Column – Massage parlors in Thailand and the art of doing nothing
With their bored looks and endless scrolling sessions, the employees of Thai massage parlors seem to be masters of patience. They sit everywhere in the streets, waiting for a customer who will finally be seduced into a massage. These parlors are not only places for relaxation, but also unintentional social studies in the art of doing nothing and waiting quietly.
The famous massage parlor “Emmanuelle Entertainment” in Bangkok ceased operations on April 30, 2024 and is now up for sale. The closure raises questions about the future of the massage sector, which once thrived but is now under pressure. Despite the declining number of salons, opportunities remain, especially through mergers with hotels and high-end spas.
My experiences in Thai massage parlors
My nose, my ears, my taste buds and especially my eyes all get spoiled from time to time in Thailand. Yes, my nose and ears too, because I live in a wooded area of Thailand, so a lot of nature sounds, but virtually no noise pollution and the low air pollution here can usually be traced back to too much ozone; not the ozone created by the action of sunlight on smog, but ozone as a result of lightning discharges.
Sawatdee Spa is a Thai massage parlor located in Tiel. Tiel is located in the middle of a large triangle between 's Hertogenbosch, Utrecht and Nijmegen/Arnhem. Since 2013 we have been located in a very nice building at Sint Walburgstraat 8. There is plenty of parking space nearby.
Walk into a more luxurious massage parlor and you will be welcomed with the well-known “wai”. Instead of the scent of a whiff of jasmine in the air, it's now the overpowering smell of sanitizer and the squeaking noise of latex gloves that make a visit less appealing.
Massage parlors in Udon Thani
After my more serious postings about opening a euro bank account and Thai taxes, this time a posting about a subject that is a bit taboo, especially in Thailand, but still often in the Netherlands as well. And if it does come up for discussion, then usually in a somewhat muffled and giggly atmosphere. Prostitution.
'And then we had a massage business'
We have been staying in the store every day for two weeks. Open at ten o'clock and stay there until the chance of another customer coming is zero. With any luck, we've had five customers at one time, but most days the counter gets stuck at one or two. On average we certainly do not get further than 2,7 and you cannot live on that.
According to this infographic, there are more soapy massage parlors than temples in Bangkok. Well, if you're not a Buddhist, you have to have something to do, don't you?
Both the owner and the manager of massage parlor annex brothel 'Nataree' have fled from the police. They are wanted for fourteen offenses such as commercial sexual exploitation of minors, providing the opportunity for prostitution and sheltering illegal migrants. A Thai court on Tuesday approved their arrest warrant.
Bangkok police raid on massage parlor live on Facebook
A police raid on Monday at a well-known massage parlor in Bangkok was accidentally broadcast live online on Facebook.
Belgium is investigating whether, just like in the Netherlands, it can send anonymous officials to Eastern massage parlors in Antwerp. They must then check whether sexual hand and span services are also offered and whether Thai women work there who are victims of human trafficking or exploitation, writes Het Nieuwsblad.
Thai massage salons in the Netherlands and Thailand
After having reached the 100th Thai massage, I now see myself as an experience expert. Of course, there will undoubtedly be readers who surpass me, and perhaps they experience the same as me. In this post I try to explain what strikes me, but please respond with your own experiences and / or tips.
Reader question: I am looking for a workplace for an experienced Thai masseuse in the Rotterdam region
I live and work in Rotterdam and my Thai girlfriend works as a masseuse in Thailand. We want to get married early next year and have my girlfriend come to the Netherlands. But without work for her it will be difficult to find her footing here.
Foot massage actor ends up in hospital
Actor Sombat Methanee had his feet massaged at Udon Thani airport. Shortly afterwards he fell ill. The profession calls on the government to set stricter requirements for massage parlors.
Prison sentence for exploiting Thai women
On Friday 17 December, four suspects were convicted of forced prostitution of Thai women. In 2007, the Prostitution and Human Trafficking Control Team of the Rotterdam-Rijnmond police arrested these suspects. One of the suspects was sentenced to five years in prison. The investigation started on October 5, 2006. During an inspection by the 'property intervention team', a 28-year-old woman was found in a home in South Rotterdam, which was equipped for giving Thai massages, who had almost no …