“There are people that I know in that country. Then go apply for a job after arriving.”
Owner of Thai massage shop in Paris (57 years old)
This is another person who came to mind when I started this project. She is a friend of my mother. We’ve known each other for a long time, and I had the opportunity to visit her shop once when I traveled to Paris. Here are the key points from our conversation.
- She first went to Paris in 2000, which was also her first time leaving Thailand. She went to work as a housekeeper without knowing the language. The first time she entered the country, she did so with a tourist visa that allowed her to stay for only 10 days, but she ended up living illegally for 4 years.
- France is different from other European countries; there is no strict enforcement against illegal foreign workers, and they even provide free healthcare. She came because a friend encouraged her, saying that the income was good. She went through an agent to get documents, which cost 100,000 Baht.
- In the beginning, she got various jobs through word of mouth from acquaintances. Eventually, she met her husband, and they decided to get married, which allowed her to obtain a marriage visa. When she had the opportunity to return to Thailand, she studied massage to get a certification.
- She chose to open a massage parlor because she wanted to own her own business. She didn’t choose to open a Thai restaurant because it required a larger investment, and she felt it was more time-consuming. The massage parlor required less investment, a one-time expense that lasts a long time, but the taxes are high, leaving a small profit margin.
- French people also have a negative perception of masseuses, associating massage with prostitution. While working as a masseuse, there were times when customers would touch her or harass her. Most of her employees are people who don’t know how to give massages; they usually come on a marriage visa and then look for work afterward.