Recommendations for divemaster course in Thailand

[lord khram]

Shhh....that's not possible! How can it be? They cut corners and don't provide the same service!

There are plenty of great Thai people that I know in the dive industry. They do it for the love of it. Not to make the biggest profit. They also find it hard to believe about the prices charged by the tourist operators. The idea that the local Thai boats must be crap because they are for Thais and they are inexpensive just doesn't fly. Also, I've never been on a boat that didn't have several people that were fluent in English. Only once did I have a dive leader that was not.

Exactly my point, but all I hear is the supposed high quality service they provide for the excessive prices they charge. I have dived with most of the shops in Pattaya at some point, and at best have only ever received an average quality days diving.
This is why now I and a group of friends have resorted to renting a boat and organising our own trips. Not because we want to save money, and certainly not because we want to do all the organising ourselves.
We do this simply because we have found over the years it is the only way in Pattaya we can get a good days diving.
And we are all fed up with being treated with contempt by the local shops.

 

[josh]

Shhh....that's not possible! How can it be? They cut corners and don't provide the same service!
.

I have seen one well known samaesan Thai dive operator open air tanks - with a hammer. I have also seen many, many tanks with drilled depressions on them being used by the same operator.

I am not saying this is typical of Thai dive operators - but its not unheard of.

 

[limbo]

josh,

Maybe that's the operator I went with, he was based in Samaesan. Definately had to clean my first stage after diving with the operator I went with, possibly the same you describe.

 

[jdfmail]

Actually, I am not saying that the western dive shops do a poor job as I haven't experienced that. I'm just saying that in my opinion, lower prices of the local dive operators that I have experience with do just as good a job as anyone going out of Pattaya. I am sure that there are people that have had negative experiences with both. If it were me, and I saw any practices that were questionable, I wouldn't dive with them again.

 

[jdfmail]

A hammer? lol I guess he needs to do that because he charges less.

 

[josh]

A hammer? lol I guess he needs to do that because he charges less.

Not sure if we are on the same page here. He can charge less because he picks up (cheaply) condemed tanks that have failed the hydro test and uses those. Tanks are not maintained properly so the valves are screwed, hence the requirement for a hammer and wrench to open the tank.

Now, say what you like about the two big operators in Pattaya, but I for one am confident that when I pick up a tank and strap it to my back it has been well maintained and filled properly, and that the pumps are maintained regularly, and checked and serviced properly.

Tank care, maintanance and support is all part of the package you are paying for. Sure if you don't do it you can charge less. Whether its wise for the individual diver putting that tank on his back is, of course another matter.

 

[jdfmail]

So now we are saying that Thai operators use condemned tanks? That's a serious accusation that I have never experienced. I'm not saying that it doesn't happen but not on the boats that I've been on and I've never paid more than 1500 on a Thai operated boat. So one is not indicative of the other. No one I know would dive on a boat that doesn't take safety seriously. Nuff said and I am done here.

 

[katdiver]

Customers don't always look at the test date etc on the tank, they take much on trust.

Lord Krahm, sorry but you always had the choice. A straight no and give me my money back is far more effective. Done it myself in the past. You took the service.

 

[limbo]

Katdiver,

Lord Krahm's point was partly that he was informed about the change of plans once the boat was mocvng and he really didn't have a choice anymore, that's the way I understand it.
If this has happened, than that's very bad customer service indeed.

Changing the scheduled destination is one thing and can happen for a variety of reasons however, not telling the customer until he's well on his way is not going to get you a lot of sympathy from said customer.

 

[josh]

So now we are saying that Thai operators use condemned tanks? .

Tricky phrase that which can be read in two ways.

As an initial point, "we" are not saying anything, I am. Have I seen a Thai operator use condemned tanks - yes. Does that imply all Thai operators use condemned tanks, then I would think no - I could not answer more definately as I have not been with all Thai operators.