Author: Risa Santiwiriyakarn

“I’ve heard from foreign friends about the “Grey areas” in Southeast Asia, but I’ve never experienced it firsthand.”

A 26-year-old male customer.

After having the opportunity to interview both masseuses and business owners, I decided to speak with a foreign customer who has experience with Thai massage abroad. Here is the information I gathered from someone who has experienced Thai massage.

• He first became familiar with Thai massage through his father, who introduced him to it. His father had learned about Thai massage after suffering an injury; he tried many different treatments, but none were completely effective until he tried Thai massage, which helped him recover. At the time, he was around 6 or 7 years old, and he occasionally went for massages with his father. As a child, he always found the experience amusing because it tickled, but as he grew older, he began to appreciate the relaxation and comfort, especially after playing sports.
• By the time he was 18 or 19, he started going for massages on his own, sometimes with friends. For him, Thai massage parlors have a peaceful atmosphere, with little conversation and often soothing music playing, sometimes even lulling him to sleep.
• He has never personally encountered situations where a masseuse offered sexual services, possibly because he lives in a large city that he knows well. He prefers to frequent the same massage parlors that he’s familiar with.
• When he was in high school, he heard from several foreign friends who traveled to Southeast Asian countries specifically seeking experiences related to sexual services. These countries have a bad reputation, with openly available and easy-to-find prostitution, which foreigners often refer to as “grey areas.” This might be another reason why Thai massage parlors have a reputation for offering sexual services.
• In his opinion, the image of a massage parlor depends on various factors, such as:
  1. Older masseuses (40-50 years old) = Not likely to offer sexual services
  2. Younger masseuses = May offer sexual services
  3. Chatty, friendly masseuses = Likely to offer sexual services
  4. Masseuses who dress provocatively or wear tight clothing and actively invite customers in = Likely to be a parlor that offers sexual services
• Personally, he enjoys going to Thai massage parlors where the masseuses are Thai because it’s different from massages in other countries. The unique Thai hospitality, with its politeness, calmness, and orderliness, appeals to many customers. The lack of conversation during the massage allows for true rest and relaxation.
• In his personal view, customers who try to engage in conversation are usually the ones seeking a “happy ending,” and even masseuses who chat during the session give the impression that they might be offering a “happy ending.”

“Agents constantly approach us to send masseuses to work abroad through them.”

Owner of Thai massage in Phuket, Thailand

After speaking with the masseuse from my friend’s massage parlour in Phuket, Thailand, I had the opportunity to talk with a friend who is now working in a massage parlour that is a family business. He shared several interesting pieces of information with me, and here’s what I learned from him.

• His parlour has a policy that prohibits employees from providing sexual services or anything similar, although they don’t put up any signs to that effect. Most customers never ask about it, possibly because the parlour isn’t just a massage place; the name includes the word “spa,” and they offer other beauty services as well. However, there was an incident where a masseuse was harassed by a customer and ran out of the massage room. The best they could do was have security escort the customer out, as there wasn’t enough evidence to file a police report.
• He believes that the reason tourists think Thai women or women from Southeast Asia are involved in sex work might be because it actually happens. In Phuket, you can sometimes see it on the streets or in various tourist areas, involving both women and transgender individuals.
• The parlour doesn’t have branches abroad like some of the larger spa chains in tourist provinces, so they don’t have a policy of sending workers abroad. However, agents frequently visit the parlour or contact them, offering commissions if the parlour sends masseuses to work overseas. But they have never sent anyone because most of the employees at the parlour are older, and some have already had experience working abroad. Additionally, the parlour is concerned about being deceived and potentially placing their masseuses in dangerous situations. Training a masseuse takes a long time, and the parlour doesn’t want to lose a quality masseuse, which would force them to find and train a new Thai masseuse from scratch.

It’s not just us who are afraid; the embassy is also concerned about being deceived by us, the masseuses.

Thai masseuses that used to work oversea.

This is another person who is currently working at a massage parlor in Phuket, but she has extensive experience working abroad. Her experiences are somewhat similar to another person I interviewed, but there are some interesting points that stand out.

• She had worked in Malaysia, Hong Kong, Russia, South Korea, and Bahrain. Before becoming a masseuse, she worked in hotels, starting with massage services at a hotel spa before moving to a regular massage parlor. Her first international job was in Malaysia because a friend invited her, citing better pay. However, looking back and calculating, she realized the income was roughly the same as working in Thailand.
• She didn’t go through the Department of Labour for overseas work; Russia was the only country where she obtained a work visa through them. In Malaysia, there was a visa that allowed her to work, but it seemed like the massage parlor had an arrangement with the immigration police. She traveled by car through the southern border of Thailand and paid a bribe of 500 Baht to cross.
• A friend she worked with in Malaysia moved to Russia and seemed to be living well, which lured her into the idea. The friend introduced her to an agent, but she had to handle the visa process herself. The agent only found her a place to work, guaranteeing $800 per month, with a commission of 20,000 Baht, not including airfare.
• In Russia, the massage parlor transferred her salary directly to her Thai bank account, so she lived on the tips customers gave her. The parlor gave her one day off per week. She sent 30% of her earnings home to support her parents.
• Later, she had the opportunity to work in Bahrain, entering the country on a tourist visa. The parlor provided accommodation and transportation between the house and the shop. However, upon arrival, the agreement was not as expected. They made her sign a contract and took her passport. She soon discovered that customers had the right to choose their masseuse and that additional services were available, commonly known as “happy endings.” The person who recommended the job told her it was up to her whether she wanted to offer these services, as the parlor didn’t force anyone, but customers would choose their masseuse. If a customer didn’t choose you, you wouldn’t earn any money, and your salary would be deducted according to the contract you initially signed.
• After working for only two days, she decided to escape and seek help from the embassy. She packed her bags and persuaded a friend to run away with her to the embassy. When they arrived, the embassy didn’t believe them at first because they had all their belongings, unlike typical escapees. It took some time before the embassy accepted their situation and offered assistance.
• The process was that the embassy asked whether she wanted local police assistance or help from the embassy. She chose the embassy’s help. The embassy provided shelter, confiscated their phones and means of contact, and only reached out when the process was complete. After waiting for about two weeks, the embassy coordinated with the local police to recover their passports and cover their travel expenses back to Thailand.
• After returning, she chose to work in South Korea, again through an agent and on a tourist visa. This time, the agency altered her information to pass immigration checks. The agent’s fee was 50,000 Baht, deducted from her first month’s salary. This was the longest she worked in a foreign country because the pay was the best. It was a job where, if you could endure and avoid getting caught, you could significantly improve your family’s financial situation, sending large sums of money back home. However, the work had to be done illegally because the South Korean government reserves this profession for Korean nationals, especially those who are visually impaired. The condition was that you always needed to have cash on hand in case you were caught and had to cover your own repatriation costs.
• Eventually, she was caught in a police raid at the massage parlor. The parlor had a hidden room for masseuses to hide in case of inspections, but this time it seemed the police already knew about it. She was detained for 13 days, awaiting her turn, and had to use her own money to buy a ticket back home. She was issued a deportation document indicating that she was blacklisted from both Thailand and South Korea, meaning that certain countries cooperating with South Korea would not allow her to work or enter the country.

“I chose to work abroad simply to save money. That’s the only reason.”

Masseuse that used to working abroad.

When I was in school, I had a friend whose family was involved in activities related to a massage parlor in Phuket, Thailand. When I started this project, I reached out to him for help and to ask for information. The masseuse I interviewed was one of the masseuses from their parlor who had previously worked abroad before returning to work in Thailand. Here are the key points I summarized from the information gathered.

• Here’s the translation of your text into English:
• She started her career as a masseuse because she learned the skills and began working in the profession right from the start. She had the opportunity to work in South Korea through an agency with a tourist visa because South Korea does not issue visas for masseuses, as it is a profession reserved for locals. The agency deducted 20,000 Baht from her salary every month without guaranteeing a monthly income.
• She chose not to work abroad through the Department of Labour because it takes much longer. She also worked in Russia, where the agency deducted the commission upfront but guaranteed a monthly salary of 30,000 Baht. Her experience working in Russia involved being exploited by the employer. The work contract was for 10 months, but she was paid for only 4 months, with payments made every 2 months.
• The reason she chose to work abroad was to save money. The perception of masseuses among foreigners is that they are associated with providing sexual services.

“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.

“I hire a man to marry me so that I can get a visa to move into Germany.”

Thai massage owner in Germany (51 years old)

The person I interviewed is actually my relative, who owns a massage parlour in Germany. Previously, I only knew this much because I had never asked for any details. When I started working on this project, she was the first person I thought of, so I reached out to her to ask for information about Thai massage parlous in Germany. Normally, we talk quite often, about once a week, or if we’re both busy, about once a month, because her son lives with me in Thailand. However, for this interview, we talked for about two hours, and here are the key points I summarized from our entire conversation.

• She had previously tried working in Japan and Singapore. While working in Japan, she entered with a tourist visa back when Thai citizens still needed visas to enter Japan (which is no longer required today). She worked for about six months at a restaurant and also drove women to work at karaoke bars before being arrested and imprisoned for about a week or until there was a flight back to Thailand, at which point she was deported.
• Eventually, she decided to pay for a marriage arrangement with a German citizen, choosing someone from Thailand because she had connections in Germany who helped find a partner. The cost at that time was 500,000 Thai Baht (which around 11,364 GBP.)
• The only reason she chose to work abroad was to ensure a better future for her son.
• Her first job in Germany was opening her own restaurant, but she had to close it due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• She then returned to Thailand to study massage and obtained a professional license. Upon returning to Germany, she worked as a masseuse at someone else’s massage parlour.
• After saving enough money, she opened her own massage parlor. The reason for opening a massage parlor was that it required less investment compared to a restaurant, and the investment was a one-time expense.
• She tries to hire Thai masseuses who have legal work visas and experience (mostly those who have obtained visas through marriage). From her experience, when hiring people without experience and sending them to study massage, they often leave or quit after completing their training.
• She frequently receives calls from customers asking if the parlor offers happy endings. In Germany, 3 out of 5 massage parlors often offer sexual services. A key indicator is how the masseuses dress and their general appearance (this information comes from customers who ask about such services in her parlor).
• The police are aware of the hidden sexual services and sometimes disguise themselves to catch people in the act. In Germany, if someone wants to work in the sex industry, they need to have a special permit that functions like an ID card, and the business itself must declare that it offers sexual services. The tax system for these businesses is different from that of regular establishments.
• Transgender sex workers who have not undergone gender reassignment surgery are in high demand and earn more than female sex workers.

“I began working part-time as a receptionist at a massage parlor and noticed the income the massage therapists were earning. This piqued my interest, so I decided to give it a try.”

Thai masseuse in Australia (28 years old)

After I started gathering information from various sources on the internet, I had the opportunity to interview people working in this industry—those who are still working in it, those who have changed careers, and even business owners both in and outside of Thailand. One of the women I interviewed is a Thai masseuse, and she was the youngest among all the masseuses I interviewed. We spent nearly two hours talking, and here is everything I summarized from our conversation.

• She moved to Australia initially to study English after graduating with a bachelor’s degree. She had the opportunity to work as a receptionist at a massage parlor. She decided to become a masseuse because of the good income; she saw from the accounts at the massage parlor that masseuses earned a lot. So, she took a course that lasted two weeks, combined with the experience she gained from the massage parlor.
• In Australia, it’s possible to get a visa to work as a masseuse, but you need to have studied massage for at least two years. Getting a work or marriage visa is easier than in European countries. Prostitution is legal here, but it’s expensive.
• She decided to study massage because she wanted to earn money to pursue a master’s degree. She was aware, even before changing careers, that the image of Thai masseuses among other Thais is not good. At first, she was afraid of being harassed because she wasn’t good at the language. However, she liked the job because it was hourly work, and there was no need to overthink it after the shift was done.
• In the massage parlor, customers often ask, “Do you offer happy endings?” Besides being asked if she’s a prostitute, another question she frequently gets is, “Are you transgender?” just because she’s Thai.
• Westerners generally view Thailand as a poor country, with education ending at the high school level. Most customers, especially Indian customers, persistently ask for a happy ending. There are also phone calls inquiring if such services are available.
• In some parlors, if you don’t offer sexual services, there’s still a commission system for happy endings; the person providing the service gets both the massage fee and a commission. She once experienced a customer masturbating in front of her during a Thai massage.
• Customers often seek services from masseuses rather than sex workers because it’s over 50% cheaper. Some customers prefer masseuses because they enjoy the thrill of non-consensual interaction, which is more sexually arousing to them than simply purchasing sex services.
• Some customers don’t necessarily want to have sex; they just come to satisfy themselves sexually. Sometimes, just being massaged by a masseuse is enough for them to achieve satisfaction. One notable experience she had was when an elderly man came in with equipment and asked her to insert a finger into his anus, offering an additional 200 Australian dollars on top of the massage fee.

The impact of human trafficking and undocumented labor creates challenges, particularly regarding visa applications for Thai passport holders in European countries or even visa-exempt countries in Asia. There is a risk of facing difficulties in visa applications due to suspicion and strict scrutiny by authorities, especially for individuals who are vulnerable to trafficking or undocumented labor. Enhancing understanding and awareness of these issues at both the public and societal levels can help address these challenges more effectively.

source :
https://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/easy/2675911/thais-face-south-korea-entry-issues
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/culture/2024/03/135_362529.html

They need to graduated from list of higher education institutions in Thailand that offer courses Thai traditional medicine and applied Thai traditional medicine It must be certified by the Thai Traditional Medical Council.

The popularity of Thai traditional massage is widely recognized worldwide due to its benefits in balancing the body and mind. It helps alleviate various types of pain such as back pain, shoulder pain, and muscle pain, while also promoting relaxation. Moreover, Thai massage is a good option for enhancing overall physical and mental well-being. It is highly regarded for its standards of knowledge and skills among massage therapists in Thailand.

However, The image of massage therapists among Westerners often leans more towards the sexual aspect rather than therapeutic treatment, especially those from countries in Southeast Asia. Thailand, in particular, has gained a reputation for its sex tourism industry.