I just replied to your email address….but here’s the edited version….

I think you need to ask what you are aiming for…if you want to be a professional and be the most employable you do really need to be PADI certified. Its not to say you cant be BSAC as well. (Im PADI and SSI) but as you say PADI is more widely recognised.

If you do finish your Dive Leader then you are the equivalent of a PADI Dive Master meaning that meet the minimum requirements for the PADI Assistant Instructor or PADI Instructor Course however you cannot work as a PADI Divemaster. You can do a crossover, but to be honest you might as well enter either the AI or Instructor course.

Find out the cost too…Im not sure how much it would cost you to complete your Dive Leader but the entire Dive Master here costs 25,000B (around 500Euros)

There aren’t many BSAC instructors here but I do work with one, I will ask him about completion for you too …..

Dont worry about asking more questions….fire away !

Ax

I have a friend who is going to Koh Tao in Feb to carry on her diver training and hopefully work in the dive industry afterwards. After speaking to her it has re-sparked my diving passion and I really fancy getting back into diving but would welcome some advise.

I haven’t dived for a while but am qualified to BSAC Sports Diver and have completed the BSAC Dive Leader theory but not the practical. If I were to go over to Koh Tao to finish my training what would be my best and cheapest route? I’m thinking to finish my Dive leader practical then crossover to PADI as it’s more widely recognised. If I were to finish my Dive Leader would that be recognised as the equivalent of a PADI Dive Master?

Not sure if you usually answer people’s questions but thought I’d ask as you have a lot of experience in a lot of countries.

Thanks and Regards
Jonathan