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The
Phuket Marine Biology Center goes NAUI
By Frederick Claro CD #
18819
We are glad to report
that the Phuket Marine Biology Center in Phuket, Thailand went one more
time with NAUI.
The PMBC’s
staff were already NAUI trained decades ago when Arthur “Dusty” Rhodes
(NAUI 176L) and father of NAUI and recreational diving training in
Thailand and South East Asia, introduced them to safe diving practices for
their underwater researches for the Ministry of Fishery. The PMBC is also
today involved in all mooring system development in southern Thailand,
including the surrounding islands of Phuket: Koh Pu, Koh Racha Yai, Koh
Phiphi, the marine sanctuary of Shark Point and of course the Similan
Islands National Park, some 80 nautical miles north west of Phuket.
With the new
millennium, the PMBC launched the governmental project: “Reef Check
Thailand”, which is designed to collect data and study the evolution
of coral reef across the Kingdom and specifically in the Andaman Sea. The
program gathers marine biologists and volunteers from governmental
associations as well as volunteers from local dive centers, diving
community and ecological associations, and train them to survey small or
bigger portions of coral reefs and collect data on marine life and
substrate.
As part of
the marine biology studies from now on at the PMBC, students will be
trained as NAUI scuba divers, advanced divers and the “Reef Check
Thailand” surveys will reward participants with a NAUI Underwater
Environment Specialty certification card.
On that
extend, the government contacted Ms. Pachara “Pat” Koentana, a well
know and experienced NAUI Course Director in Phuket to conduct the
training of 2 staff and associate head teachers of the PMBC. The program
started with the divemaster training of Mr. Sakanan (PhD. in Reef Ecology
from the famous University of Chulalongkorn in Bangkok), Mr. Thanonsak
(Master in Reef Ecology), both respected professors in Marine Biology in
Thailand, Mr. Phitoon and Mr. Udomsak, both staff and key elements of reef
surveys and “Reef Check Thailand” program at the PMBC. The Divemaster
training was conducted along the year 2001. The training culminated with
the NAUI ITC run for the first time ever at the PMBC in November with five
candidates: Mr. Narong from the Thai Army joining the four previously
mentioned candidates.
The training
went well, and four candidates graduated as new NAUI instructors, one
candidate being placed on incomplete status due to some duties interfering
with the IQP. Training and certification procedure will resume soon.
We are glad
to welcome these five new NAUI Instructors in Thailand and proud that the “Reef
Check Thailand” program will introduce NAUI training for Marine
Biology students and program’s volunteers, reinforcing safety and
credibility in reef surveys across the Kingdom. |
