With no foreign tourists, Chiang Mai massage shops resort to offering free massages

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

A chain of massage shops in Chiang Mai is offering a special promotion to attract Thai customers.

 

Lila Thai Massage is offering a free 30 minute foot massage to get customers back and help stave off more redundancies. 

 

You have to pay for a one hour massage to qualify, though. 

 

Owner Naowarat Thanasrisutharat said that her regular customer base - the foreign tourists - had all but disappeared. 

 

She shut when ordered to do so but now five out of her eight branches are open. They are following all the Covid-19 regulations. 

 

Naowarat, who used to work with female prisoners on rehabilitation programs, started the business as a way of helping ex convicts make a living. 

 

It has now been expanded but the pandemic devastated her business and left many of her staff in dire straits. 

 

Now she hopes that by offering Thais a freebie and some extra spa gifts this will inspire them to try out her shops and help her workers get back on their feet. 

 

She rejected the idea of a cheaper massage, saying that was not feasible but decided that giving a foot massage freebie was the way to go. 

 

The story from Thai Rath on Facebook only mentioned Thais, notes Thaivisa, so it was not clear whether any foreigners living in Chiang Mai would be eligible for the promotion. 

Source: Thai Rath on Facebook

 

 

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They massage some parts of your body, but other parts must be paid for .

This headline is quite misleading .

How much for "extras"?

9 minutes ago, ftpjtm said:

How much for "extras"?

The shop in question doesn't offer sexual services , but the ones that do , usually charge between 500-1000 Baht , depending on requirements

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Naowarat, who used to work with female prisoners on rehabilitation programs, started the business as a way of helping ex convicts make a living.

Sounds great, a massage by an ex-con ....... hold onto your wallet.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

by offering Thais a freebie

Another example of Farangs being excluded!

45 minutes ago, fangless said:

3 hours ago, webfact said:

by offering Thais a freebie

Another example of Farangs being excluded!

Even though the sign is in English.

4 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Even though the sign is in English.

Well spotted!

So it's not free then!

4 minutes ago, Henryford said:

So it's not free then!

Very true.

Time-wise it works out to 'Buy two, get one free'.

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Now she hopes that by offering Thais a freebie

Hahaha .. might be better rephrasing that .. 

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

but decided that giving a foot massage

would be a good idea adding that Long John Silver's are allowed two visits .. 

Just now, Justgrazing said:

Hahaha .. might be better rephrasing that .. 

would be a good idea adding that Long John Silver's are allowed two visits .. 

Are you sure?

I thought it was 'foot massage', not 'feet massage'.

5 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Are you sure?

I thought it was 'foot massage', not 'feet massage'.

Sorry my bad .. I'm stumped without me glass eye in .. 

Is the report correct that it's only an offer for Thai people? 

 

The sign is in English. 

 

I have used that massage place many times before and it's really good and not expensive.  I will go there this week and see if is farangs can take advantage of the offer. If not, I won't be going back again...ever...????

5 minutes ago, Justgrazing said:

9 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Are you sure?

I thought it was 'foot massage', not 'feet massage'.

Sorry my bad .. I'm stumped without me glass eye in .. 

Edited 3 minutes ago by Justgrazing

If you were Scottish, you would have a glass aye.

1 minute ago, bluesofa said:

If you were Scottish, you would have a glass aye.

Aye reyt ya are noo ..

And if this is a free foot massage how do you decide which is the lucky foot .. and will the other one be hacked off and develop verrucas in protest or something .. they should be clear what they're offering here as there's gonna be some who are left flat footed .. 

Clickbait title

8 minutes ago, Justgrazing said:

Aye reyt ya are noo ..

And if this is a free foot massage how do you decide which is the lucky foot .. and will the other one be hacked off and develop verrucas in protest or something .. they should be clear what they're offering here as there's gonna be some who are left flat footed .. 

'Aye reyt ya are noo'    'reyt ya' is that 'retina' with an accent?

 

What if you're right flat footed, do you limp differently?

1 minute ago, bluesofa said:

'Aye reyt ya are noo'    'reyt ya' is that 'retina' with an accent?

 

What if you're right flat footed, do you limp differently?

Eye think so .. 

We're inching forward with the foot lines .. though they are yardly classics at the toement .. 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Lila Thai Massage is offering a free 30 minute foot massage to get customers back and help stave off more redundancies. 

 

You have to pay for a one hour massage to qualify, though. 

Then it's not free.  I really dislike misleading advertising and lead-ons.  It's a one hour massage for the price of a 30 minute massage - maybe.  Their regular price as 250 THB / hr for foot massage.  No price mentioned in the article so who knows???

"She rejected the idea of a cheaper massage, saying that was not feasible but decided that giving a foot massage freebie was the way to go."

It's not a "freebie" it's a discount.  I'll personally avoid them.  There are plenty of other massage shops that give good massages and offering discounted prices for all their services.  If she doesn't want to offer discounts in a world that is now a buyers market - the she doesn't understand economics.  And she isn't dealing with ignorant tourists who don't know how the game's played. 

1 hour ago, jak2002003 said:

Is the report correct that it's only an offer for Thai people? 

 

The sign is in English. 

 

I have used that massage place many times before and it's really good and not expensive.  I will go there this week and see if is farangs can take advantage of the offer. If not, I won't be going back again...ever...????

Give us a report. 

41 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

What if you're right flat footed, do you limp differently?

Moved to foot things forum

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Sounds great, a massage by an ex-con ....... hold onto your wallet.

Yeah but most of them were probably in on drug charges, so might be a good connection for some guys.

4 hours ago, ftpjtm said:

How much for "extras"?

You don't qualify as you are "filthy Farang".  Thais only I'm afraid!

2 hours ago, bluesofa said:

If you were Scottish, you would have a glass aye.

If I was sensitive I could represent (sic) that remark!

1 hour ago, bluesofa said:

'Aye reyt ya are noo'    'reyt ya' is that 'retina' with an accent?

 

What if you're right flat footed, do you limp differently?

No you just get down at heel.

1 hour ago, holy cow cm said:

Yeah but most of them were probably in on drug charges, so might be a good connection for some guys.

Could you get "rubbed up" the wrong way with a staff like that?

4 minutes ago, fangless said:

Could you get "rubbed up" the wrong way with a staff like that?

What is the reference meaning to "Rubbed up" ?

I cannot figure it out 

6 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

What is the reference meaning to "Rubbed up" ?

I cannot figure it out 

I think you have to be "on massage" to get the subtilty!

Come again if you don't get it!! But preferably not here.

5 minutes ago, fangless said:

I think you have to be "on massage" to get the subtilty!

Come again if you don't get it!! But preferably not here.

If it was a reference to masturbation, the shop in question doesn't offer those services as was previously stated