Tech in Thailand: Soliciting diveshop Recommendations

[hammerhead_sm]

Hey Everyone! I recently did my TDI Intro to Tech in the Gilis and I'm planning to visit Thailand in Dec '22 to do a few tech courses - TDI AN+Helitrox, followed by TDI Trimix. I believe it will take me 8-10 days to work through both of these courses, so am planning for a 12-14 day trip.

The closest (and cheapest) destination from my home base in India, for tec diving shops, seems to be Thailand. There is some local tec diving closer to home, but if I am spending two weeks diving and learning, I'd prefer to have nicer dive conditions and be amongst lots of fellow divers. So I'd really appreciate -

• Could anyone please share reccos for instructors or dive-centers I could do these two courses with?
• Also, does it make sense to do both these courses back to back, or is there any reason to space them out?
• Finally, any reason to do AN+DP instead of AN+Helitrox?

My diving background - By this trip, I'll be at around 250 dives and will (hopefully) be a certified DM. I want to really build mastery of open-circuit diving, before I even begin considering going down the rebreather path. I understand the constraints around helium costs, but for now I really want to focus on theory and skills. I hope that's the right way to think about it?

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Centrals]

Dec.
West coast is better.
I believe some divers from Koh Tao were involved with the rescue of the football team.

Cave rescue: The divers who got the Thai boys out

The mission to rescue the boys in the cave has been a Thai-led but truly international effort.

www.bbc.com

Divers enjoyed the easy life in Thailand, then came the cave rescue

Life on the tropical island of Koh Tao was idyllic, but when the emergency call went out, a disparate team of cave-diving experts leapt into action.

www.scmp.com

How about Philippines?

 

[Ski_Lounge]

I was researching tech training in Thailand as well, but did not come across much on the East coast of Thailand. Have you considered Dahab (Egypt) given your proximity? It's a popular location for trimix & deep dives.

 

[GF99/99]

Check out
Ben and his team at
https://www.bluelabeldiving.com/
Ben has done 240m cave dives, lots of dual rebreather diving, etc., a very knowledgeable and experienced diver. Also dives/or is an instructor on more units than probably any other instructor in the world. Also does commercial diving on the side and is very experience with hyperbaric chamber operations on top of being an ERD instructor too.

or Mikko, Ivan and there team at
Technical Diving and CCR Rebreather courses | Thailand, Koh Tao

 

[Edward3c]

Contact Tim Lawrence at JDL Technical on Koh Tao Technical Diving with Davy Jones Locker - Tech Dive Thailand

 

[hammerhead_sm]

I was researching tech training in Thailand as well, but did not come across much on the East coast of Thailand. Have you considered Dahab (Egypt) given your proximity? It's a popular location for trimix & deep dives.

Dahab is an option. I did my Deep and Nitrox certifications there ages ago. It was at the time, a lovely quiet dive town and I really enjoyed diving there. But flight prices to Thailand from India are significantly cheaper and hence is currently the preferred option. But will explore. Thanks.

 

[hammerhead_sm]

How about Philippines?

Open to it. Not as convenient as Thailand but definitely an option. Could you suggest any instructors / dive centers that have a high quality of tech instruction in the Philippines? Thanks.

 

[Centrals]

Open to it. Not as convenient as Thailand but definitely an option. Could you suggest any instructors / dive centers that have a high quality of tech instruction in the Philippines? Thanks.

Tec Asia in Puerto Galera. An approved GUE dive centre.
Sam Collett

Meet the Team | Asia Divers and El Galleon Beach Resort

Asia Divers and El Galleon Beach Resort in Puerto Galera has a friendly, experienced team to make your stay with us as pleasant as possible.

asiadivers.com

 

[MikkelBC]

I second the recommendation of Blue Label Diving - however the company doesn't exist in the same form as before. I believe it was acquired by Sea Bees.
My favorite instructor from Blue Label, Claus Rasmussen, is offering courses in a new setup:

Tech Dive Asia – Asia’s most experienced technical diving team

techdiveasia.com

I did TDI Advanced Wreck and Advanced Nitrox and Decompression procedures with Claus and was very happy.
BTW, he is the guy on the left in the picture in that BBC article that was linked to above: Cave rescue: The divers who got the Thai boys out