With 450 dives and a half dozen live aboards (GBR, Palau, Belize, Cayman, T&C, Hawaii) under my belt, I was in no way objecting to your suggestion of a live aboard. My post was only relaying my personal experience when I visited Phuket/Khao Lak.

For future reference would you recommend any particular live aboard in the Phuket area? I will be back in Thailand in December, Bangkok as of now but that could change to Phuket. Although I am doing a week with Mike Ball on the GBR again at the end of January so probably won't want to do another live aboard a month earlier.