Good reasons why you should not do your DM/IDC/IE in the PADI Asia area

[Ex-Aquanaut]

The OP's original complaint / story first came to light here:
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?p=2903057#post2903057

 

[Hank49]

The OP's original complaint / story first came to light here:
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?p=2903057#post2903057

Maybe I'm missing something but isn't this a bit like saying, "I had a rude taxi driver in New York. So avoid ALL taxis in the USA. And Canada for that matter".
Thanks for that link Aquanauts Pattaya.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Aloha,

I live and work full time the Maui dive life and please believe me, the little clownfish does not speak for the rest of Maui, or Hawaii. I'd like to see something real come out of these two threads, so here is the exchange on the other thread that was supposed to result in details in this thread.

I just left Thailand, avoid the place, bit of anti-American sentiment there that realy turned me off, not to mention how the Thai government ripped me off and the diving is horrible to just average. If you think you are getting a good deal by going to Thailand, don't believe it. PM me if you want more details.

Mauifish is just upset because he failed his IDC. I know, I was there. He chose not to complete his IDC because he felt there was anti-American sentiment from the PADI examiners!! It's an American organization!! He also did his course in Koh Samui- not even on the map of good diving in Thailand. ****!

I notice there is only one post made here by bcddannymalone and there is only one individual in Thailand that knows who I am, seeing as how you are so bold as to make such a statement as this I shall start an OP with an explanation of my complete experience while in Thailand and all readers can judge for themselves, might as well throw it all out in the open yes? Luring buisness in and not telling the complete truth about your operation is not the same as lying or is it? So many ethical questions come to mind. Scuba Board is being used by several of the lowlife operators in Thailand to lure in buisness without paying for advertisement {no big deal to me} SB can also be used to spread information about low quality of service, dive conditions, operators, accomadations, attitude, local government ripoffs and many things pertaining to dive sites all over the world. I like the way you threw that bit of info about me in this post,
it realy clarifies my judgement of your lack of professionalism.

Hey Mauifish, I can't believe you sat in an IE with 40 other people, failed the exam, made a ridiculous comment about "anti-American sentiment", moan that you want to go back to Hawaii to re-sit the exam and think nobody knows who you are!!
By the way, I don't work in diving and am wondering which dive shop you think I am promoting...

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

It is very likely we will not hear the complete experience, or even the complete zero to super zero dive training experience. PADI Pro Training is definately not the toughest dive instruction training around, kind of like quiting the chearleading squad 'cause the coach was mean and the other chearleaders picked on me.:shades:

Maybe PADI excomunication will put the clown on a better course (with a different name).

 

[Abbo]

I am really going to die of not surprised: he really did fail his course, then get on the web to badmouth the people who had the temerity to protect generations of potential students from his laclustre skills and his flawed personality. The collateral damage was that he turned round and went on to recommend people stay away from Thai diving and avoid taking training in the Asia-Pacific region. I, for one, actively seek out dive centres that fail divers that don't make the grade: I want my training to mean something because I need to come back safe for 3 half-Asian kids who are to die for - kids who need protecting from this kind of bigotry.

 

[Colliam7]

I shall start an OP with an explanation of my complete experience while in Thailand and all readers can judge for themselves, might as well throw it all out in the open yes?

This quote came from the other, earlier thread. I am beginning to wonder if it was just a tease. If the OP that started this thread was intended to be an 'explanation of my complete experience', it appears to my perhaps untutored reading to fall well short of the usual accepted definition of 'complete', or even 'explanation'.

If you have a problem with an examiner or instructor in the PADI Asia area and return to your home of residence and file a complaint through your main office such as PADI America or Europe they will only tell you that it is out of their area of authority and you must make your complaint directly to PADI Asia.

OK, so you apparently filed a complaint, and was told the 'court' you filed it with did not have jurisdiction, and you needed to file with another court. Frustrating, I am sure, but not altogether unusual, or wrong. Happens all the time in the judicial system in the US. Is your point that, if someone chooses to pursue training through a PADI organization other than PADI Americas, they cannot expect to use PADI Americas to arbitrate a dispute? If so, fair enough, good advice, a reasonable 'heads-up', etc. but not necessarily a reason in itself to avoid PADI Asia.

Guess what happens when you make your complaint with PADI Asia? Well the good ole boys at the main office in Australia will have a talk with whom you are making the complaint against and seeing how they are all long time friends, have a laugh and tell you to "bugger" off. Any actual witnesses will not be relevant you see because they all know each other so well, viable witnesesses are not necesary.

This is where it would be really helpful to have some details. Are you saying that you submitted eyewitness documentation, or attempted to submit it, and PADI Asia declared it 'incompetent, irrelevant and immaterial'? Are you saying that PADI Asia really told you to "bugger" off? Did someone actually laugh at your complaint, in your presence, or on the phone?
I think several folks on the thread have indicated an interest in understanding what actually happened. But, it does not appear that we are getting the promised 'explanation of my complete experience'.

 

[ApexLongimanus]

my cousin (who lives in europe) got certified in thailand but did not get his c-card. he asked me as just a "low-life padi americas dm" to help him. I sent an email to padi asia and they could not have been more helpful. very professional. got this problem resolved within a few weeks.

 

[lord khram]

I am making this post as a warning to Americans and Europeans in general as to why it is not a good idea to seek PADI training in The PADI Asia area.
If you have a problem with an examiner or instructor in the PADI Asia area and return to your home of residence and file a complaint through your main office such as PADI America or Europe they will only tell you that it is out of their area of authority and you must make your complaint directly to PADI Asia.
Guess what happens when you make your complaint with PADI Asia?
Well the good ole boys at the main office in Australia will have a talk with whom you are making the complaint against and seeing how they are all long time friends, have a laugh and tell you to "bugger" off. Any actual witnesses will not be relevant you see because they all know each other so well, viable witnesesses are not necesary.
If you are thinking about taking a course in any of PADI Asia areas and you are not from or working in that area you might want to reconsider your own country for legal reason's {now I wait for the derogatory post from Thailand}

I have to agree with this post, I now live in Pattaya Thailand, and personally I wouldn't recommend anyone to even do the open water course around here, over the years I have seen so many breaches of basic safety standards and training not being completed correctly. For example, one of the most serious being a diver doing the DM course who failed the swimming skills was signed off by an instructor in return for 'a few nights on the beer', is this normal practice in other parts of the world?
Also a friend of mine who paid one of the Pattaya shops and completed the rescue course, despite numerous complaints to the instructor/the shop/PADI still does not have his qualification 3 years later. on my advice, on his return to the UK signed up with BSAC and now agrees this is a far superior way of diver training.

 

[String]

I mention this only to say, "Why go halfway around the world?"

Because there are some extremely nice places that part of the world to live in and explore while doing it. I'd reverse it - "Why always stick close to home and not experience the world?"

Original thread appears to be a personal gripe from one person about something. No details provided so no means of verification or even to find out who may or may not be right.

 

[NudeDiver]

Which, oddly enough, is in the Asia-Pacific region...

...and yet, not in Asia.