How much for PADI open water in Thailand

[lord khram]

I've wondered about that too, each time you say so. I don't doubt your claim in the least, but as you say, side-by-side operational expenses would logically be higher in the UK. I can only presume that perhaps the dive staff are not paid (BSAC volunteer dive leaders, perhaps?), transfers are not provided (you get yourself to the boat dock), and there's no food on the boat (or cook to prepare it), you provide your own tanks and weights (or hire them separately), etc. Those savings could add up to quite a lot, I guess.

Yes what is provided does differ, it is not resort diving, generally I am talking of commercial operations rather than a BSAC club set up (that would be even cheaper) and dive guides are not provided nor required. most charter boats provide hot drinks and a snack and yes there is no shuttle service to the boat.
cost of a typical charter boat day:
2 dive trip £30 - 40 (1500-2000bt)
2 air fills at approx £3 each (300bt) divers own cylinders.
cylinders at a lot of places can be hired full (with air) at around 10-12 per day (500-600bt)
Some boats have compressors on board and air is included.

A typical days diving with own equipment in the Pattaya area costs around 2600 - 3000bt, approximately 1000bt more which should easily cover a transfer to the boat and cylinder hire, given low wages in Thailand.

UK fuel costs are around double what they are here, mooring fees for boats, I know one boat I dive from every year pays around £4000 (200000bt) per year and insurance policies that are legally required for all businesses such as public liability I know are very expensive.

Agreed there is not a direct comparison because as you point out there are differences in what is being provided, but overall I feel the diving I do in the UK represents far better value for money.

 

[supergaijin]

Interesting- when I worked freelance in Philippines, I was hiring a boat/fuel/crew and buy the refreshments for around US$75/day.

 

[stevenl]

Don't feel like really diving into this, but a quick google check noted: 2 dives 70-75 GBP. Just found another one, 40-45 GBP. All via a diveclub, so no commercial center.

 

[lord khram]

Don't feel like really diving into this, but a quick google check noted: 2 dives 70-75 GBP. Just found another one, 40-45 GBP. All via a diveclub, so no commercial center.

Most UK BSAC clubs have their own boat, or use charter boats, the charter boat option was the one that my above figures were based. When I was in the past a member of such a club, on a club trip we paid a nominal fee that covered routine boat maintenance, launching fees and fuel costs, so basically the main part was governed by the fuel / distance travelled to the chosen dive site. With 6 divers on the rib, it would usually work out at around £10 - 20 each per two dive day trip for the boat expenses.
Looks to me at £70-75 it may be a club that is taking non members to fill up empty spaces on their boat and raise a bit of extra cash for the club, and is still comparable with the cost of a days diving in Pattaya.

 

[tboxcar]

Here in the Perhentian Islands of Malaysia we charge about 90 Ringit or (900 Baht) per dive and that includes gear, prices come down from there for repetitive dives. Most would agree here that the one of the biggest cost we occur as dive operators is the petrol to operate the boat. Longer travel times to dive sites usually come with higher cost.
My experience with the Philippines having dived and trained there all my life is the cost of diving is similar to Thailand and Malaysia, sometimes a bit cheaper, but as mentioned in this thread there are many factors that influence the operators cost.
My LDS is California charges about US$10 per tank, so consider your SE Asia dive shop is supplying all equipment, and a guide and petrol to travel on, it's easy to see 1,000 THB per dive and remember the minimum wage in Thailand has just gone up.

 

[lord khram]

Here in the Perhentian Islands of Malaysia we charge about 90 Ringit or (900 Baht) per dive and that includes gear, prices come down from there for repetitive dives. Most would agree here that the one of the biggest cost we occur as dive operators is the petrol to operate the boat. Longer travel times to dive sites usually come with higher cost.
My experience with the Philippines having dived and trained there all my life is the cost of diving is similar to Thailand and Malaysia, sometimes a bit cheaper, but as mentioned in this thread there are many factors that influence the operators cost.
My LDS is California charges about US$10 per tank, so consider your SE Asia dive shop is supplying all equipment, and a guide and petrol to travel on, it's easy to see 1,000 THB per dive and remember the minimum wage in Thailand has just gone up.

So an average 2 day dive trip would cost around 1800bt all inclusive I assume. Where I am located in Thailand near Pattaya the same costs upwards of 3000bt, so hardly comparable. This includes pick up and drop off, 2 guided dives with equipment provided and a cooked meal on the boat, most provide free water, but charge for soft drinks tea, coffee and beer etc. (the situation with the drinks varies between the shops). There are places in Thailand such as Koh Tao where I have paid less, and other locations in south Thailand where I have paid more.
Yes the average wage in Thailand has indeed just gone up to 300bt per day, less than the minimum hourly rate in the UK.
As far as I can see the only cost which is comparable in Thailand to UK is the purchase of scuba equipment, so I am still mystified as to why a days diving here equates to similar cost.
I am not complaining, things cost what they cost and I chose to purchase or not, but it would be nice to understand the reasons behind what go's on.

 

[lord khram]

Just been roped in, on a 3 wreck dive shuttle boat day at swannage in the English Channel £58.00 + 3 x £2.00 for air fills obtained near my home. Just over 3000bt on a good boat with lift and hot drinks provided, thats about the same cost as a two day dive trip in Pattaya.