Thai Massages

Let me start with some American comparisons.

At manicure/pedicure places in the U.S., there are a bunch of chairs lined up; your service is done next to others having their services done. The clients sometimes talk amongst themselves - "that's a great polish color on you," or "I live right down the street from here." And, the providers talk to each other. Maybe they are gossiping about their clients or what they are having for dinner that night - I'm not sure.

In contrast, massages in the U.S. are done in private rooms with the client naked (or mostly naked). Quiet music is played and the massage therapist only talks to quietly say things like, "is this pressure OK?"

Getting a massage in Thailand is more like the experience of getting a mani/pedi in America. Massages are inexpensive and easily available. On street corners and in storefronts, rows of reclining chairs are set up next to each other. You tell them what service you want (hour long foot massage, head massage, back massage, or some combination), and they go to work on you while periodically talking to one another. During my massage today, my provider's cell phone rang; she answered the phone and continued to semi-massage me while briefly talking to her caller. Then she got back to giving me my wonderful foot massage.