Working as instructor or DM in Thailand

[jamin]

Hi, I just came accross this site and I'm hoping somebody can help me out with some advice

I am currently travelling (from the UK) in Australia and have just completed my divemaster course with Pro-Dive in Sydney (having come through Thailand where I did all my recreational courses). I am due to take the IDC and IE over here in March and will then be going back to Thailand in Late April or May.

I would ideally like to work as an instructor in Thailand but I know that you need a work permit to do this (legally). Am I right in thinking that the only way to get a WP is to be employed properly by a dive operation?

What are the chances of being able to work casually in order to just stay in Thailand for a few months without a WP (maybe just doing divemaster duties)? I have dived on Koh Tao and I can't believe that the hundreds of instructors there all have work permits....how does this affect insurance and liability if anything happens?

Any (helpful) advice appreciated!

B.

 

[vkalia]

Odds of you getting a job as a DM in Thailand are slim to none - atleast in Tao/Samui/Phuket All those places give those positions to their own DMTs once they complete the course.

And you are right - most instructors and DMs dont have permits. Just a few core employees.

 

[stevenl]

most instructors and DMs dont have permits

That may be true fro Tao/Samui, but on Phuket, it is getting more and more important for instructors to have workpermits. Without workpermit the chance of getting a job as Instructor is very small, even as a free lancer.
As a DM, the chance is not that big anyway. More and more DM jobs are going to Thai, and that means that the foreigners working here are with a couple of exceptions instructors.

 

[whitehead]

More and more DM jobs are going to Thai

That's heartening.

 

[Blox]

I've heard from some instructors I know quite well, that in Pattaya there is more and more controls by the authorities about work permits. If I was you, I would not risk it, because being caught does not only attract fines, but is also likely to mean being expelled from the country (possibly for good). Work permits, if granted, will alwasy be valid for the employment in one company/location only, i.e. even if you manage to get one for one company (chances of which are probably very slim, as far as diveshops are concerned), it will be void if you change jobs (actually it would already be void, if you just moved from one local branch to another, i.e. moved for the same operation from, say, Phuket to Samui). You could also not use a work permit for something else entirely (say, you came and had a job with, e.g. an advertizing company) and work (legally) as an instructor during the weekend - because your work permit is for the advertizing company, you'd be working illegally for the diveshop.
I'm not working in the dive industry, but have a couple of mates in the business. I think your chances working as a DM and being able to live of it (even low budget) are pretty slim to boot and I think that (based on what I'm hearing) even instructors barely earn enough to get by in most places.

 

[Blox]

That's heartening.

I agree

 

[jamin]

Thanks for the advice...I will be an instructor by the time I get back to Thailand as I said I take the IE in March...I have decided that I will spend the first couple of months doing my MSDT on Koh Tao and then take it from there. I think I will have a much better chance of getting a proper placement after that.

B.

 

[wedivebc]

I noticed a number of "instructors Wanted" signs in Koh Tao. Don't think I wasn't tempted. My friend freelances there and works under the table. Goes on a visa run every few months and says plenty of freelancers are without permits.

 

[vkalia]

Jamin - yes, your best bet is to do IDC + MSDT. That gives you time on the islands, time to get to know the various dive shops, etc. Also, having languages really helps getting jobs.

Who are you doing your IDC with? Jonas, Darius or Guy/Mark?

Vandit

 

[vkalia]

That may be true fro Tao/Samui, but on Phuket, it is getting more and more important for instructors to have workpermits. Without workpermit the chance of getting a job as Instructor is very small, even as a free lancer.
As a DM, the chance is not that big anyway. More and more DM jobs are going to Thai, and that means that the foreigners working here are with a couple of exceptions instructors.

Hi Steven -

I've been out of touch with Phuket (the place gives me the creeps, to be honest and the only reason I go is cos I have some good friends settled there), so it is possible. But I am surprised that it is hard to get even a freelancer job without a permit!

They had a phase in Koh Tao a while back when they started cracking down a little on illegal work, but that's passed.

Glad to know the local population is also benefiting from the job.

Cheers,
Vandit