This forum appears to mirror perfectly the state of Thailand's marine ecosystem. Dead.

which is surprising......where are all the divers?

I understand that the Dive Industry in Thailand is a bit sad in Thailand. Most companies are PADI zombies and most tourist are following like sheeps. But still there must be more than enough interested people. Specially in places like Phuket, Ko Tao, etc.

I actually never heard about independent diver, who rent a tank somewhere and go diving....Or clubs who own one small compressor.....Everything is so commercial here.

Since Thailand's reefs are very much alive, the OP's statement is totally not true.

The diving on the Andaman side is world class. In the Gulf, not so much.

This is primarily an expat forum, and other than those work in the industry, very few expats seem to dive. That's got nothing to do with the quality of diving in Thailand.