Becoming a divemaster in Thailand...

[greendiver]

Hey guys, I have a question.... I live in spain, (a lot of work for scubas instructors)...but am still a openwater diver (padi)
Got the feeling you guys are not realy Padi fans :hmm .
So I was thinking to become a divemaster and was advised to go to Thailand and do the whole thing for a reasonable price....
Is there anybody out there that has done the training course in Thailand..or any other suggestions...
Thanks!!!!!!!!

 

[Marwan]

hi green,
I have been a DM for 10 years, my biggest piece of advice for you is TAKE YOUR TIME, work your way through Advanced, rescue , medic first aid etc.., when you become a dive master you are generally responsible for others, even if you dont practice it professionally, if i were you i would take my time, get some dives logged before you go for it, I would say minimum 100 - 200 dives, during which you could do your advanced and rescue. When the time comes, sure, do it wherever.
Wow looking back at what i just wrote, it would be the same advice i would give my daughter on prom night do whatever makes you happy man but seriously take your time

 

[kualii18]

haha thats crazy :duh im thinking about doing the same thing..... im currently in the coast guard and am going over to thialand in june to start an internship... im gonna be there for six months !! it should be fun but if you decide to go let me know what school and when it starts .

 

[greendiver]

hi green,
I have been a DM for 10 years, my biggest piece of advice for you is TAKE YOUR TIME, work your way through Advanced, rescue , medic first aid etc.., when you become a dive master you are generally responsible for others, even if you dont practice it professionally, if i were you i would take my time, get some dives logged before you go for it, I would say minimum 100 - 200 dives, during which you could do your advanced and rescue. When the time comes, sure, do it wherever.
Wow looking back at what i just wrote, it would be the same advice i would give my daughter on prom night do whatever makes you happy man but seriously take your time

Thanks for your advise..advise with a c or s...what the hell, I am dutch anyways.. , I have some dives logged, I started diving in the army...18 years ago, ( am seriously into spearfishing at the moment),but still .....I see the point, I would not like to be in a serious situation with a :wave DM, with 62 dives behind his belt!!!

 

[greendiver]

haha thats crazy :duh im thinking about doing the same thing..... im currently in the coast guard and am going over to thialand in june to start an internship... im gonna be there for six months !! it should be fun but if you decide to go let me know what school and when it starts .

I found a few interesting places and schools....beautiful country....I will let you know!!! :wave

 

[anniew]

If it's any help to you, I did my DM over 6 months in the UK. I have to agree with Marwan "Take your time"....you will learn so much more & feel confident about your abilities & skills....before you are in a position of being responsible for a group of divers.

I've dived with DM's who did their courses in the shortest time.... and... although it is very much down to the individual, in the most part, they then had to learn alot of skills before they could take charge of a group.

The experience you gain on an internship is I think the best way to do it...

 

[greendiver]

If it's any help to you, I did my DM over 6 months in the UK. I have to agree with Marwan "Take your time"....you will learn so much more & feel confident about your abilities & skills....before you are in a position of being responsible for a group of divers.

I've dived with DM's who did their courses in the shortest time.... and... although it is very much down to the individual, in the most part, they then had to learn alot of skills before they could take charge of a group.

The experience you gain on an internship is I think the best way to do it...

Thanks....I will think about this.........

 

[greendiver]

hi green,
I have been a DM for 10 years, my biggest piece of advice for you is TAKE YOUR TIME, work your way through Advanced, rescue , medic first aid etc.., when you become a dive master you are generally responsible for others, even if you dont practice it professionally, if i were you i would take my time, get some dives logged before you go for it, I would say minimum 100 - 200 dives, during which you could do your advanced and rescue. When the time comes, sure, do it wherever.
Wow looking back at what i just wrote, it would be the same advice i would give my daughter on prom night do whatever makes you happy man but seriously take your time

Marwan!!!...it is me greendiver.., see you replied to my question regarding scuba!!!, well it is not tailand, but egypt, and as you know...I take my time...overhere!!
Regards,

 

[porsc]

i hate to put a negative response in here, but i would strongly suggest against doing a DM in thailand, and definitely not an internship there. i have a couple of friends who did there DM in thailand, and in different locations, and they said that they were worked to death, not taught very much and witnessed some unusual diving techniques. i'm currently living in southeast asia, and have been for quite a while now, and the idea over here is that most places don't want to hire DM's or INST's who were certified in thailand. a great alternative is boracay, philippines. the weather is better, the diving is worldclass and it is a much cleaner place. plus the philippines are not nearly as money driven as thailand. just trying to give you a heads up.

 

[greendiver]

i hate to put a negative response in here, but i would strongly suggest against doing a DM in thailand, and definitely not an internship there. i have a couple of friends who did there DM in thailand, and in different locations, and they said that they were worked to death, not taught very much and witnessed some unusual diving techniques. i'm currently living in southeast asia, and have been for quite a while now, and the idea over here is that most places don't want to hire DM's or INST's who were certified in thailand. a great alternative is boracay, philippines. the weather is better, the diving is worldclass and it is a much cleaner place. plus the philippines are not nearly as money driven as thailand. just trying to give you a heads up.

Thanks for the advise, I went to Egypt, came back a couple of days ago, I have also witnessed some unusual diving techniques....overthere.
Anyways, I think that Padi divers make to much fuzz about number of dives, where you did what etc...to be honest with you...you can dive or you can not.....An openwater diver with plus 1000 dives certified in Namibia( or what so ever), is probably a better diver then a UK trained instructor with 110 dives from a nice yacht in some kind of fancy resort with only holliday divers..
Hey........a new topic..;-)
Regards,