Spa Stories

Read about places our team has been to.

............................................................................................................................................

THAI ME UP, THAI ME DOWN – by Julie Miller

In the Land of Smiles, a Thai massage is a Thai massage, with very few variations to the theme. This age-old tradition, introduced to Thailand in the 5th century BC, is a physical, strong massage that utilises yoga-like stretches and pressure to energy meridians using the thumbs, elbows, palms, feet and knees. It is traditionally practiced fully clothed on a floor mat, without the use of lotions or oils.

Although originally performed by Buddhist monks, these days it is largely the domain of women servicing the tourist industry. Although sullied by association with the sex trade, most Thai massage establishments are legitimate and above board, providing a steady income to women who might otherwise be forced into less honourable professions.

In the northern city of Chiang Mai, you can literally get a massage on every street corner. During the Sunday Walking Street market, western tourists recline blissfully on plastic chairs, watching the world pass by as they indulge in a 60 baht ($2.50) foot massage; while those undergoing full body massages lie prone on mats, legs stretched above their ears and oblivious to the fact they are providing fodder for curious photographers.

It’s a healthy, symbiotic relationship – happy, relaxed tourists getting a cheap rub down, and happy therapists, grateful to be earning an honest buck.

Although more visible in the cities, the massage industry is also providing an escape from poverty in rural parts of Northern Thailand. In the tiny village of Mungkut in the Mae Taeng valley, an hour north of Chiang Mai, the local women recently received massage training through the University of Chiang Mai. They now proudly display their certificates at the nearby tourist attraction, Elephant Nature Park, where they offer much-appreciated massages to weary volunteers who’ve spent the day scooping poop and washing three-tonne pachyderms.

Unlike the ethereal silence of a resort spa, these evening sessions are social events. As my masseuse leant, bent and contorted my body into seemingly impossible positions, she was inevitably chatting with the neighbouring therapist, gossiping about who-knows-what. At one point, she was even on the phone to her husband, lecturing him about putting the kids to bed as she pummelled the daylights out of my calves with her one free hand.

It’s a unique cultural exchange – during my nightly massage sessions here (at 120 baht, or $5.20 an hour, why not?!) I was taught the Thai words for “fine” (sabai), “harder” (nak nak) and “ouch” (jep); I was also instructed on the intricacies of the tonal Thai language, my new friends laughing as I mixed up the words suay (said with a rising tone, meaning beautiful) with suay (said with a falling tone and meaning unlucky).

If there was one place I wished my Thai language skills extended beyond massage terminology, however, it was at the Chiang Mai Women’s Prison. Here, convicted felons – suay young things (in every sense of the word) locked up for petty theft or drug crimes – have been taught the art of massage, with one hour sessions offered to tourists for 180 baht ($7.90). Not only have the girls learnt a valuable commercial skill, but the money they earn goes directly into an account they can access on release, giving them the chance of a fresh start on the outside.

A far cry from the Caged Heat image of barbed wire, gun-wielding guards and saucy shower scenes a la Linda Blair, Chiang Mai prison spa is surprisingly unimposing, located in a brick building adjoining the main prison complex. Massages are conducted in a single air-conditioned room, stripped of character by stark fluorescent lighting, and with no visible signs of security.

After checking in at reception, I was handed a pair of light blue wraparound pyjamas (spookily similar to those worn by the prisoners), directed to a back room to change, then led back to a bare mattress covered with a towel, clutching my handbag slightly harder than necessary.

What ensued was the best massage I have ever had in Thailand – firm, decisive and intuitive. It was also one of the most fascinating hours I have ever spent, gleaning as much information from the tiny slip of a thing pounding my body as our limited language skills allowed.

Nat, I soon discovered, had just started an 18-month sentence for selling drugs; her friend Lek, working on a client beside me, had just two months to serve before being released. While excited about the prospect of freedom, the girls were sad they wouldn’t be able to attend the Loy Krathong festival that night – for them, it would be a night without celebration. They also told me they hoped to find work as a masseuse when they were released, putting the skills they had learned to good use.

With impeccable technique, an increasing grasp of the English language (thanks to classes held in the prison) and a charming manner, the future is certainly looking a lot brighter for these girls, thanks to the rehabilitation program they are undergoing.

From a tourist perspective, it is also gratifying knowing the money spent goes directly to the person administering the treatment; and I left feeling as warm and fuzzy inside as I did stretched, invigorated and healed on the outside. As the Mastercard ad goes … priceless.

The writer visited Chiang Mai as a guest of the Tourist Authority of Thailand.

TRIP NOTE

Chiang Mai Women’s Prison is located in the old city on Th Rathwithi, open 8.30am to 4.30pm daily. Cost 180 baht ($7.90 at time of publication)
Getting there: Thai Airways has daily flights from Australia to Bangkok, with connecting flights to Chiang Mai. Phone 1300 651 960 or visit www.thaiairways.com.au
Staying there: The Holiday Inn offers western-style facilities in a convenient riverside location, www.holidayinn.com Kantary Hills is a new serviced apartment complex in the trendy Nimmanhaemin Road area. www.kantarygroup.com
Further Information: Tourist Authority of Thailand
www.thailand.net.au