Where to get GOOD legit massage?

[eyecatcher]

The daily minimum wage is 300B.

Why do people always insist on raising this issue? If you are going to a good quality massage place, the therapists are professionals, have been doing their job for many years, and are not working for 300 a day. At the place I go to, the therapists not only receive good tips but they get 50% of the fee for the massage. It's not a retail shop on Loy Kroh.

300 is the wage for an unskilled laborer.

Very true, you cannot get anyone for 300bt a day, but the reality is, that many therapists are working for 300bt a day because where they hang out is “overstaffed” with amateurs or they simply don’t get enough customers to give those girls at least 3hrs a day.

There are very few spa who actually contract their own staff on a salary. They are generally the top end places such as Oasis, Rarinjinda, six senses and the hotel in house spas. They can afford salaries because customers are paying 1700bt for 2hr thai at Oasis; then they are surcharged the 17% tax and 7% service charge. So the 7% service charge takes care of the tips even if their well heeled customers didn’t bother.

There are other massage places that will offer a halfway salrary of 6000bt a month then pay 50bt an hour extra”commission” but they are paid this retainer to ensure they don’t go off freelancing, they have to sit in the same place day in day out even if their massage place is empty and everywhere else is bursting at the seams.

Then we have the group I am in, certainly the majority. There are no salaried employees and all the professionals are self employed. They are good so they can go anywhere, anywhere for the money, mercenaries infact….haha some of them are; don’t have time for a chat when they finish as they are off to the next spa. So everyone has the same therapists; we all know eachother; we borrow “standby girls” yet no one has any staff and customers don’t even have a clue. They are all paid by the hour. For the massages and spa shops this a no risk venture. You only pay the girl when you have a customer so its win win; hence you don’t see many massage shops closing or selling up. The rates around town vary from 120-200bt an hour and depending on the time of day; after 9 we pay more. In the city area, the cheaper places the girls will be getting 80-100bt an hour.

So mr Elektrified, when you say some girls are taking 50%; its not really the case; yes they get their 100bt for a 200bt massage but when a customer is spending 2000 bt for a 3hr package, they only get the 3hr rate; not 1000bt.

I have studied retail charges and costs on massages for years and I am still in no doubt whatsoever that to charge 200bt for your massages is the hardest way to sustain a successful business. But more astonishing is when they lack customers they reduce the price. A 10% reduction in price means they need 20% more customers to make the same profit. They don’t seem to understand this. If only they would learn to offer the customer something more (hahaha well of course some do) customers are not enticed by 10% price cut, they are enticed by great service; an extra free half hour; air con; private rooms, free massages.

I saw a cheap shop last week, big banner outside. 10 massages 1 free. I reckon they will never ever get to offer that free massage. So they spend over 2000bt, they have to really really like the place to come back 10 times. We offer the free massage after 3 visits and that is really popular. You can see customers coming in for the cheaper foot massage and thai massage just to get to the free one as cheap as possible, but its lucrative for us and we spend time with customers nurturing their next return.

Over the last 5 months the therapists working our area have been lucky enough to get 7 or 8hr a day; that’s 1000bt plus; and averaging 400bt in tips per day. Physically that’s more than they can actually do, so don’t be too disappointed if you go for a late massage and the girl has no energy left; don’t choose thai massage, choose oil, its easier for them.

Anyway need to finish got a few young ladies in, so need to be around just in case one of them gets lost when we sustain a power cut.

[Dante99]

The daily minimum wage is 300B.

Why do people always insist on raising this issue? If you are going to a good quality massage place, the therapists are professionals, have been doing their job for many years, and are not working for 300 a day. At the place I go to, the therapists not only receive good tips but they get 50% of the fee for the massage. It's not a retail shop on Loy Kroh.

300 is the wage for an unskilled laborer.

Would you tip a Farang massage gal 1/3 of the daily minimum wage?

Who the hell is talking about Farang massage girls here?

Bloody space cadets do not know what planet they are on.

[Loaded]

Why is there an hourly rate if a relatively large tip is expected? I also don't want to go to places where I will be called names after I leave if my tip doesn't meet expectations.

[Awk]

Why is there an hourly rate if a relatively large tip is expected? I also don't want to go to places where I will be called names after I leave if my tip doesn't meet expectations.

Fair enough question, but I guess that's just how things have ended up here in Thailand regarding massage. There are other countries also where the jobs, for whatever reason, to a smaller or larger extent depend on tips. E.g. waiters, perhaps particularly in the US. So into the salary/commission an expected tip is calculated by the boss, which lets him offer a lower salary for the job than would otherwise be required to attract staff.

In Thailand, massage is one of those jobs, and so it is prudent for people to be aware of that, rather than post nonsense about leaving 30B tips.

This suits me fine, as on the few occasions where I do get a complete dud, some girl with neither clue nor interest in doing an even half-hearted job, I at least avoid the extra 100B which, was it not for the expectation that most people will leave a reasonable tip, would have been added to the base cost of the massage. In cases like this, I simply don't leave a tip, and try to remember the girl so as to avoid her the next time.

[maichai40]

I've just written a post about the best massages in Chiang Mai in my opinion, with a breakdown on cost, treatments, directions etc. Hopefully it's helpful: http://www.justinewharton.com/2015/03/30/best-massage-chiang-mai/

"30thb (or 10%) is considered a reasonable tip."[/size]

Is that completely out of whack, or am I being the one-week idiot millionaire by never tipping less than 100B for an averagely decent Thai massage? [/size]

Having in the past also had one or two friends who worked at the lower end massage shops, I never heard any of them express anything but disdain for the 20-40B tippers. And that was 10 years ago. At low-end places. Not the spa-like places the above blog posting refers to.[/size]

Ehm...yes, you are the idiot one-week millionaire or whatever....if you tip a massage not less than 100 baht because i spoke with thais and they told me normally the thai people don't give tip or give 20 baht, if really pleased and over satisfied give 40 baht which is considered an outrageous tip.

The one you spoke and not happy with 20-40 baht tip probably refers to "stupid farang that give money away for nothing". Thais just don't do that (same as in restaurants) and if you do this you just contribute to inflate prices....considering that a normal massage is 150-200/baht/hour how can you tip 50%?

[mesquite]

I've just written a post about the best massages in Chiang Mai in my opinion, with a breakdown on cost, treatments, directions etc. Hopefully it's helpful: http://www.justinewharton.com/2015/03/30/best-massage-chiang-mai/

"30thb (or 10%) is considered a reasonable tip."[/size]

Is that completely out of whack, or am I being the one-week idiot millionaire by never tipping less than 100B for an averagely decent Thai massage? [/size]

Having in the past also had one or two friends who worked at the lower end massage shops, I never heard any of them express anything but disdain for the 20-40B tippers. And that was 10 years ago. At low-end places. Not the spa-like places the above blog posting refers to.[/size]

Ehm...yes, you are the idiot one-week millionaire or whatever....if you tip a massage not less than 100 baht because i spoke with thais and they told me normally the thai people don't give tip or give 20 baht, if really pleased and over satisfied give 40 baht which is considered an outrageous tip.

The one you spoke and not happy with 20-40 baht tip probably refers to "stupid farang that give money away for nothing". Thais just don't do that (same as in restaurants) and if you do this you just contribute to inflate prices....considering that a normal massage is 150-200/baht/hour how can you tip 50%?

This is what they've told me over the years: Most people don't tip.

Also, since the recent Chinese invasion started, there are occasions where the Chinese will bargain for a discount. A group of five will each try to get a one hour Thai massage, normally 200 THB, for 180 THB apiece. And of course, no tip.

[Dante99]

An obvious comparison or obviously making a comparison?

Either way obviously nothing to do with Chiang Mai.

[funcrew]

On 4/2/2015 at 1:01 AM, hyku1147 said:

So, nobody has tried the Grahniewaahnker franchises yet?

Not sure how Thaivisa feels about 3 year thread bumps. Will desist if "not." The only asian massage places we have in Las Vegas are all Grahniewaahnker franchises. Not per the advertising at all. OTOH the school/student clinic massages are excellent and no upselling.