Dive Master - Thailand

[bracko]

Secondly, unless you really want to work in Australia, don't go there. I lived in Cairns for 6 months after I left Thailand in 2008 and I walked into one of the major outfits there and walked out laughing. 5 instructors in a pool: This corner does Confined Open Water 1 - finish - go to the next corner for confined 2, then the next corner... etc until you go to the middle of the pool for confined 5. After your classroom and pool training is complete, you get taken down to the shop front for a HARD sell on equipment. My ex-gf decided to get work there but if you think Australian training is better than training in Thailand, think again. The Queensland book of regulations was almost as thick as the old PADI manual, and mostly full of crap.

while not as bad as that, I'll agree that I've seen some pretty average training situations there... but every popular dive destination for noobies doesn't really set high expectations for their OW students. The aim of the game is getting people out to reef and pump through the OW students.

If you'd come to Sydney or Adelaide (the only two cities i have experience with) the training is significantly different and much more personalised.


re COP. I hope you always had a snorkel with you firmly attached to the left side of your mask Although it's generally what happens when you kill a few people from other rich nations.

although we digress, i did mention that as a general cautionary note for training overseas and obtaining "work" back in the UK being a DM.

 

[Bensold]

Hello

Thanks guys for all your help, lots of food for thought, I think I will check out some dive centres around Thailand, contact them and get a feel for what they are like, what they offer and all the costs. Also I need to look into when and where the high seasons are for the different parts of Thailand and work around that (going out in Oct)

Next job is start looking at kit, I only own fins/boots and mask at the moment and want my own kit to take with me, dive computer will be my first purchase, want a nice middle of the range one, that’s simple to use! any recommendations for kit are welcome but I shall prob start up a new thread for this

Thanks again, all you comments have been really helpful

Lou

 

[Bubble Junky]

I've always liked Suunto computers... Check out their D4 - vey simple to use...

And October is the start of the season for the west coast of Thailand...

 

[bracko]

I generally prefer Oceanic (newer range with duel algorithm) or scubapro (uwatec) range. in terms of an algorithm from what I've read and listened to the Uwatec one seems to be the most robust and reliable. People prefer Suunto which is more conservative.

read up on the algorithms and make an informed decision. if you can find older Aladin computer they are fairly well regarded from what i understand.

The Oceanic Atom 3.0 is a good watch with wireless transmitter if that's what you're interested in.

 

[Quero]

I generally prefer Oceanic (newer range with duel algorithm) or scubapro (uwatec) range. in terms of an algorithm from what I've read and listened to the Uwatec one seems to be the most robust and reliable. People prefer Suunto which is more conservative.

read up on the algorithms and make an informed decision. if you can find older Aladin computer they are fairly well regarded from what i understand.

The Oceanic Atom 3.0 is a good watch with wireless transmitter if that's what you're interested in.

Without getting into any observations of algorithms or conservatism, I have an essentially practical view of buying kit to spend significant time in SE Asia, including Thailand, and that has to do with ease of getting service and service parts. Oceanic products are simply hard to get serviced here. I had a really nice Oceanic dive computer that I just couldn't get serviced here, so I gave it away to somebody in a country where it could be sent off for service without a huge time lag and the problems with customs.

 

[bracko]

that sux considering they have outstanding service in Australia.

 

[Bensold]

Hi guys, thanks for all the info on Dive computers, still not entirely sure what to get but ive decided im def going to Thailand and then on to Oz so will look at what the servicing is like for both places, really helpful as to be honest not something i would of thought of. Taken for granted you could get it serviced anywhere.