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Fish Spas Popping Up Everywhere In Chiang Mai


KevinHunt

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... snip ... I'm rather saddened by this research, as I have psoriasis ... snip ...

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun WhiteRussian,

We regret to hear you have this condition which we have observed in a friend of ours to be extremely discomfiting.

About ten years ago, there was a text-only bulletin board in Bangkok run by a good friend of my human, Khun Jamie, called "Sala Thai."

A poster there claimed that he had achieved complete relief from chronic psoriasis which he'd had for over thirty years by drinking his own urine regularly, evidently under the direction of some Indian doctor (homeopath ?).

Honestly, to my human, who was then an "I," rather than a "We," at the time, this seemed strange.

Seemed to him like if you were going to drink 'Eau de Pee,' you'd want to have some urine from somebody extra-healthy, or with extra beautiful skin who'd never had psoriasis.

At the time, the name, "Nadia Comaneci," came to his mind : as an example of a urine donor he would choose should he engage in such therapy : a young (hopefully) virgin athlete in her prime.

best, ~o:37;

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OK, I have some more questions about this. I noticed two more fish spas in Pattaya yesterday. Its getting ridiculous. Anyway, at these places they take all comers. I didn't notice any cleaning of feet, and there is no waiting time between customers.

My questions ---

-- At these active places, don't the fish just get satiated? If you go there and they are just picking at your feet like birds instead of fish, perhaps it isn't because your feet are super clean, it may be they just ain't hungry anymore?

-- If a previous user had a cut even a micro cut and some kind of infection including HIV and you had cuts as well, could that pass an infection? Many of the people using these tanks have existing fungal infections as well which the fish probably help but then they are eating new customers? People on holiday tend to wear sandals and it is common for the feet to be cut (even bloodied) by sandals for people not used to wearing them. Hmmmm.

You can be certain the "industry" isn't interested in these issues. This is a new money machine.

Edited by Jingthing
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OK, I have some more questions about this. I noticed two more fish spas in Pattaya yesterday. Its getting ridiculous. Anyway, at these places they take all comers. I didn't notice any cleaning of feet, and there is no waiting time between customers.

My questions ---

-- At these active places, don't the fish just get satiated? If you go there and they are just picking at your feet like birds instead of fish, perhaps it isn't because your feet are super clean, it may be they just ain't hungry anymore?

-- If a previous user had a cut even a micro cut and some kind of infection including HIV and you had cuts as well, could that pass an infection? Many of the people using these tanks have existing fungal infections as well which the fish probably help but then they are eating new customers? People on holiday tend to wear sandals and it is common for the feet to be cut (even bloodied) by sandals for people not used to wearing them. Hmmmm.

You can be certain the "industry" isn't interested in these issues. This is a new money machine.

Oh dear you are feeling grumpy and controversial today aren't you.

Depends where you go, Jingthing. With UV lights and feet washing there is no real hygiene problem.

Yes they are making money but they are providing a need. That is what business is. If you don't want to dip your little feet in the water, don't go.

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How about 'mosquito spas', where the craze hungry idiot tourists can pay to strip down and enter a room full of mosquitos and get their blood sucked. I hear that is relaxing and healthy.

they have those lined down Loy Khroy and many places in BK, Patters and elsewhere around Thailand,

most swarm around the fattest, white skin farang they can find esp with bulging wallets wearing their favourite team jersey while holding beer sitting on a bar stool, they will extract you till yr illiquid :)

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Went out for a long jaunt today and could not believe how many of these places are about, soon their numbers will rival massage joints.

Saw two more places getting fitted out and look like opening soon. One opposite Mikes on Loi Kroh, next just south of Dukes on Changklan.

I appreciate the comments that they are catering for a demand, but surely enough is enough. Considering the fad nature of these things, the initial capital outlay, the sheer number now in existence, the lowish tourist numbers, and the length of the tourist season how long can all of these places last...let alone open new ones now of all times.

Already there is some serious undercutting of the "standard" price (see the place at Thapae Gate), the optional "health/cleaning" stuff will be lopped off soon.

By mid year you will be able to get some seriously cheap fish tanks :D

I'll pass on the redundant fish but can see some getting dumped in the moat or the Ping (will they live there, or cause damage at all?)

God nows what will happen to all the joints/rentals afterwards...any clues on the next fad to be mass produced in sunny Chiang Mai? Chess Clubs, Manicure shops, Kebab joints, or just more Maccas :)

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Depends where you go, Jingthing. With UV lights and feet washing there is no real hygiene problem.

Not so, see: http://www.knabberfische.at/knabberfische/...gical_study.pdf from the university veterinary medicine, vienna

seems the most important thing is not UV, and feet washing (unless you are just afraid of getting a nail fungus!)

The important thing is the quarantine period, i presume this test used UV as they say "UV disinfection is insufficient" albeit in the hypothesis.

RNS-Virii (HIV, Hep, etc etc) survive for 5 mins on fish surface. (see "results")

recommended time is 15 minutes until it nibbles another foot.

anyway, seems like there may be a market in supplying 'clean' rent-a-fish

i know one farang here is breeding these things... might be nice to have my own supply...

but do they eat goldfish?

- makes me wonder if 'Sayuri' has a 15 minutes quarantine period...*shudder*

Edited by whiterussian
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Tgf and I tried one at Airport Plaza today - 100 Baht each for 15 min.

It was fun and a novelty. Feet were left feeling soft and clean - you are asked to wash feet before treatment and can do so afterwards too.

The lady at the till told me the fish were Garra.

We chose a tank that had not been used for some time, rather than the busier ones at the front.

Rgds

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Tgf and I tried one at Airport Plaza today - 100 Baht each for 15 min.

Where in Central Airport Plaza exactly?

It is called Luxzury (sic) Chiangmai Fish Spa Therapy & Spa!

It is Cineplex end of AP by car park entrance on, i think, 3rd floor.

Looks like some floor space had been rented - it is not a retail "unit".

Ask for the New Year discount deal...!

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Its the "every man and his dog" syndrome...

In the 1990s when desktop PCs were all the rage, there were like

40,000+ pc shops, several per every street, then when the fad died

out, most went out of business (this is in Melb, Aust). Same with

the home delivery pizzas, shop on every corner. Most closed.

Same with the fish, when they realise its not profitable, most will close,

I am surprised there are so many massage parlors, they are all

desperate for 1 westerner to come in, how profitable can that be?

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Look up gurra raffu (don't remember spelling) The fish comes from Tigris Euphates area originally. I remember years ago they did a study using these fish, submerging the whole body on people with skin diseases with

positive results. For the spas here and especially in Japan, they are used mainly as to de-foliate. Clean up.

True, hygene is important, use yur head about the place you go. These fish are unique because they survive

on algae only,live in extremely warm waters. It's not a bad thing. Sorry my spelling sucks.

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