Hey Guys,

Bit of a random question this one. Basically when my wife and I return home to the UK in a few years she will walk back into her old job where as I may have to wait a while until a position comes up for my proffesion. One thought that popped into my head was maybe of offering Thai massages as a little business to earn a few extra quid.

I have been looking at Wat Po courses as I assume these would be the best on paper and the standard seems high, however I have no idea really what their worth would be back in the west.

http://www.watpomassage.com/2014/

Would the qualification be recognised in the UK? Would I be able to offer these massages back in the UK straight away or would it require an equally as intensive UK based course? I did some research but could only find info for Massage Therapists which seems to be well beyond the small Thai / Oil massages I want to offer from my own startup.

Any help much appreciated,

Cheers

Hi, there are no requirements for you to work privately from home or doing outcalls. A massage certificate from Thailand is as good as any if you want something for customers to see. Better to have a certificate attained in Thailand if it's Thai massage you're offering. Public liability insurance is also good to have.

If you want to open a shop or work professionally in a shop or for a company, the Thai certificate will have to be accredited by NARIC. They basically convert it into the UK equivalent. Takes 2 - 4 weeks and about £50 - £100. If it's in Thai language you'll also have to pay a certified translator to change to English (about £100).

As a general rule, the beginner massage courses in Thailand are equal to an NVQ Level 1, the intermediate courses (about 180 hours of study) are NVQ level 2, and the advanced courses (6 months to a year and 350+ hours ) are NVQ level 3.

To run a massage business - eg massage salon or spa - you'll need a licence, and most local authorities in London (not sure about other areas but probably similar) will need to see an NVQ Level 2 or higher.

Edited April 26, 201610 yr by RandolphGB