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ActionG
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Hello all!
Could anyone recommend a good diving school- either Phuket area or Koh Tao. I'm willing to pay a little more for new equipment and good, foreign instructors.
Thanks!
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 1:47 am on Oct. 20, 2004
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MaximusNaughtinus
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Very good one with good reputation is Raya Divers in Phuket, they have several bases so you can dive all around and live on the island etc.
PM me if you want their details.
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Bangkok Women : Meet Sensual Bangkok Women
Posted on: 1:58 am on Oct. 20, 2004
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ActionG
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Thanks a lot- I found their site. They look good..I guess no one else around here does any OCEAN diving...
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 8:00 pm on Oct. 21, 2004
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samthedog
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ActionG
As bro' MN said Raya Divers is good.
What do you mean, "foreign" instructors?? You want to do diving or training?
I do lots of "ocean" diving (whatever that is?? I have done lots of fresh water diving and swimming pool diving as well!), and have done for 20 years...
I dont know what qualifications you have, what sort of diving you do, nor your organisation, so recommending a school depends on what you want to do?
I trained originally with BSAC, and belonged to it for many years (too many?) before spending some time on Koh Tao changing over to PADI.
Some observations...... JIMHO
BSAC
Master Tec is a BSAC center of excellence on Koh Tao. Run by Mark de Burgh 077 456314
Great guy, trying hard against strong PADI opposition and marketing!
PADIand SSI
All the rest, really, are not bad.
Check the kit you will be given, and find out who the instructor is and what his experience will be before comitting.
Basically you want someone who knows all the best places and really knows what to look for.
There are lots of baby-sitters, but you want a good guide, yes?
My recommendation...
"Planet Scuba" WAS the best by far.
My son did his MSDT with them.
They are still an IDC,which means they have lots of good people under instructor training to help, but have just started teaching SSI (Scuba School International) which has pissed PADI off. They also do some excellent technical diving, such as Notrox and rebreathers.
Two I would want to think about........
BANS
this is a huge school. They have a resort and dive school on Tao. They advertise showing twenty trainees at the same time! If you cant stand diving with a herd of newbees, then best avoid. BUT, if you want lots of young fresh blond, fit, Dutch, English and Scandanavian tottie that is gagging for an instructors throbbing undivided attention, then fill your boots! (they are always up for it at the pub afterwards anyway!)
Paradise divers on Phuket.
Most divers from the schools never talk bad about dive schools........ but I have seen two incidents myself with this school. One guy bent on Tao, and two divers left behind on the wreck "the hardeep" in Rayong.
May have been unfortunate accidents, but they lose my confidence, and would give them a miss.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Sexy Bangkok Girls
Posted on: 11:17 pm on Oct. 21, 2004
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Yurune
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Not forgetting the dive school that drove the boat over the surfacing divers killing the Swedish ambassador...actually I have forgotten which one it was....about 90% sure...but rather not name it if it's wrong....
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 11:46 pm on Oct. 21, 2004
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MaximusNaughtinus
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STD seems to know what he is on about, Raya divers is a very good friend of mine and has been here for 19 years and have many Danish dive instuctors.
There is a movie out soon isnt there about the divers left behind on the great barrier reef in Oz.
If you need white water rafting recommendations, dont ask me, but I know a company in Oz for it. My last white water raft did not go so well. The coroners inquest after it was a real let down.
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Bangkok Women : Meet Beautiful Thai Girls
Posted on: 12:00 am on Oct. 22, 2004
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ActionG
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Quote: from samthedog on 1:32 pm on Oct. 22, 2004
ActionG
As bro' MN said Raya Divers is good.
What do you mean, "foreign" instructors?? You want to do diving or training?
I do lots of "ocean" diving (whatever that is?? I have done lots of fresh water diving and swimming pool diving as well!), and have done for 20 years...
I dont know what qualifications you have, what sort of diving you do, nor your organisation, so recommending a school depends on what you want to do?
Yes, sorry, I'm looking to get my basic diving license. I was under the impression that PADI was basically it but you're saying that there are other orgs that certify diving licenses?? I'm still prety sure I'll go with Raya anyhow.
I was trying to make a not-so-subtle joke: Ocean diving as opposed to, er, muff diving 
Cheers for the info!
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 5:43 am on Oct. 23, 2004
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BKKRH
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Diva Asia (www.diveasia.com) on Phuket and Moskito Diving (www.moskitodiving.com) on Phi Phi. They both are excellent and responsible dive schools.
If you want a good time and relax choose Phi Phi, if you want a lot of action choose Phuket. Warmwaters divers (www.warmwaterdivers.com) is a good alternative to Dive Asia, but I prefer Dive Asia. Remember to ask for their emergency planning and evaluate it before you sign up for diving. Some diveshops have no insurance and/or are not affiliated to a recompression chamber, check it before start diving with them.
If you're on holiday and prefer some sleeping the morning remember that if you choose Phuket the dive school will pick you up at 7 am, at Phi Phi you have to come to the dive school at 9 pm. I love those two hours!
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Thai Girls : Meet Active Thai Girls
Posted on: 5:09 pm on Oct. 23, 2004
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Minder
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The turn over of staff at most Dive schools is high. Chances are your instructor in the water will be a new dive master or someone under training themselves. That's not such a bad thing but it makes recommendations of various dive schools based on instructors pointless. I always look at the day to day operation of the dive shop, the organisation of the dive and the competency of the boat staff and if that is solid then I'm happy to dive with them again.
Dive schools for your PADI Open Water qualification that I'd recommend in Phuket and Pattaya are
http://www.westcoastdivers.com = West Coast Divers Phuket. A good boat and an alert and helpful thai crew. The french influence in the dive master / instructor group has diminished in the last year so customer service has improved - they are a bit cheaper than other dive shops also.
http://www.mermaiddive.com/ = Mermaids Pattaya. The boat is okay and solid (it just had a re-fit but its old) and the captain and his crew are excellent. Mermaids have all the right insurances and are a professional opeation.
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 8:32 am on Oct. 27, 2004
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