86care In association with
“Where do your therapists get
their training?” I asked inquisitively
to the black silk-attired woman sitting
behind the teak desk.
“Prison,” she answered, with a
serene smile.
“Prison?” I grinned, waiting
expectantly for some form of
reassuring laughter. None was offered.
It wasn’t quite the reply I anticipated
as I stepped through the tropical floral
entrance of the Thai spa. Soft music,
scented candles and a multitude of
benign Buddha statues embellished
its interior as I contemplated the
unique recruiting policy. Warning
signals started flashing as I attempted
to appear unconcerned while makingA Second Chance
healing bodies and souls Text & Photos Jim Neale
furtive glances and slowly edging
towards the door, but my Thai host could
read me like a well-creased tourist map.
“Please. You’re most welcome here...
any support will help these women,” she
implored, as her glistening eyes grew
more delicate and my paranoid visions
began to dissipate. Somehow, I knew I
would survive unscathed and enjoy the
therapeutic benefits of a traditional
Thai massage.
In the changing room, I put on the
loose-fitting Thai fisherman’s pants
and wandered through to an open-air
communal massage area. There were
several small mats lined paralleled
across the floor with a mixture of Thais