Recommendations for divemaster course in Thailand

[Quero]

This is exactly the type of instance that I keep seeing complaints about on these forums and indeed have experienced myself on numerous occasions.
People paying good money to go diving / do diver training only to find themselves in the hands of inept 'dive professionals'.

LK, I'm not sure who you're calling "inept," whether it's me because I gave up on this jerk, or whether it's whomever sold him his card. For all I know, he might have bought it on Khao San Road.

The post, though, was a joke. Although I really did have this DM, it had nothing to do with the fictional agency STD. I don't believe this so-called DM ever wanted to have training, since he clearly had a self-inflated sense of expertise and thought nobody had anything to teach him. He only wanted to "work" with me so that he could "assist" when his g/f got certified. I think he actually believed I'd just let him "teach" her and sign off on her cert.

 

[lord khram]

LK, I'm not sure who you're calling "inept," whether it's me because I gave up on this jerk, or whether it's whomever sold him his card. For all I know, he might have bought it on Khao San Road.

The post, though, was a joke. Although I really did have this DM, it had nothing to do with the fictional agency STD. I don't believe this so-called DM ever wanted to have training, since he clearly had a self-inflated sense of expertise and thought nobody had anything to teach him. He only wanted to "work" with me so that he could "assist" when his g/f got certified. I think he actually believed I'd just let him "teach" her and sign off on her cert.

Inept was just a general reference to certain individuals that over the years at times I have been ascined to as a paying diving customer (as have others looking at recent posts on here). ie, as you quite rightly state 'those with a self-inflated sense of expertise'.
This, as I have observed, quite clearly go's in in the industry, as you again stated in your last post, you had this 'jerk' assisting on a course, that presumably one of your customers had paid for?
I was not refering to any specific individual with my comments, certainly not yourself as indeed you seem to be confirming my observations. Although I am a little surprised that 'Dive proffesionals' credentials are not checked out prior to them being given employment, even if it is only on a trial basis.
With reference to the STD I and my dive buddy before in the UK have indeed tought ourselves numerous dive skills that we have practiced safely for a number of years. And yes I do have more confidence in our abilities than that of some of the professionals I have met over the years.

 

[Quero]

Inept was just a general reference to certain individuals that over the years at times I have been ascined to as a paying diving customer (as have others looking at recent posts on here). ie, as you quite rightly state 'those with a self-inflated sense of expertise'.
This, as I have observed, quite clearly go's in in the industry, as you again stated in your last post, you had this 'jerk' assisting on a course, that presumably one of your customers had paid for?
I was not refering to any specific individual with my comments, certainly not yourself as indeed you seem to be confirming my observations. Although I am a little surprised that 'Dive proffesionals' credentials are not checked out prior to them being given employment, even if it is only on a trial basis.

My students were not harmed in any way. All this guy had to do was be a victim in a Rescue diver coruse. As long as he could pretend to be drowning, pretend to be unconscious and pretend to be "dead" weight to be dragged back to shore, his role was fulfilled and no paying customers were scammed.

And of course I checked his credentials. However, we cannot get access to people's training records, even on line. All we can do is look them up to see if the rating was issued. It's clear that scuba diver ratings can be obtained fraudulently, as can university diplomas, passports, and any number of other documents.

I think we are talking about quite different things here. You are trying to paint a generalized picture of incompetence among working dive professionals in Thailand based on your perception. I'm talking about someone who was trying to work outside the system because, like you, he felt that working professionals were generally less competent than he himself was (which really wasn't true in his case, but may be in yours--I would have to see you dive to know for sure).

I don't share your negative view of scuba instruction in Thailand. I think most instructors do at least a good job, and a great many are excellent, including at the level of preparing DMs and OWSIs.

 

[limbo]

Quero and LK,

It seems indeed that you're talking about two different things here.

 

[funrecdiver]

For all I know, he might have bought it on Khao San Road.

FWIW, I was working a security project related to fake IDs and what was available on Khao San Road; and after surveying most all the shops, back alley businesses, and their extensive fake-ID catalogs, I did not see any fake scuba certification cards offered.

Of course, the ID shops will fake just about anything for a minimal fee (with the exception of Thai ID cards) and it is certainly possible to fake a cert card.

 

[limbo]

I've seen fake PADI DM cards and temporary cards being printed.

 

[penguintom]

Depends on the DC here and the DC at home.

A statement like this quote is just useless IMO.

yes I would agree, it does depend on the individual DC, but the statistics of my own experiences of diving in two seperate locations in Thailand and diving in my native UK are pretty conclusive up to now.

Thai experiences - 6 out of 6 poor ones.
UK experiences - Numerous and no reason for complaint to date.

My statement is not useless at all it is 100% true reflection of my experiences wether you like the fact or not.

 

[penguintom]

Steven,

Penguintom had not very good experiences in both Pattaya and Koh Chang, so now according to him the whole dive industry in Thailand is the same it seems, if I interpret his comments correctly.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

It's very unfortunate that PT had these experiences but you can't measure the whole of Thailand's dive industry by your experiences PT, at two locations that aren't known for their first class diving. I'm not sure what you were promised but maybe you should have axes to grind with the people that promised you things they couldn't deliver but don't confuse this with all of the dive industry in Thailand.

Not wanting to repeat, first please read my last post.
Firstly, I was not expecting first class diving, and that is not my issue. I had researched before I went to Koh Chang and diving was not my sole purpose of going there. But what I was not expecting was disinterested and inebriated staff that were incapable of providing me with what I had Paid for.
The things I was promissed were simply a good days diving, 'come along you will love it'.
Everything really just following on in the same manner as what I experienced last year in Pattaya. So I am afraid I am going to take some convincing before bringing my dive gear again. Particularly now having read others recent experiences on these forums in other locations.

 

[Bowmouth]

So I am afraid I am going to take some convincing before bringing my dive gear again. Particularly now having read others recent experiences on these forums in other locations.

Have you ever dived the Andaman Sea?

 

[lord khram]

I've seen fake PADI DM cards and temporary cards being printed.

Think I may have seen some of the DM's that have done the purchasing.