Help about diving in Thailand

[DeepThought]

Hello all.
I decided to go to a trip in Thailand. :friday
Of course I will freedive there, but I would also want to Scuba.
I have a couple of technical questions about diving in Thailand:

I am certified as
'Advanced open water diver'(**) by CMAS (the Isreali diving assoc. works with CMAS for some reason)
And as
'Enriched Air Nitrox Diver' by IANTD (level 1, but I think someone told me it is equivalent to level 2 of some other associations).

Does anyone know if:

My certifications will be acknowledged by diving facilities in Thailand?

Do I need to display a log book (my log book is in Hebrew ofcourse), or maybe a copy if it?

If there is a law in Thailand about a dry period from which one needs a 'refreshment dive' (or some other means of getting back into diving skills), and if so, what is that period?

 

[Abriapnea]

Hi DT , yes your cert will be accepted . Bring your logbook and cert . If you haven't dived for 6 months or so , specially if you have less than around 30 dives total you will be RECOMMENDED to do a tune - up .
Are you going east- or west coast ?

 

[DeepThought]

10x for clearing that up.

I have less than 25 dives, and probably less than 15 logged, and I've been dry for more than a year now but hopping to get wet before going to Thai. When I say 'dry' I mean only 'Scuba dry' ofcourse.

Will a photocopy of my log will do? it's pretty large... physically.
I wanna start using one of those "pocket" log books.

About east or west, presuming you mean the Thailand gulf Vs. the Andaman sea, I hope I could do both, and maybe even Burma as well.

I'm intending to stay for a couple of months, as long as it'll work moneywise.

I'm open for any recommendations.

 

[Abriapnea]

A copy will be OK .
Right now the monsoons are changing . We have just had our changeover to winter monsoon , change of wind and lots of rain . Visibility is still great -25m. in places .( Koh Tao)
Most resorts on the Andaman side haven't started operating yet , waiting for their monsoon changeover .
Depending on when you plan your visit I would recommend starting in Koh Tao and then moving over to Phuket . Often have liveaboard specials around Nov. to Similans/Burma Banks . You take the risk that conditions have not settled down yet . I did that last year and had some great dives .

 

[DeepThought]

I'm planning on starting my trip at the beggining of December. From what I read on the net, the recommended tourist season is from Nov to Feb, are the diving conditions alright all during season?

Abriapnea :

Often have liveaboard specials around Nov. to Similans/Burma Banks.

I'm not sure that a liveaboard is the best solution for me though, since I will be doing a 'backpack' sort of a trip.

Do you know if there's an archipelago with calm water in which I could rent/buy an ocean kyak for the purpose of cruising, freediving and maybe even spearfishing (if I'll learn how) for a week or two?

10x for your attension & help Abriapnea.

 

[DeepThought]

hmm,
How come I got bad karma on this harmful thread? (with the comment 'good')

 

[Abriapnea]

Hi Michael , I am not that familiar with the Andaman but would recommend Phi Phi and Krabi if you don't want liveaboards . Also believe you will be able to get sea kayaks there .
BTW ; someone might have taken offence at a reply on another thread ...:hmm

 

[Erik]

Hey Abriapnea, now that we're neighbours, maybe we could hook up for some freediving/spearing in the next year? Will you still be there next summer, or is that too far in the future ?
Maybe this December? We have lots to explore here in Indo, but we will come see you if you're available
Cheers,
Erik Y.

 

[Abriapnea]

Hi Erik , sure would like to meet you .
I guess I will be here till at least May next , unless something special comes up . Had plans to try Bali next year for work , just read about the bomb killing 100 people ...:head
I am trying to get some info on PNG , sounds like a good place to be .
I don't want to discourage you from visiting (although I am embarrassed at the thought of you seeing how out of shape I have got ... ) , but there is virtually no spearing here and it is impossible to get water deeper than 35 m.
We have rough seas in Dec. sometimes boats can't get to Koh Tao for 5 - 6 days .
Whereever I move to next I will definitely stop over in Jakarta , Iya doesn't know it yet but he's taking me to his favourite hunting grounds
Keep in touch and by all means let me know if you decide to visit .

 

[tuomo]

little of the subject..

Hey Erik and Iya.

What we hear of the recent bombing incident in bali, makes me think a lot about wheter our trips to both Asia and middle east are safe any longer, since it seems like terrorist all over the globe are more and more active.

I just wanted to know how you feel living in there, although i guess jakarta is far away from bali, but the strike must have some sort of affect on the way you feel about safety in your country.

We recently had a bombing incident here in finland, and even though it killed merely 7 people the whole city of helsinki was shocked. Finland in general is considered very safe place, but this incident shoke the way people think about our country here.
And our litle incident was nothing compared to what happened in bali, and mostly to what happened in N.Y a year ago.

The bali incident must have a serious impact on the athmosphere in your country.


My condolences to the victims in bali.
And my prayers for the world peace.

Tuomo

 

[Abriapnea]

Hell , any place where three or more peole get together is unsafe , it's part of our wonderful human nature . Here on Koh Tao last year the owner of the biggest dive school got assasinated in broad daylight on a busy street surrounded by tourists .
Nowadays you are just as likely to get blown to pieces in the comfort of your own home as in a war zone ; you might as well go and have some fun while you can...:head

 

[tuomo]

I totally agree with you on our lives beeing in danger regardless to where we are.:head
I myself have taken opportunity on 9.11 with very cheap trips to egypt.

Even so that i have to keep living my life and should not care about it beeing dangerous, after all we all die some day, i find it terrifying in terms of world peace.
and i think its only humane to feel bad about such incidents as Bali bombing.

Guardian angels are what we all need.

Tuomo

 

[Erik]

Toumo, you are a good soul who naturally is shocked by the act of a few idiots
I feel as safe anywhere in the world as the next: it comes down to my spiritual beliefs.....when my day comes, it will be be something that at a deeper level I have requested. In Canada if you walk down the wrong street at night, you may not make it the other block, the same as in Jakarta or Chicago or Amsterdam.
I love Indonesia and the people here....kind, generous and excited to meet foreigners from everywhere. The people responsible for that act in Bali are cowards who know nothing of God, Allah, Great Spirit, Buddha, or whatever or whoever they have done it in the name of. They are but a few with hearts of stone, and I have never let cowards decide my future for me...I will stay here as long as possible, until I'm ready to leave. There is so much to see in this country (and this world) that while I am horrified at the inhumanity of a few messed up people, I always look for the good things....a Sunrise, a "Hello Mr!" from the locals, a brief sighting of a Manta, or a breath of air after a dive
Don't let the media tell you how things are in the world....they focus on the most evil things possible, and ruin many of my family's and friends lives, as they rot away, hiding in their safe homes, experiencing the "world" through TV and newspapers alone.
You will see a headline that says "14 year old kills 5 students", but you will never see one that says "2 billion kids had fun playing with their friends today" .
I will be going to Bali for 3 weeks at Christmas with my wife, and some friends from Canada will join us....feel free to join us!
My condolences to the loved ones and everyone affected in Bali.
Warmly,
Erik Young

 

[Abriapnea]

Right on . My thoughts go out to the millions of innocents suffering at the hands of a few .

 

[Duncan]

Bali

It is at times like these that that one realises that one's day to day worries and concerns are often trivial and meaningless in a world where people can just be wiped out in the most horific manner to server the ends of a few fanatics.

Seize the day!

You never know when you are going to be the victim of a random event!

Get wet as often as possible, preferably in the most beautiful place.

Increase da peace...

 

[Shadowkiller]

Originally posted by Abriapnea

I am trying to get some info on PNG , sounds like a good place to be .
.

Hey abri,
Dogmatrix and I will hopefully *Crosses toes* be there in early January..
So we can give you a full report after, hopefully with precise details on how each new world record was taken...

Or how it was missed by several feet and the sharks ate everything else..

 

[Abriapnea]

Thanks SK ; if you guys come across any scuba operators please get some info for me , eg. e- mail and job opportunities .
Look at it this way : if I get a job there , you have a place to stay ...

 

[DeepThought]

What / where is PNG?

Abriapnea:
virtually no spearing here and it is impossible to get water deeper than 35 m. We have rough seas in Dec. sometimes boats can't get to Koh Tao for 5 - 6 days .

So in what month (after december) the sea gets calmer? is that the reason for no spearfishing?
I still haven't decided the order of my trip, going inland frist, or going to the islands first. ofcourse with Burma included. it's just a circle that I need to choose on wich direction to start. I'll be starting at bangkok on the 10th of December approx.

and Mucho Gracias again Abri, for delivering the news from the field.

 

[DeepThought]

Terror

Well, I live in Terror-stricken Israel, the only thing I can say is that you got to keep living, feeling crappy won't solve any problem.

And if for those who are shocked that such a thing as terror (among other things) exists, I can only say:
"Never underestimate human stupidity" (Robert A. Heinlein).

 

[Abriapnea]

Shlom ma shlomch , Michael ...
I am happy to help , worked in Eilat in '87 and met some wonderful people .
If you are going to leave Bankok mid Dec. I would recommend that you head towards Phuket/Krabi/Phi Phi . It will be their good season then , whereas ours is rapidly coming to an end . As I mentioned ; you might not even be able to get here .
If you want to do some sightseeing , it is also a good time to head north to the hill tribes in Chiang Mai .
Our seas only get calmer around Feb. but visibility still poor .
Hope this helps .