Matt Bolton
PADI Course Director / Director of Training & Education

"Big Matt" is our Operations Manager and PADI Course Director. Having been selected to attend the prestigious Course Director Training Course at PADI HQ in California, he is one of the few Asian-based Course Directors to have attended this once-a-year course!

Matt initially joined Crystal Dive in 1999 as Head Instructor - having built up an extensive knowledge of the local dive scene - and quickly progressed to Operations Manager.

In less than two years he was working alongside some the country's leading Course Directors, giving him an insight into the various teaching techniques and styles within PADI IDC's.

Read a full profile of Matt here >>>

Stephen Hulme
Operations Manager / PADI IDC Staff Instructor

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

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.

Lior Besar
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, who took Lior through a thorough Course Director Training Course Preparation program that has seen Lior go on to the 2007 CDTC in California and pass with flying colors!

Stiofan McAilan
PADI Master Instructor / Head of Divemaster Training

A PADI IDC Staff Instructor Stiofan oversees all aspects of Crystal Dive's dedicated 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 DMT program.

Qualifications:
PADI IDC Staff Instructor
EFR/Care For Children Instructor

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 before returning 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.

Stephen Read
PADI Master Instructor /Dive Medic Technician

Steve began his professional diving career in Queensland, Australia before moving to Koh Tao in 1999. Working as an Instructor, then Manager at one of the islands IDC centers he 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 in Koh Tao on a part time basis.

Now the full time Manager of the SSS Recompression Network Koh Tao, Steve works for the Crystal IDC team on a part time basis assisting Matt with IDC's or helping Stiofan out with the DMT program.