This story is just plain nonsense, to start with where are you getting a massage for that price? I've lived here for 25 years, I've never seen. 

All I can say is - how can a doctor in California establish causality for a disease allegedly contracted in Thailand - any evidence appears circumstantial and relies on the honesty of the patient.

It's a major issue on the internet opinions rapidly become facts.

I had skin infections back in the day and then i discovered placing a clean

large towel over the sheet that has been fixed to the massage bed and a small towel for the pillow!

California drs suspected scabies .

My personal experience has been 80/20. So 80% of the time massage quality was poor, 20% good.  Coincidentally 80% of additional services has been good, 20% not so good. Perhaps the decision to pick a particular girl had something to do with it. I choose them based on physical appearance and not potential massage skills. Works well. 

Soi 8, shady massages with oil all over the street used to rub on your body.    Story.

Nearby, 40,000 possible AIDS carriers and I'm sure protection isn't used every time.   Ah, don't worry.

If In America, you could sue the massage shop.  Rights as a consumer.  But here people would complain that it's too

expensive there and blah blah blah...

 

roll the dice.   

I dread seeing American doctors. How many are like this guy: “If your massage table is made of concrete and there’s a moped parked next to it, maybe just stretch and call it a day, bro.”

 

How many massage tables are made of concrete?

And I don't want doctors calling me bro.
 

2 minutes ago, davb said:

 

 

How many massage tables are made of concrete?


 

 

 

I presume you are unfamiliar with the soapy massage parlors in Pattaya? 😉

 

(You won't get called "Bro" in there...)

20 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

your massage table is made of concrete and there’s a moped parked next to it, maybe just stretch and call it a day, bro.”

 

If I was consulting with this doctor & he called me "bro", I'd walk out.

 

A dreadful article. 

4 hours ago, Nickcage49 said:

Reused oil? Exactly how does one do that???

 

Hey, you know they'll find each and every way to cut corners. The oil that was used to fry your street chicken yesterday could be the oil that was used to stroke your meat today! 

4 hours ago, Nickcage49 said:

Reused oil? Exactly how does one do that???

A recycled autopsy bed would work. 🤢

5 hours ago, Nickcage49 said:

Reused oil? Exactly how does one do that???

Street food vendor's rejects.

3 hours ago, 2long said:

I didn't bother reading more than a couple of paragraphs, but scrolling down I saw this 'doctor' wearing his baseball cap backwards and the words 'tikTok video'

For me it was the words "Daily Mail" . 

There are so many doctors in this world that really have no idea what they're talking about, and though they've spent quite a few years at University they just don't seem to know much about medicine, other than how to write a prescription. 

 

This sounds like quite a lot of nonsense to me. I've been to very simple massage shops and they always have clean towels, they never use reused oil. How do you reuse an oil, do you scrape it off somebody's skin and put it back on the bottle?

 

This numskull needs to go back to school, or quit medicine, or just keep his ridiculous mouth shut. 

7 hours ago, sandrew33 said:

The problem with content creation is that the need for new content is endless. There are many of us with 20+ years in Thailand between ourselves and our networks would have had tens of thousands of all manner of massages up and down Thailand (and in other even sketchier parts of Asia) and we’ve never seen anything like this. 
 

That skin irritation/infection can occur is obviously true anywhere but that’s not really the focus here. It’s about a content creator looking for a niche for content. No context, not especially useful but scary images and broad brush tars an entire sector. Because content must be created as those DTV’s aren’t going to fund themselves. 
 

Has anyone else noticed that much of the newer content is either just lazy stereotypes or, increasingly just negative nonsense  like this? 

Yes...absolutely nonesense alot of the time and vaguely racist actually and you're right; ofter depressing negativity. 

7 hours ago, Johno57 said:

excema

If you meant Eczema, you should know that it isn't caused by an infection.

7 hours ago, sandrew33 said:

The problem with content creation is that the need for new content is endless. There are many of us with 20+ years in Thailand between ourselves and our networks would have had tens of thousands of all manner of massages up and down Thailand (and in other even sketchier parts of Asia) and we’ve never seen anything like this. 
 

That skin irritation/infection can occur is obviously true anywhere but that’s not really the focus here. It’s about a content creator looking for a niche for content. No context, not especially useful but scary images and broad brush tars an entire sector. Because content must be created as those DTV’s aren’t going to fund themselves. 
 

Has anyone else noticed that much of the newer content is either just lazy stereotypes or, increasingly just negative nonsense  like this? 

No it’s AI generated crap. 🤷🏼

Every time I have a Thai massage I’m wearing pajamas and there is no oil involved at all. Skin to skin contact is minimal.

 

And I have never been to a Thai massage joint where the pajamas and bed sheet haven’t been clearly freshly laundered.

4 hours ago, ChipButty said:

This story is just plain nonsense, to start with where are you getting a massage for that price? I've lived here for 25 years, I've never seen. 

Just last year my local massage place raised prices from 200 to 250 per hour. I forget now the price but it was certainly lower than 200 baht 20 years ago, of course it was.

I cannot speak to the case cited in the article. I started visiting Thailand in 2009 and retired here in 2011. I am a foot massage addict ... so find it very relaxing. Here in Chiang Mai I regularly pay 200 baht and add a 40 baht tip. Ah, it is rough living life in a lower cost country since I cannot afford a working middle class retirement in the USA but ... well, some of us will just have to suffer through. Reinforces my acceptance that there might be something to the karma idea ...

7 hours ago, Cabradelmar said:

Live in the tropics long enough and you too will get some kind of skin or stomach infection (most likely annually).

I've lived in the tropics for fifty years.

No skin or stomach infection related to that annually or otherwise.

7 hours ago, ChipButty said:

This story is just plain nonsense, to start with where are you getting a massage for that price? I've lived here for 25 years, I've never seen. 

Places in Pattaya start at 100 baht/1 hour foot massage........120 baht/1hour Thai massage....200 baht/1 hour oil massage.......

In my  opinion ( 40 years of Thailand ) I have never seen a dirty massage parlor, even the cheaper ones. Also, I find most Thais are cleaner than most foreigners, not including a nearby continent. 

It typifies the Mail’s low quality of reporting and they never miss an opportunity to knock Thailand.

No mention is made of him actually being a doctor in Thailand.
In my own personal experience cleanliness has always been of paramount importance by the massage business owners. And you can’t get much cleaner having a soapy massage!

On 7/5/2025 at 8:46 AM, hereforgood said:

I have been getting 2 hour massages twice a week for the last 5 years and the only harm it has caused me is it makes me lazy. This doctor I don't care if he is a doctor or not he's got rocks between his ears

We know the real reason you get those... Am curious does the wife know about what really goes on behind the curtain? 

On 7/5/2025 at 8:05 AM, RonJr said:

I didnt even read the article! Are you fckn kidding me! 

thai massages are a medical wonder mystery and blessing all in disguise! when the hospital cant fix me broken bones and torn muscles only these beautiful women can! 😂 

What these beautiful women with zero medical knowledge? ....that do more harm than good 

On 7/5/2025 at 5:20 PM, emptypockets said:

I've lived in the tropics for fifty years.

No skin or stomach infection related to that annually or otherwise.

the exception does not make the rule

I got this once or twice, but I thought it was allergic reaction to some oil.