Matt Butcher is thirty three years old and hails from Essex, UK. After quitting his job at London’s, Stansted International Airport, where he was employed as an operations controller for a handling company (a high stressed job with very little reward), Matt decided to leave England in search of a fresh challenge and to pursue his dream of becoming a diving instructor and it is in Thailand where he has been living and working for the last six years.

Matt first came on holiday to Thailand in 1993; he immediately fell in love with the country and its people vowing one day to return. Matt did return to Thailand in 2000, and it was on Phi Phi where he first leant to dive -Koh Phi Phi is situated in the Andaman Sea between Phuket and Koh Lanta. After discovering for himself the underwater delights that diving offered, he decided that he wanted to progress his dive skills and knowledge; and eventually after much studying became a full time Padi Open Water Diving Instructor.

Matt is one of the most famous Scuba divers in Thailand if not the whole of South East Asia, if only for his misfortune. Here in his very first interview; he tells us about living and working in Thailand, what it’s like to dive with huge Mantas Rays and Whalesharks, life as a videographer and his true love for Moray eels.

Hi Mat, why did you choose Phi Phi Island as the place where you would learn to dive, there must be closer places to home than Thailand?

I chose Phi because it is a great place to dive as well as a great holiday destination. The water temp is always around 30 degrees; there are lots to see like Sharks, Turtles, and other interesting stuff. Phi Phi is also a nice place to live and work, it’s has a small community where there is always something going on, it’s also a great place to party. I did my open water and advanced courses on Phi Phi, then travelled to Koh Tao for my rescue and Divemaster courses. As far as the quality of diving goes Phi Phi wins hands down, there is just much to see.



Have you ever dived in the UK? If not, why not?

No. The main reason, I guess, is that I’m not too keen on the idea of diving in cold water. I like coral reefs, colorful fish, good visibility, and being able to dive in just a pair of board shorts. I’ve never used a dry suit and don’t really fancy it. Saying that, maybe one day I wouldn’t mind trying some hardcore ice diving.



So, you really do not think you will be returning back to work in England any time soon then?

It’s very unlikely. Two weeks a year in the UK is enough for me. Thailand’s my home these days and I’m happy here; I live here with my Thai girlfriend and our young daughter.



What’s it like working on a paradise Island like Phi Phi, is that the place where the filmed the movie The Beach?

A4: Working on Phi Phi is great, everything is close by and everyone knows everyone. Workers get discounts in bars and restaurants, and life is generally good. I like the fact there are no roads, cars, or motorbikes. The downside about staying on Phi Phi is that it is getting quite expensive, especially when it comes to renting rooms and bungalows. For the monthly rent you pay on Phi Phi for a basic room with a bed and a fan, you could easily get a two or three bedroom house in Phuket, and Phuket isn’t exactly cheap. It was after The Beach was filmed that prices shot up, people just became too greedy.



Have you worked anywhere else in Thailand, if so where?

I am very lucky as my job takes me to the Similans islands and Phuket dive sites.

Phuket, wow, what’s the diving like there?

The diving is surprisingly good. I was pleasantly surprised when I first dived in Phuket after years on Phi Phi. The visibility is usually good, and we are always seeing cool stuff like Manta Rays at Racha Noi.



Have the recent problems at Bangkok airport affected tourism where you are?

Yes, it’s pretty quite at moment. I just hope they can sort out the political problems soon. It seems that which ever side is elected the other side cannot accept it and they throw their toys out of their cots and start causing trouble. It has to stop. If some people cannot accept a democratically elected government, elected by a majority, maybe they should take the privilege away, though where that may lead to is a scary thought.

You mentioned the Similan Islands before, where exactly are they?

They are about six hours north of Phuket by boat. Or like many do, you can travel by bus to Khao Lak (a beautiful beach resort 50 minutes north of Phuket International airport) from there you go to Tab la mo port and the journey is a bout 2 hours in a speed boat.



Apparently these are some of the best dive sites in the world; can you elaborate on them please?

The great thing about the Similans is that it’s a protected marine park. The visibility is usually excellent, and there are some pristine coral reefs which teem with fish. There’s also a huge variety of dive sites to choose from, some gently sloping coral reefs, some with massive boulder formations.



What is your favorite dive site and why?

I like a lot of them. Elephant Head Rock is cool, it’s easy to find Sharks there; well it is if you know where to look. Three Trees has some great corals and a lot of fish, but my favorite sites are just north of the Similans, like Koh Bon, I have had some wicked dives with Mantas Rays there, and Richelieu Rock (the most famous dive site in Thailand), as I’ve seen quite a few Whalesharks there.



So now you have become a videographer? You must have some amazing footage.

Yeah I’ve got a few external drives full of good stuff.



What is your favorite sea creature and why?

Probably Manta Rays, they always take my breath away when I see them gliding past they are just so graceful, the boat is always buzzing after a Manta sighting.



Everybody who comes to dive in Thailand wants to see a Whaleshark or Manta Ray how many have you seen?

I have seen more than 100 Manta Rays and seven or eight Whalesharks. I saw two Whalesharks on a single dive once at Hin Muang.

Is it true you once had a close encounter with a Moray Eel, what happened?

There used to be a famous Moray called Scarface at East of Eden in the Similans and a lot of instructors and dive guides would take food down for her, and feed her in front of their guests. I was careless one day, and wasn’t paying attention when I was removing food from a plastic bag. Scarface came around behind me, could smell the food, and accidentally latched onto my thumb. I tried to prize her jaws open and get her off me but it was no good. Within seconds there was a sickening popping sound and my thumb was bitten clean off. She swam away and that was the last I saw of my thumb. It was my fault, firstly for feeding a wild animal, and secondly for being careless. My dive buddy Bex was holding my camera and managed to get some footage of it happening.



You mean you have video footage of it? Can you tell us about the operation?

After several months when the wound healed and the Doctors were happy that there was no infection, I flew up to one of the best hospitals in Bangkok; where a specialist hand micro surgeon amputated one of my second toes and attached it to my hand. In an operation which lasted over six hours, he connected all the nerves, blood vessels, and tendons. Now I have a new thumb, which is almost as good as the old one. I can feel it, and move it like a real thumb.



Did it not put you off diving?

Not at all, I was back in the water less that a month after having the operation. Why would it put me off? It was an accident.



How do other people react when you tell them the story?

These days I don’t mention it, unless someone asks. They’re usually quite amazed at how normal my toe / thumb looks.



I heard this story in a dive shop in Koh Tao (another Thai Island) how do you deal with the fame?

It’s not something to be proud of really, and it’s not really fame. Not many people know it was me, and I like to keep it that way.



Would you feed Moray Eels again or have you learnt your lesson?

Well, I used to love feeding her, but no, I wouldn’t do it again. It’s not really a good idea to feed marine life, it’s not natural, and with animals like Morays and Sharks especially, they can start associating scuba divers with food. Accidents can happen.



When and where will your next dive be?

My next dives will be tomorrow at Koh Doc Mai and Anemone Reef near Phuket. I head up to the Similans in a few days for a week or so.



Well good luck Matt, take care and Thank you for talking to us!

Thailand is a place where not only the beautiful landscapes are found, but also a ideal place for water sports activities. The country having beautiful seascapes is visited mostly by surfers and scuba divers. There are five places in Thailand where visitors consider the great places to do scuba diving. Listed are the top five destinations for scuba diving in Thailand:

1. Andaman Sea – the perfect scuba diving place in Thailand. Andaman Sea is located at the southeast part of the Bay of Bengal. This place is the first choice for scuba divers here in Thailand. The sea is rich with beautiful underwater gardens and a vast collection of coral reefs. Divers may dive to the sea after a trip to the wonderful Andaman beach. There are also scuba diving lessons offered for beginners and scuba diving centers where one can get anything they need for scuba diving.

2. Hin Mouang – also called the “Purple Rock”. Here, divers can take a look of Hin Mouang’s very own “pelagic fish”. The place also features large underwater areas great for scuba divers. There are even unusual sea creatures that can be seen here. Here, divers can enjoy seeing the colorful variety of strange fish breeds, coral reef gardens, and plant-like animals under the sea.

3. Surin Islands – located at 14 km east of the Mu Koh Surin marine park. Surin Islands is a place for sighting whale sharks. Divers can also find large schools of pelagic fish. The underwater view if the sea makes it perfect for photographer divers. The place also offers experienced guides to help divers with the strong currents of the Surin Island waters. The total depth of the area is about 30m below, where one can view the beautiful seawater gardens below its surface.

4. Similan Islands – is a one day trip from Kaoh Lak. Here, one can find fine turquoise waters with a large population of colorful fish. The perfect time to dive here is in the morning, or what divers called “Breakfast bend”, because this is the time when lots of underwater species can be seen. During the morning, one can find the sea leopard sharks, scorpion fish, trigger fish, barracudas, and many other fish types. The corals are also in excellent condition. The best time of the year to Scuba dive in Similan islands is from March to April months of the year.

5. Koh Tao – this place is not very common for foreign scuba divers, but it is a perfect place for this activity. The underwater beauty of Koh Tao is still untouched so divers can see its natural beauty. there are huge varieties of fishes and unusual underwater species seen here. the corals are also in their best.

Thailand has so much to offer holidaymakers of all types. From the hustle, bustle and culture rich streets of Bangkok to the tranquil waters and picturesque beaches of the Phi Phi Islands, Thailand is a fabulous holiday destination. What most people might not have known is that it is also one of the best scuba diving locations in the world – especially for those on a tight budget. Historically, the British pound has been very strong against the Thai baht and this has made Thailand a very affordable holiday destination. The pound has taken a dip over the past year, but it is slowly climbing back up against the baht and this is making a big difference to the cost of Thailand holidays. The recent political unrest has also had an understandable impact on Thailand’s tourism numbers and the knock-on effect of this has meant cheaper flights and hotels for travellers who are willing to make the trip to Thailand’s exotic shores. The combination of cheaper holidays and a strengthening pound has meant that there isn’t a better time than now to visit Thailand and get yourself PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) certified while you are there. With crystal clear, warm waters and an abundance of exotic marine life, including whale sharks, turtles and beautiful coral reefs, Thailand is a scuba diver’s paradise. You can often pay up to £500 in the UK the PADI Open Water Diver course, which runs for about four days and is the most popular dive programme in the world. In Thailand this same course can cost around £170 and with average sea temperatures of about 28oC – much better than around 16oC on the UK’s south coast. Once you have your PADI Open Water Diver qualification, you can go for more advanced qualifications or just go scuba diving for fun. Again, Thailand has some of the cheapest fun diving and liveaboards in the world. You can find fun dives around the island of Koh Tao for as little as £12 per tank or £10 if you bring your own equipment. Liveaboards can be found for all budgets and can last from two days to two weeks. Staying on a boat and diving each day is definitely a good way to expand your diving skills and get a wide variety of dives in during your holiday. A typical four day/four night liveabord trip in Thailand starts at around £400 and will often include multiple destination dives, accommodation and diving equipment. There are many different dive locations around mainland Thailand and its islands, such as Phuket, Koh Samui and Phi Phi. One of the most recognised is the Similan Islands National Park, a group of small islands in the Phang Nga Province of southern Thailand. There are plenty of spectacular dive sites in this region, with sightings of whale sharks not uncommon. Visibility is around 30 to 40 metres in good weather conditions and the sheer abundance of marine life makes diving there something very special. Thailand holidays are usually associated with relaxing on a beach or hunting a bargain in a busy Bangkok market, but learning to dive in Thailand is something that will make you holiday even more memorable. Scuba diving is a fun experience and will give you skills and memories that will last a lifetime and have a huge impact on where you will want to spend your holidays in the future.