PADI Course Director Alain Barrat (Cacao)
 Alain is also called «Cacao» and he is born in Couvet, in the French part of Switzerland. He began diving at the age of eight during his holiday and the first time, was searching for his sense of direction, lying down on his back to the floor of a swimming pool since the tank, made with steel, was considerably higher and heavier than him. His parents couldn’t imagine at this time that he was, fortunately since, going to learn how to use a compass and almost never leave this element here in Thailand.
He became PADI Instructor in 1998 and since have trained over 785 divers at non professional level. He only became PADI Course Director in 2005 however he has conducted many successful IDCs here in Thailand as Senior IDC Staff. He has been involved since 2001, up to today, in the training of over 650 PADI professionals at all levels in Phuket.
He had the chance to dive in the Mediterranean Sea, in the Atlantic, in the Caribbean, the Pacific and of course in Lakes. During the last ten years he dived extensively throughout the Andaman Sea as instructor, speaking french and english, during liveaboards and daytrips here in Phuket. He has been involved in the Instructional development and management of a 5-Stars IDC centre for four years, prior to focus in 2002,
on the Instructor Development Courses (IDC). This has given him a large network of dive centres and liveaboards, useful for those of you who will be looking for a job after the IE here in Thailand.
 He will also give you considerable information, useful, to succeed in your career and new lifestyle as a scuba diving Instructor. Why? Because he had the chance to follow a training, to work as Tender and Operator in hyperbaric chamber, since 2001, and he will give you the chance to see how this work. He will, in the near future,
follow a DMT Diving Medical Technician course here in Thailand, which is going to allow him to teach another speciality for people who are more interested in Decompression Sickness and chambers. I will start TEC diving very shorty but before that time…..I will need to make some more IDCs.
He speaks and teaches as well in English, in French and he is the only Course Director in Thailand that can teache the complete new 2010 IDC curriculum in French or English. He speaks as well a bit of German, Italian, Spanish and Thai in order to open doors to other persons and who knows…
Alain’s philosophy on IDC’s is not to prepare you just to pass the exam but to come out as a good Instructor. A relaxed atmosphere is also crucial to getting you through the process of an IDC and he can also tell you that you should have great fun on your program. IDCs are about learning so don't be afraid to make mistakes. We can sort them out!
His running talents, for creativity and instruction in scuba diving here in Phuket, made it possible for him to be known by many Divemasters and Instructors from all over the world from whom he received many recommendations and certificates of recognition for excellence.
For Pro-level courses Alain offers PADI IDC’s, Assistant Instructor Courses, PADI Specialty Instructor, EFR Instructor and IDC Staff Instructor. Or you can combine these in an internship option here in Thailand.
Certification Levels
• PADI Course Director
• EFR Instructor Trainer
• EFR Care for Children Instructor Trainer
• PADI Specialty Instructor Trainer
• PADI Oxygen Provider Instructor and Trainer
• Hyperbaric Chamber Tender/Operator |
Ocean Geo Divers
TAT License 31-0764