Aquanauts CDC Pattaya, Course Director Roger Smith EXPELLED from PADI

[lord khram]

You've lost me completely.....

In short, just because he was teaching DSD's in 1989, that fact alone does not prove Dave Wright's one and only post is honest and impartial. What gives him the right to say that others have no credibility when the matter in hand is being discussed in a civil and what would appear to be a factual manner?

Quite often I find those with a financial interest in diving, understandably post with a bias towards their financial interest. He was one of the founder owners of Aquanauts, and he also now runs his own DC in Pattaya. That is not offered as a criticism, but look at the OP in this thread. The guy that wrote it quite clearly instigated Aquanauts expulsion from PADI having reported them for improper business practices. This is the same guy that a few years ago when I reported similar facts on scubaboard was telling us all what a wonderful ethical company they were, closely followed by support for Aquanauts by a lot of dive pro's who had absolutely no knowledge of the incidents being discussed at the time.

Quite clearly The OP's relationship with his ex business partners has broken down acrimoniously and he sought revenge. Some will be able to temper what they read bearing such facts in mind, others obviously can not.

 

[jamiemac]

I think I'll stay lost!

 

[lord khram]

I see Aquanauts are now operating from the same premisses under the name of Da's Scuba Shop.

 

[Zippsy]

Oh my. And from the look of Da's website, Microsoft Word's "find & replace" function does not work well on web pages or photographs. Has anything changed at all except the main page's address?

 

[Colsom]

I see in Ex Aquanaut’s statements he speaks of known issues and malpractice going back to 2004 yet claims he was the whistle-blower, the question I have for him is why if he was aware of this malpractice both in business ethics and PADI standards did he not report this for 9 years.

Is it not the case that Ex Aquanaut regularly posted responses in various forums a defence against complaints made about these poor business practices, some of these defences was quite personal scathing? Why did you defend the actions that you say you knew were wrong?

I understand that you say you were a minor part of that business and I understand the attempt to defend the business, but I have read a number of responses by yourself that were at best quite personal and unprofessional, this is not the actions of someone that is claiming it had little to do with him.
I have personal experiences of Ex Aquanaut and reading his post is exactly what I would have expected from you. My thoughts would be that if you had been a member of PADI you to may well have been expelled but you’re not so you will continue offering Scuba diving services.

If I remember correctly you had a part time Thai girl working in the shop called Dah? Same as the new brand name! If it is Dah she has done well to be able to take on the shop, and the stock, the boat and all the equipment that was owned by the previous owners. You are still using the same boat?

Ex Aquanaut I think a lot of what you have said would sit better if you had come on here and said that you were very sorry for the part you played in the day to day running of Aquanauts and that you too had contributed to the poor business ethics and you are deeply sorry for these actions and the personal attacks made to individuals who raised legitimate complaints about the business you were part of.

I think without doubt your business model was sound and the business had the potential to offer a great service but it looks like greed got the better of all at Aquanauts and the dive fraternity is better of that it is no longer trading.

 

[Connor McB]

I see in Ex Aquanaut’s statements he speaks of known issues and malpractice going back to 2004 ......
I have personal experiences of Ex Aquanaut and reading his post is exactly what I would have expected from you. My thoughts would be that if you had been a member of PADI you to may well have been expelled but you’re not so you will continue offering Scuba diving services.
I think without doubt your business model was sound and the business had the potential to offer a great service but it looks like greed got the better of all at Aquanauts and the dive fraternity is better of that it is no longer trading.

Ex-Aquanauts who is posting here has left the dive company early last year - before all was send to PADI. coincidence? as many already commented or noticed he was one of the main people who responded in the past to complaints about their practices and always defended their actions.

as of what i have heard
the shop was just set to a scuba booking office as temporary solution, untill someone or another shop takes over. The boat is already gone.
the name of Da was used as a quick solution, as everyone who ever been diving with them knows Da and how well she was with Customer Service.

The former Course Director will continue to run a type of business on personal behalf for Technical Dive Training - but not PADI off course, can still train ANDI or TDI. So if standards are not followed according to PADI, are they then followed for the other courses??
or would people following the courses put themselves to risk?

 

[lord khram]

Went past 'Da's' shop yesterday, seems like all the stock has gone, only white walls now, nothing like the pictures on the website.

 

[Colsom]

Went past 'Da's' shop yesterday, seems like all the stock has gone, only white walls now, nothing like the pictures on the website.

So do you think they have completely shut down, I posted a comparison between the two main CDC as I had the good fortune to have had a working knowledge of both. I posted 100% true information to the letter and the response from that particular individual was horrendous. It was only ever about money.

 

[lord khram]

So do you think they have completely shut down, I posted a comparison between the two main CDC as I had the good fortune to have had a working knowledge of both. I posted 100% true information to the letter and the response from that particular individual was horrendous. It was only ever about money.

I dont think it has shut all together, but things look to have changed considerably. No idea or no interest in what they are doing there in Soi 6, just had a quick glance as I was driving past the shop. As you say 'horendous' is a word that could easilly be used to describe my experiences with Aquanauts some years ago, that is something I have no intention of repeating what ever the shop is now called.

Also I see in post No 56 that the expelled course director is maybe still teaching Technichal diving courses for other agencies, again something I have no intention of getting involved with, when my personal experiences revealed an inability from Aquanauts to run even a basic days dive trip in a safe and responsible manner.

 

[Connor McB]

they cleaned up the shop as PADI made them remove all PADI related materials asap.. so it should have been empty for a while..
the shop has been sold recently to the other CDC in Pattaya, Mermaids,
so it means they will have a lot of locations to work from now then.. Jomtien and North/Central Pattaya.

the websites are not updated yet to this sale i see