Aquanauts CDC Pattaya, Course Director Roger Smith EXPELLED from PADI

[Spalpeen]

You've all missed the point, it's all about the money, money, all about the money , money.

In the olden days we used to swim around , look at fish and wrecks, take beginners under our wing and show them how to do it. Easy.

But now it's all about which organisation, fees, standards ( which change by the minute, depending on if there's another course and pic card that can be issued), dive centre ratings, bleeding trip advisor experts, etc etc

I'm glad I enjoyed the dive industry before it was run by non- diver business nerds.

I really don't see the problem, you make a commitment, know the price , pay the money , done deal.

Then things change and you want a refund. I just don't get it. You've made the deal , you've paid. It's a done deal . Move on.

PADI weren't getting their bit, that's all.

.I agree wholeheartedly with what Jamiemac says here. Since I've made the points I wanted to make and am beginning to repeat myself I'll make this my last comment on the matter. My last mention goes to the boat crew, bus drivers, office staff and diving instructors of Aquanauts who will now in all likelihood find themselves out of a job.

 

[Ringo]

"Interesting, given that in diving Thailand only issues work permits to company directors who employ Thai nationals, with a maximum of two per business. I don't know a single working instructor here who doesn't do visa runs, which means they are on either education or holiday visas."

Sorry Spaleen I dont know where you get your info from? This is totally untrue. Also foreigners with work permits on Non Immigrant B Visas with work permits still do visa runs.

 

[lord khram]

.I agree wholeheartedly with what Jamiemac says here. Since I've made the points I wanted to make and am beginning to repeat myself I'll make this my last comment on the matter. My last mention goes to the boat crew, bus drivers, office staff and diving instructors of Aquanauts who will now in all likelihood find themselves out of a job.

In my opinion (trying to be as polite as possible) Pattaya is not the greatest of dive destinations. The diving is really quite poor and the standard of service from the shops is far from the greatest I have seen, some I would rate as substandard and at best some are acceptable. That is speaking purely from a divers perspective, not someone who wants training. Pattaya shops are geared up around selling entry level dive courses to tourists who have not dived before rather than promoting dive holidays to experienced divers. Some also combine snorkling / fishing with diving, which in my mind is wrong, and there are then the shops that concentrate on IDC internships. But there is not one shop that simply does decent dive trips centred purely around experienced divers. I dare say to survive in business these criteria I have mentioned are necessary for Pattaya shops because experienced divers simply do not go there in sufficient numbes for diving specific holidays, diving is simply something they may do whilst there for other reasons. Quite simply over recent years there are far too many dive shops in Pattaya for them all to be successful, through the summer there is the daily procession of virtually empty boats visiting what are without a doubt the worst dive sites in Thailand. Yes as spalpeen points out it is unfortunate for those that may lose their jobs, but in my mind if a few of the shops did end up closing, it may leave the way clear for the better ones to prosper, then those that are prospering may be less likely to cut corners and resort to improper business practices and take better care of their customers.

 

[Zippsy]

....Third, questioning my credibility on the basis that this is the first issue upon which I have chosen is simply not acceptable.

Dang, I was trekking in Nepal and missed all the fun. Most points I would have said have already been made but I must say I disagee with this particular statement. Anyone that either just shows up at a convenient time to post on a topic like this, or uses a different screen name to hide his regular identity has no credibility with me. Feel free to not accept it but that's life.

 

[David Wright]

Dang, I was trekking in Nepal and missed all the fun. Most points I would have said have already been made but I must say I disagee with this particular statement. Anyone that either just shows up at a convenient time to post on a topic like this, or uses a different screen name to hide his regular identity has no credibility with me. Feel free to not accept it but that's life.

I agree, people who do not show there true identity have NO credibility.
Where is this thread going it started off as a member being expelled from PADI and is now banging on about people with no work permits and bad diving conditions in Pattaya. Do you people work for other dive centres around Thailand?

David Wright PADI Master Instructor Pattaya Dive Centre

 

[lord khram]

I agree, people who do not show there true identity have NO credibility.
Where is this thread going it started off as a member being expelled from PADI and is now banging on about people with no work permits and bad diving conditions in Pattaya. Do you people work for other dive centres around Thailand?

David Wright PADI Master Instructor Pattaya Dive Centre

I think you will find that Zippsy was saying that he gave no credibility to those just showing up at a convenient time to comment on such threads. I would agree entirely.

By the way, what was your first post on Scubaboard?

The discussion has indeed progressed as most do, and as far as I can see all that is being discussed are reasons for Aquanauts expulsion from PADI. My own view based on my experiences make me think it has been a long time coming.

 

[Zippsy]

Do you people work for other dive centres around Thailand?

I'm pretty sure I can recognize a few people here who do but I am not sure of your point. In Singapore / Malaysia we just had a diving fatality. Was I not supposed to comment on that incident because I work here? I'm confused.

To clarify my point, I give very little credibility or weight to first time posters as they are often are (or at least they were when I ran another scuba forum) people hiding their identity. I'll give you much more credit by using your real name.

 

[jamiemac]

I think you will find that Zippsy was saying that he gave no credibility to those just showing up at a convenient time to comment on such threads. I would agree entirely.

By the way, what was your first post on Scubaboard?

The discussion has indeed progressed as most do, and as far as I can see all that is being discussed are reasons for Aquanauts expulsion from PADI. My own view based on my experiences make me think it has been a long time coming.

I don't think we have to worry about Dave's credibility , he was teaching me how to do DSDs in Pattaya in 1989 and has been involved in the industry ever since

 

[lord khram]

I don't think we have to worry about Dave's credibility , he was teaching me how to do DSDs in Pattaya in 1989 and has been involved in the industry ever since

No doubt you are right, and personally I wouldn't question the credibility of anyone without good reason. I just thought it a little odd that by agreeing with another post, he himself was questioning someone else's credibility, the reason cited exactly matching his own actions?? Little bit of double standards don't you think?

What I also find a little odd is that the one and only post from this particular forum member is in this thread regarding Aquanauts expulsion from PADI, I am reliably led to believe the person concerned was also years ago himself involved with Aquanauts? As I said I wouldn't without good reason question anyone's credibility, but I would question the motives behind this post.

I can also remember very clearly during my infamous run in with Aquanauts on Scubaboard a few years ago, the constant myriad of posts (virtually all emanating from dive professionals working in Thailand) telling me how wrong I must be about the concerns I was voicing at the time about several dive op's in the Pattaya area. Rather odd don't you think that some of my concerns raised at the time virtually mirror the reason for Aquanauts expulsion from PADI.

So personally I feel a persons internet identity, the number of posts or any other single reason, doesn't give another individual right to directly question others credibility. But such facts will allow those of us that can think for ourselves to self moderate what is written, based on our own judgment and form our own opinions based on our educated assessment of what we read.

Just a little snippet of something I found from 2010 http://www.ripoffreport.com/college...cente/aquanauts-dive-center-scuba-i-a2fd5.htm
I believe the 'troll' referred to in the att'd may even be the same guy who's actions bought about Aquanauts expulsion and started this thread, and may even be the same guy I had the run in with? How some things change? And how incestuous is the Thai diving industry?

 

[jamiemac]

You've lost me completely.....