it allows them to make a small margin on the exchange transaction - to offset their commission loss to the card company.

Not true, at least I'm sure I get exactly the same amount in Thai Baht credited towards my bank account, whether the guest paid in Baht or home currency.

IMHO, this occurence is not specific to this vendor, and may not be their fault at all. Vendors aren't able to take credit cards just because they want to. They have to register with the big credit card companies (and/or banks), play by their rules, and pay fees to use their services. Vendors like Nok Air may well just be passing this added expense on to the consumer, just like many other businesses do.

It is specific to this vendor, the vendor is obliged to offer the guest the choice: home currency or Thai Baht.

Thats correct.. The 44 IIRC..

Its suler straight and empty.. I find its the best way myself but do tend to make use of a fast road if its there.

Same for me. I like the 415 when I come back, because that is always in the middle of the night, so can drive the shortest route and still go 110-120 km/hour constantly. But will give the 44 a try this time, because I won't be late enough to avoid the traffic.

Thanks.

Once in a while I make this trip, and this week I'm going again.

I recall from reading amongst others on this forum that there is a new road from in between Phuket and Krabi to Surat. So far I have turned left on this road on to road 415 (2 lanes) at a big sign: Surat Thani and Bangkok, and my recognition point: a gasoline station right at the intersection on the left hand side.

Am I correct in understanding that there is a new road (4 lanes) to Surat, which starts about 20 kilometers further direction Krabi?

Koh Tao is known for cheap open water courses, not for the quality of the diving.

There are some nice divesites though, but IMO the only sites that are more or less comparable to the diving in the Andaman Sea (not even to mention sites like Similans, Hin Daeng. Hin Muang etc.) are Chumpon Pinnacle and Sail Rock, the rest is at best mediocre. Still you can have some very enjoyable diving there, just remember that the people that rave about Koh Tao are fresh open water students, that have no experience elsewhere.

I like the island, but that is again a different discussion.

Where did you hear this? When?

With no ESPN and Formula One, I'll cancel my subscription in a second.

Same for me, especially when I can't see the EPL anymore.

BTW, I heard that UBC acquired the rights to broadcast the EPL the next season. Anybody know more about this?

Occassionaly I buy something at Kata Bookshop, next to Kata Country House oposite Club Med, but IMO by far the best with a great collection in all lanuages: South Wind bookshop in Phuket Town, close to Kasikorn Bank on Phang Nga Road.

I have been offered a choice of currencies for payment, including THB, etc

That is a service offered these days. You can choose between the local currency or your home currency. The exchange rate is determined by the bank. As mentioned: you can choose, either Thai Baht or your home currency.

Just read the Phuket Gazette, where there is another article on this guy.

It looks like is waiting for others to arrange everything for him, and pay everything for him. If that is true, I really don't like that attitude.

lthough there's more big stuff to see, it was gard to see. Is this true?

Yes.

Just checked the merchant copies of some of the payments my guests made. It does give this information: cc number and expiration date. It does not give the guestname though. So in order for anybody to use this information, they would have to remember the name exactly plus the code.

It also violates Visa/MC agreements if a vendor charges you for using your card - like 20 Baht, for instance. Credit card rules say that the vendor must charge the same price for credit as for cash, or they can lose the privilege of accepting credit payments. But does this stop them?

No of course not. a credit card transactions costs a merchant 3%, plus VAT over that 3%. That gives vendors the choice of either putting on a surcharge for cc payments or a discount for cash payments. Since by far most of the payments are cash, I find it a lot easier to add a cc payment surcharge.

Let the guides on the boat where they were diving with know.

It may not do any good, but maybe it will. Or pretend you were almost hit by them, and go angry to that boat. That may work even better. Or if you really want to end it: inflict a small wound on yourself, and claim they hit you, that should do the trick.

BTW, I would recommend Chusak also if you really need a doc. He is a nice guy, and I have only good experiences with him. Completely opposite to Titi in Chalong.

How about Cafe Bagel in Kata, on Thaina Road?

One of my co-workers here is planning a trip to LOS and wants to do some diving.

He got a quote from some agency in Bkk, offering accommodations at 1,500 baht per night and 800 baht per dive. I take it that this is a packaged deal.

Not sure exactly where this is supposed to be though (i.e. Phuket/Pattaya/Samui). I know I could find cheaper accommodations (in Pattaya), but I don't know what the cost of the diving would be. I've never taken a course or done any diving, so I have no idea of the costs.

Would 800 baht per dive be inclusive of the boat rental, equipment rental and what ever else would be required ? Is that an average price ?

Thanks for the assistance eh !

Sounds like a Koh Tao deal. Good value for money, but not really good diving.

The best diving is on the Andaman side, where the diving will be a bit more expensive, from about 1,000 Baht per dive excluding equipment rental.

I have a diving centre in Kata.

Flying from Malaysia 2 weeks ago, they were not going to let me check in.

Which airline was this?

Totally agree with the previous poster, except for the time of the trip: I normally do this at night, drive fast with nearly no breaks, and it takes me about 10 hours. So during daytime or if you're a slower driver, count on about 12 hours.

I know of just one place: Beach Boy on the main road from Chalong to Kata, at the beginning of Kata.

I would personally always prefer Nai Harn and Rawai over Chalong.

Have not seen or experienced any violence, and have been living in Rawai now for 4 years.

lol

I drove past the accident site yesterday, there was a crowd of people looking/taking photos. That stretch of road is quite nasty and it was only a matter of time before it claimed a life. My condolences to the girls family.

That stretch of road is extremely dangerous, there have been many more accidents there, some also claiming lifes. Try to avoid it myself and take the road from Kata to Rawai whenever possible.

You must be talking about Dive Master as they are the only ones that go to Layang2 and Labuan.

How nice, the op does choose not to mention the name, but somebody else finds it necessary to do mention it.

Yes, sorry, idiot is not the correct wording, ignorant and paranoid would be a lot better.