Padi

[antony77]

I get many emails asking me about PADI instructor courses.

So I quote below an email that I received from a well known UK Diver when

I told him about the large numbers of PADI Scuba instructors here in Thailand.

Quote:

"We have a similar situation with PADI here. An instructor on nearly every

corner in London. You can imagine the tangles they get into when they try

to dive in British waters. They have a rather doubtful history. They

sent me a PADI Instructor's certificate on the strength of my BSAC

qualification. Before that you could send the fee and a photo and they

would send back any certification you asked for. At the beginning,

allegedly, someone sent photos of his Alsatian dog and a pet seal and they

both came back featured on instructor's cards! (Mentioned by Bob Marx in

one of his books).

[ESB7]

Its not just the divers, its also the reception/reservation staff that are less than honest. I know of a dive shop in Phuket that has girls that worked in Coyote bars and even one that was sold into child prostituion at 14 yeras of age, now married to a diver...would you trust your credit card details with people like this working for them....not to mention trusting your life to a company like this.

[FarangCravings]

Its not just the divers, its also the reception/reservation staff that are less than honest. I know of a dive shop in Phuket that has girls that worked in Coyote bars and even one that was sold into child prostituion at 14 yeras of age, now married to a diver...would you trust your credit card details with people like this working for them....not to mention trusting your life to a company like this.

Sorry Mate whoever that well known UK diver is

is FULL OF SHIT

Show me the Alsation and Seal instructor card and I might beleive you after contacting PADI for confirmation of instructor numbers

Ive been a PADI instructor for the past 25 years (never taught in Thailand) and at no time has PADI ever given out an Instructor license on the basis of an instructor holding another agencys Instructor certificate what you have to do is called an Instructor crossover meaning you have to show you know what your doing and take the REGULAR Instructor exam to pass and gain certification just like I would have to do if I decided to take a Naui instructor course and have there instructor card.

Maybe when PADI first ever started they might of done that but that would of been in 1966 they are now the largest training agency in the world that certifys more divers than all other training agencys put together.

The BSAC elitist mentality has been around since PADI literally took over the certification business in the UK and while there are some Valid points in with Bad instructors issuing certificates to divers without them completeing the course this happens in all agencys and is down to bad instructors not the agency.

As a Proffessional diver for more than 25 years i have dove all over the world and amassed over 6000 dives however if I was to go home to the UK and dive I would certainly take advice from a regular British diver with a basic open water certification as he is way more experinced than me in those conditions and more experienced in British diving. the problem happens when people dont recognize the fact that while they are dive certified each area offers different conditions of diving and you need to take that into account.

Edited August 25, 2010 by FarangCravings

[F4UCorsair]

Khao San Road would have fake PADI Instructor cards available, surely??

[Acutus]

Khao San Road would have fake PADI Instructor cards available, surely??

If one can afford it, one can even get a Certified Emperor of the Land Card in this land of scam without being qualified!

Good to be in Thailand

[skippybangkok]

PADI=pay and dive immediately. No idea if others are better or worse, but have seen my fair share of instructors and "certified" divers which are a liability in waiting.

[exterminator]

Khao San Road would have fake PADI Instructor cards available, surely??

What benefits will you get by holding a fake PADI Instructor card? Bullshit the girls or show off to the boys? All PADI diver cerifications have to be issued by PADI, after training with a bona fide PADI instructor.

[F4UCorsair]

Khao San Road would have fake PADI Instructor cards available, surely??

What benefits will you get by holding a fake PADI Instructor card? Bullshit the girls or show off to the boys? All PADI diver cerifications have to be issued by PADI, after training with a bona fide PADI instructor.

Mmmmm, let me think. Work as PADI Instructor?? "All diver certifications have to be issued", etc., unless of course you pick up a 'certification' on Khao San Road. Is it really important that your 'students' are told that they will receive their certification when they return home to wherever home is and then it doesn't arrive? But, if it's so easy to pick up a genuine certification, then you can conduct bona fide training.

I did my PADI certifiction 30 years ago, and I can say that the instructor had little knowledge. I would have done better reading a book and saving a few hundred $$. Scuba diving isn't rocket science; in fact it's quite straightforward. My observation then, and since,is that PADI seems to be more about generating revenue than ensuring a standard. Others may disagree and that is their right. I haven't dived for some years, but I bet I could spend an hour refreshing my knowledge on the net and acquit myself as an instructor more than satisfactorily. It's the mystique surrounding the industry that makes it a money pit and those in the industry play on that.

Most governments have handed over 'licensing' and regulation to organizations such as PADI, not always with satisfactory results. If the death toll is high enough governmetns will step in and take over as they have here in Australia with parachuting, boating licences, shooters' licences, etc. Of course, their motives aren't always honourable either, and revenue no doubt plays a part.

[exterminator]

Khao San Road would have fake PADI Instructor cards available, surely??

What benefits will you get by holding a fake PADI Instructor card? Bullshit the girls or show off to the boys? All PADI diver cerifications have to be issued by PADI, after training with a bona fide PADI instructor.

Mmmmm, let me think. Work as PADI Instructor?? "All diver certifications have to be issued", etc., unless of course you pick up a 'certification' on Khao San Road. Is it really important that your 'students' are told that they will receive their certification when they return home to wherever home is and then it doesn't arrive? But, if it's so easy to pick up a genuine certification, then you can conduct bona fide training.

I did my PADI certifiction 30 years ago, and I can say that the instructor had little knowledge. I would have done better reading a book and saving a few hundred $. Scuba diving isn't rocket science; in fact it's quite straightforward. My observation then, and since,is that PADI seems to be more about generating revenue than ensuring a standard. Others may disagree and that is their right. I haven't dived for some years, but I bet I could spend an hour refreshing my knowledge on the net and acquit myself as an instructor more than satisfactorily. It's the mystique surrounding the industry that makes it a money pit and those in the industry play on that.

Most governments have handed over 'licensing' and regulation to organizations such as PADI, not always with satisfactory results. If the death toll is high enough governmetns will step in and take over as they have here in Australia with parachuting, boating licences, shooters' licences, etc. Of course, their motives aren't always honourable either, and revenue no doubt plays a part.

Maybe you don't understand the PADI system. A PADI instructor will issue a Temporary Diver Card immdiately after training, the original will be issued by PADI Americas, Asia or Europe. There is a facility to check if your PADI instrucor is qualified, registered and current. It is unfortunate you underwent training with one with "little" knowledge or " less" knowledge than whant you could have picked up from books, etc. - you have recourse by complaining to PADI. However, my point is: Why have a fake PADI INSTRUCTOR card?

[BKKjohan]

So, what exactly is the point of the OP? Too many PADI Instructors in Thailand? Would this in theory not mean that the diveshops have enough choice employing instructors, therefore increasing the quality of the teaching? In reality of course a lot of instructors are hired because of language skills (or drinking buddy) as opposed to experience.

The PADI Instructor Examination (IE) is a monitored exam focusing on knowledge and presentation skills. Every PADI Instructor at least passed the minimum requirement for this. The IE does not look at dive-leadership skills.. There is a requirement of at least 100 dives, making it possible to go from "zero to hero" in as little as 6months. It's really up to the individual if this little time would be enough to become a good instructor. I'm guessing that this well known UK diver is complaining about the fact that very few of the Thailand based instructors have a history as a navy diver!