Complaint Review: Aquanauts Diving Internship Program Thailand - Pattaya Internet

Read the following article.

Roger Smith and Gary Titler expelled from PADI:

scubaboard.com/forums/thailand/449632-aquanauts-cdc-pattaya-course-director-roger-smith-expelled-padi.html

Just in case you dont keep abreast of ALL the complaints there are here is another from a Neutral site..

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=2420093825&topic=2810

Rajiv Sharma

I have heard bad stories about them too - good decision

over a year ago Report

I think smart people can see you have serious problems with your program and your attitude towards customers. I am curious what were the police reports concerning. Its obvious some former students took out complaints against your school. What were the complaints, frivoulous, false or not.. what did they complain about.

I think if there is smoke there usually is a fire.. In your case seems like a full blown wildfire is ablaze and the thing going up in smoke is your reputation.

And by the way I am leaving a signature block so as you say to give this report some credibility.

James Wesson
Norfolk, Virginia
[email protected]

In reply to the last rebuttal, I think people are also smart to enough to realize the type of Keyboard Warriors that hide behind anonymous Internet nicknames to say basically whatever they want, true or not.

Rest assured, complaints made by customers in person, to our face or, in writing, with their full names are always addressed fully.

As for police reports, anyone can file a "report." In Thailand, such "reports" are as easy to make as the amount of money the police are paid to take them. It's almost as easy as taking up a job as an anonymous keyboard warrior.

The only "report" that matters are ones that result in actual arrests, prosecutions or convictions. And, is easily verified, with both Thai authorities and PADI, none every have or ever will be against Aquanauts.

To imply that students drink and your not responsible is correct. However, where YOU are responsible is to allow these students- who the night before over indulged- to be on your boat with paying customers and fellow students allowing them to act as buddies, help supervise and lead dives.

Where is the Mentoring that is the fundamental basis of PADI dive-master training. No sir you do not supervise your students sufficiently in this aspect. Please save the rhetoric in defense of this practice as I have personally been on your boat, with your students and experienced this first hand.

I find it amazing that being US/British owned you would allow these practices that in your country would be considered highly and grossly negligent, placing you in great legal jeopardy. However, in this country the legal requirements and ramifications are much less, hence you take this devil-may-care attitude with your clients and students.

And speaking of students, yes some due get into trouble. Usually in that Red Light district your supposedly don't promote, but wink, wink is one of the first things brought up on orientation to your school.  But those problems are not the ones mentioned. No sir we are talking about the police reports about YOUR school, Filed by YOUR students regarding problems they had with YOUR center.

This report began because one of your former students wrote a report.. You still have failed to address his issues and instead throw his parents under the bus.

This website is for posting rip-offs, scams, bad service etc. Its not Im unhappy with what I received while at your school, So I think I have posted in the correct place. I would however recommend you read. "The ten commandments of great customer service".

To any potential student who is reading this material, I think you have received an hint of what service and attitude you will receive from this school. If the attitude of this owner offends you in writing, you can imagine what it is like in person.

There are a ton of nice centers with great attitudes and great diving.. go there and save yourself the headaches.

Sir,

Reading through your "report," I fail to see anything that is a "ripoff" related to Aquanauts. Let's summarize for the reader and list your complaints.

1. Aquanauts promotes its service on Scubaboard, a scuba-diving related message forum -- True. Wow, we market scuba services on a free scuba forum. Shocking.

2. Aquanauts does not promote the red-light entertainment of Pattaya -- True. Imagine that. We actually promote the positive side of where we are. Amazing.

3. Pattaya is sexist toward women -- True or not, has nothing to do with Aquanauts.

4. Aquanauts students drink -- And how is this Aquanauts fault or any reflection on it? It's like condemning any university because members of its student body drink. Our instructors are sober and professional. Paying, legal age students can do what they want. Seems obvious.

5. Students get in trouble with police at times -- Again, you cannot blame the school for what it's students do in their off time.

So where in your complaint is the "ripoff" Perhaps you should post on "SourGrapes.com"