THE IDC TEAM

IDC Koh Tao @ Crystal Dive Resort has one of the most professional and experienced Instructor Development team anywhere in the region, all led by our Platinum PADI Course Director Matt Bolton. As one of only 5 Career Development Centers in Thailand, our dedication to first-class pro level education is unrivalled.

LIOR BESER
PADI Course Director

A PADI Professional for over ten years Lior has extensive teaching experience working all over the world teaching PADI, CMAS and SSI.

Working is areas as diverse as Israel, Manchester, Thailand, Liverpool, Antwerp and Bali, Lior has been diving since he was a young boy living in Israel.

Speaking four languages fluently, Lior has been involved in Instructor Development for over 3 years, staffing 15 IDC's with five different Course Directors before deciding to work exclusively with Matt.

Qualifications:
PADI Course Director
SSI Advanced Instructor
CMAS 2 Star Instructor
EFR Primary, Secondary & Care for Children Instructor
PADI O2 Provider Instructor Trainer

KENJI TAKAHASHI
PADI Course Director

Diving for over 10 years, Kenji joined Crystal Dive Resort in 2003 to help increase the Japanese market here in Koh Tao.

With over 800 certifications to his name, Kenji teaches all levels of PADI dive courses in both Japanese and English language.

A keen underwater photographer and naturalist, Kenji's eye for spotting even the smallest of marine creatures is legendry with Crystal staff and his knowledge of the marine life in and around Koh Tao is second to none.

Kenji first became involved with the PADI Instructor Development Process in early 2005 when he completed his PADI IDC Staff course with Matt.

Since that day he has been a familiar face on many of the IDCs that Matt has conducted building his experience & worked towards the PADI Master Instructor rating.

In 2007 he attended the official PADI IDC Update program in Bangkok as part of the process of building towards being in a position to apply for the CDTC. In January of 2008 he received news that he had been excepted on the 2008 CDTC to be held in Kota Kinabali, Malaysia.

News Update!
On the 14th March 2008 Kenji realized his goals & dream, becoming the only Japanese speaking PADI Course Director to live & work on Koh Tao & IDC Koh Tao's third full time PADI Course Director.

Qualifications:
PADI Course Director
EFR Instructor Trainer
12 PADI Specialty Instructor Trainer Ratings

STEPHEN HULME
Operations Manager / PADI IDC Staff Instructor

Originally from the North of England Steve has extensive experience working within the Dive Industry.

Initially working as a Divemaster Steve progressed to Instructor working for one of Thailand's premier PADI CDC Centers.

Steve managed the Koh Tao branch of the "Divers Emporium" for 18 months, specializing in Mares and Dacor equipment as well as Coltri-Sub compressors before joining the Crystal IDC Team.

Involved with IDC's since 2003 Steve was appointed Operations Manager at Crystal Dive Resort in 2005.

As well as a PADI IDC Staff Instructor, Steve is also a Mares Technician Trainer as well as an Aqualung and Scuba Pro service technician.

When he is not staffing IDC's or managing Crystal he can often be seen 'tinkering' with compressors at many of the islands dive centers in his consultancy role.

Qualifications:
PADI IDC Staff Instructor
SSI Dive Con Instructor
Mares Technician Trainer
Coltri Sub Compressor Service Technician

STIOFAN McAILAN
Head of Divemaster Training / PADI Master Instructor

A PADI IDC Staff Instructor Stiofan oversees all aspects of Crystal's Divemaster Trainee Program.

Having worked in a variety of areas including Australia, Fiji, Borneo and Ireland, Stiofan has a wide range of teaching experience which is put too good use within our own DMT program.

When not conducting the DMT program or the IDC Prep. Course at Crystal Dive Resort, Stiofan is often out on the reef conducting surveys for Reef Check in his capacity as a Reef Check Trainer.

Qualifications:
PADI IDC Staff Instructor
EFR/Care For Children Instructor
12 PADI Specialty Instructor Ratings
Reef Check Trainer

JUSTIN MAYERS
PADI Master Instructor

Diving for over 14 years, Matt conducted Justin’s Divemaster course over 7 years ago.

Justin worked as a Divemaster for a while and completed the PADI IDC in 2001.

Initially working as an Instructor, Justin quickly progressed in the industry and managed a PADI 5 Star Gold Palm resort on Koh Tao, gaining the IDC Staff Instructor rating along the way.

He returned to Crystal in 2006 to concentrate on working his way through to Master Instructor.

During this period Justin has also become a Dive Medic Technician, completing the course in Plymouth, UK at the Diving Diseases Research Center.

Justin is now an ever present on all Crystal IDC’s as he works towards his goal of successfully applying for the CDTC in 2008.

Justin adds an additional dynamic to Matt’s IDC team, having both managerial experience, being a fully qualified Dive Medic Technician and Crystal’s 4th Emergency First Response Instructor Trainer.

Qualifications:
PADI Master Instructor
EFR Instructor Trainer
DAN O2 Trainer
IMCA / HSE Dive Medic Technician
Reef Check Instructor
Mares Equipment Technician

STEPHEN READ
Dive Medic Technician / PADI Master Instructor

Steve began his professional diving career in Queensland, Australia before moving to Koh Tao in 1999 to work as an Instructor. Quickly becoming the Manager at one of Koh Tao's IDC centers, Steve has been involved with Instructor Development since 2001.

Following up his interests in dive medicine, Steve took his Dive Medic Technician at the Diving Diseases Center in Plymouth and began working with the SSS Recompression Network on a part time basis.

Steve has worked for the Crystal IDC Team on a part time basis ever since, either assisting Matt with his IDC programs or working with Stiofan on the Divemaster Trainee program. Steve is currently responsible for conducting all the DAN courses at Crystal as part of his new role as DAN Instructor Trainer.

Qualifications:
PADI Master Instructor
Dive Medic Technician / Assistant Life Support Technician
DAN O2 Provider, Senior First Aid, HMLI, AED & Neuro
EFR Instructor Trainer & SSI DCSI
Senior First Aid Instructor
AED/HMLI Instructor

IDC Koh Tao @ Crystal Dive IDC Resort
Mae Haad Beach, Koh Tao, Thailand
Tel; +66 77 456107 Fax: +66 77 456105
m@il: matt@idckohtao.com

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