Hey Ender. Sorry to hear about your freediving woes. I guess this highlights the lack of knowledge people have of freediving, even those in the diving industry. At first it looks spectacular and exciting, but then they find out people can get killed doing it, then freak out, while ignoring the fact that people while scuba diving too.
I was actually just in Khao Lak (north of Phuket, on the Andaman sea) doing my DMT too! Had a great time, did it with a dive center called Sea Dragon Dive center (Seadragondivecenter.com). Easily the best one there.
Anyway, I tried to keep up my freediving while doing my DMT, but the scuba diving always got in the way. I never got the chance to take the boat out and just freedive (mainly liveaboards), I always had to scuba at some point, so the best I managed was to freedive during the first dive, then scuba the rest of the time (not good to freedive after scuba, remember?). Good thing actually, as I was the only freedivier and was usually all alone. I made sure I didn't go anywhere near my limit. I know things can still go wrong, but...
Another operator there (kon tiki) actually had a freediver on staff who taught courses. I did it, and it was good. The Similans are the perfect place to freedive; warm, 25+m viz, tonnes of fish...
The freediving instructor would lead the snorkellers when he wasn't teaching, which he said sucked. But towards the end of the season, when it got quieter, he managed to tag along with a day trip to Koh Bon, and freedived for a day with 4 big mantas and an 8m whale shark. I had a day off that day, but went to find him just too late, so I missed out!!!
Anyway, if you're still around when the season starts up again (end of October), you should try to get over to that side of thailand. I might be there again. Where are you from originally? I wish there were more freedivers in Khao Lak when I was there.
Anyway, hope you still manage to get some freediving in. You could always say you're going snorkelling, and as long as you are with a capable buddy, you should be fine!
Terry
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