Thailand bans cameras without AOW

[chillyinCanada]

Thailand Bans Underwater Cameras on Deep Dives for Most Divers

Only seasoned divers will be able to take cameras down to the coral reef.

petapixel.com

 

[johndiver999]

sounds like a bunch of communists!

 

[Alekseolsen]

Well, if you've never dived earlier, and therefore believe people with an "advanced" course are more advanced divers than people without, the legislation makes a lot of sense. Obviously a way better metric is for divers with at least X dives the last 6 months, but I can understand how an "advanced" certification sounds like a great target for legislative parties

 

[Germie]

So after 9 dives you can have your advanced cert and then take a camera. It is better than nothing, but it would have been better at least 500 dives before taking a camera.

That instructors are not allowed to take a camera is a little bit strange. In the open water course I can understand, but in other courses a camera can help with debriefing to show what went well and what could be improved.

The idea of having a least an aow cert is not bad. But better would have been more dives like 500 or so. Not only 50 or 100, but that really seasoned divers can take a camera as they dive more often than only on holidays probably, and if not they have done at least several holidays before the 500 dives are reached.

 

[Kimela]

The problem is that certification level doesn’t prove skill levels.

 

[oceanmatrix]

ok so i got my aow in Thailand and ya i would say this is a problem when i was diving my DM was Dragging like a xmus tree. feet scraping the bottem i seen it. i try to stay as 2 meter above everything so i make sure i dont touch anything. now im wonder can i bring my small action camera whats defined "camera they dont say" sooo ya. 200k fine is big deal + 1 year jail time soooo. really worth money to bring the action camera now.

 

[ttc008]

They are trying to sell more aow courses

 

[Centrals]

They are trying to sell more aow courses

That was quite true when OW certified divers were not allowed to dive Monad Shoal(~24m) in Malapascua to see thresher sharks. However, a shallower site has been located recently so the requirement for AOW is no longer required.