Email updates with Dive center owner in Phuket during low season. Show the frustration of trying to make money in a resort during low season when the bills keep coming.
Monday Got the work permit application receipt from the Idiot (aka the accountant)
Tuesday Visa Run (This is the totally stupid ‘visa run’ required by most foreign workers in Thailand to exit then enter the country again – required once every 3 months.
Wednesday Visa Run
Thursday Visa Run
Friday Got chatting with a guy on plane and brought him out for a beer and sold him a Snorkeling trip for 1 (it took 3 hours !!!and he was a non swimmer but wanted to snorkel only)
Phoned the idiots (accountants) and they promised to phone back to confirm what is needed now for me to get the work permit but they didnt phone back again ! they are so useless.
There is a slight possibility of a Divemaster Course being done (for 25000 baht) as that is the maximum they will pay, he wants to possibly combine this with IDC so might have to give him an offer he cant resist to get the money in. Will tempt him with our IDC dates in August as something to work towards, The guy is an English teacher out here and in no rush to complete everything (which is good for us) and can only pay part of the course immediately (10000) but as he doesnt need accomodation / breakfast was thinking that we should offer a DM / IDC / EFRI / Nitrox Instructor package to him for 75000 (normal website price with accomodation and without Nitrox instructor is 100,000, what do you think ? he has been talking to a Singapore dive instructor about this for a while and myself and another English Instructor (from happy days) tried to persuade him to keep his training ‘in house’ he likes the idea of learning with myself and Nick as he knows us and even if we have to pay Nick to do some instructing (he has done 3 DMs before) it would be pretty good money and much needed at the moment. Seems I attract more customers from Happy days that from sitting in the shop here ! Perhaps that sign is helping ? (we put a dive centre advert in the bar)
Saturday Website work, Shop full of flies ! yukk, Emailed a local PADI Course Director asking what he does with any non IDC scuba course enquiries and told him that we would pay him a commmision if he put some my way.
Current Funds
Cash 8130
Bank 13000 (roughly)
Need to make the car payment on the 20th for 8300 !
Monday I have two potential divemaster trainees (DMTs) – idc candidates (english teachers from Happy Days) but until they commit and begin to pay I will not have enough money to pay for the car / shop / house rent, I do not want to use my personal money as I havent got much left therefore can you transfer some more money to your business account ? To enable me to make these payments.
Gave Passport visa copy to Somjet who says that it will be a week before I get it !! this is getting silly, he also tried to get the 3000 baht I owe him (from the bribe I had to make to the police when they ‘charged’ me for working without a work permit) I have only 2900 baht left so gave him 2000 and told him I would give him 1000 once I get some work after my work permit gets here, really am getting fed up with Somjet (the Accountant) as I dont know if I can / should work without the permit, its so obvious that he didnt even apply for the permit until I got ‘detained’ by the police, the sooner we leave that accountancy practise the better, hate people messing me about.
You got two bills at the house (one electrity and one phone) both past their due dates so will have to go to phuket town and TOT office to pay them !
Beet from Seemann Sub came in inviting me to drinks at his shop at 6 on Thursday (1 year opening party)
Nick a dive equipment supplier visited the dive centre (said he could leave some slates in the shop on a sale or return basis if he wanted
Tuesday Paid your electric and phone bill, had to go to Phuket town and the TOT office, it took ages to get to Phuket town, find the place then find chalong again ! dont they have signs in this place ?
Wednesday Had a couple of letters arrive at the shop for a Mr A Levenfiche , any idea who that is ? Landlady came in saying she would bring some kitchen equipment next week
Landlady has now paid the phone bill and says its working (will check)
Thursday One of my students from Sea Bees phoned me to book a divetrip on Sunday, eventually persuaded another person to dive with us on Sunday so will use the Coral Cruiser for the first time on Sunday.
Landlady came to confirm she is bringing new kitchen stuff next week and took the lounger from the kitchen. Phone and Internet both work together ! Got a phone call almost immediately on the office phone (was hoping for a course booking but it was inevitably a wrong number 🙁 )
Beet’s Seemann party pretty good, went with Nick, not many people there though, there was a few from Sea Bees there until later (Jenenne, Holger, Stephan, Julia were there)
Spoke to a few people (including one of your mates from deep blue divers ) that all confirmed that its very quiet now and was told that most small dive centres are shut for the low season.
Friday Organised the kit for Sunday, the Phuket low season weather has arrived and its been raining loads recently. Submitted a special 10% discount offer on Scubaboard (it has to get scubaboard approval before posting) for the Beginner to pro offer
Designed and printed a booking form (needed for Sunday)
Saturday Need to make the car payment on the 20th for 8300 ! But havent enough money !! Truck has been playing up (not starting) thought I would have to buy a new battery but took it to the car battery shop who checked the battery and just filled it up (cost of 20 baht, so I was very happy) Spent all day in shop and the earliest I have left all week is 1830 but not even 1 customer has walked in all week !! is this a record.
Sunday Will be on the Coral cruiser with my 2 divers (Shark Point / Anemone Reef and Koh Dok Mai) The student / divers prices are 1600 and 1720 so much cheaper, even cheaper than South Siam Divers.