Massage prices in Isaan

[gerry1953]

I went to a local massage studio today to enquire about oil massage prices and in my area they are all 500 baht for 1 hour with 900 baht for 2 hours.  This is a legitimate massage with no extras.  For many years I lived in Jomtien - Pattaya where the standard price was 200 baht per hour and yes in these places this was no extras also.  There were many of the other types where tips were generated performing "extras".  It seems crazy to me that an area that has lower rents, often lower pay and fewer customers would charge 2.5 times more than the rate at a tourist area.  I usually travel to Jomtien every 6 weeks for a break and do oil massages daily but it would be nice to have them here in Isaan also if they were more reasonable. 

[theguyfromanotherforum]

The cheapest oil massage I have seen was 300b...Never seen for 200. Also there is a price difference between oil and aroma.

[gerry1953]

Even here the aroma is more at 600 baht an hour..

 

[Saastrajaa]

Thai price for traditional massage is 250-300 baht for TWO hours.  Don't know about oil, never had it.

[gerry1953]

For traditional Thai massage here it averages 200 baht per hour.  I tried them numerous times but do not find them relaxing and somewhat uncomfortable when they manipulate the body.  It would seem easier for them to do an oil massage but it incurs a slight cost for the oil.  I can only assume the oil massage is considered a farang massage and they charge 2.5 times more for that reason?

[zorro1]

Where in jomtien are the no hassle no yapping oil massages? Im there now

[gerry1953]

I used to travel into Soi Excite beside the Bake n Brew café in Pattaya.  The owner has several massage shops with proper massage beds and well trained ladies.  I never found one as good right in Jomtien but it was well worth the small commute. I wish I could find this combination of good quality masseuses, nice facility a decent pricing in Isaan.

 

Edited January 21, 2017 by gerry1953

[CGW]

For all its bad points Pattaya does have a lot of good that I miss since moving to Isaan, like having a good choice of places to frequent and shop!

Prices in Pattaya on some items are far more competitive also.

[carlyai]

Thai price for traditional massage is 250-300 baht for TWO hours.  Don't know about oil, never had it.

You been missing out then. [emoji26]

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[KhunBENQ]

Don't expect cheap prices for massage in Isan.

At least at regular shops it is 200 to 300 for one hour traditional and 400 to 500 for oil (Khon Kaen city).

Here in the village I would probably find a granny that tramples on me for a 100 Baht/hour

 

Pattaya is indeed cheaper, but be aware that the 200 or even below for oil will be anything proper but just a shill/decoy.

You know for what...

[zorro1]

Don't expect cheap prices for massage in Isan.
At least at regular shops it is 200 to 300 for one hour traditional and 400 to 500 for oil (Khon Kaen city).
Here in the village I would probably find a granny that tramples on me for a 100 Baht/hour
 
Pattaya is indeed cheaper, but be aware that the 200 or even below for oil will be anything proper but just a shill/decoy.
You know for what...

That's the truth and nothing even close to a massage just rubbing in oil and going for the balls within 10 minutes

[carlyai]

That's the truth and nothing even close to a massage just rubbing in oil and going for the balls within 10 minutes

You definitely go to the wrong places.


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[zorro1]

You definitely go to the wrong places.


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I can find good 300 baht places but nothing I tried in the 200baht range was any good so gave up

[gerry1953]

3 hours ago, zorro1 said:

I can find good 300 baht places but nothing I tried in the 200baht range was any good so gave up

 

Try the one I mentioned on Soi Excite, well managed, 200 baht and a true professional oil massage.  There are many of the 20 minute rub and tug places others attested to but real ones do exist IF you care to look for them.  When you get a good masseuse keep and tip her, you can then set up appointments so there is no need to wait on repeat visits.  Carlyai seems to be the only one who isn't a skeptic???

[gerry1953]

3 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

Don't expect cheap prices for massage in Isan.

At least at regular shops it is 200 to 300 for one hour traditional and 400 to 500 for oil (Khon Kaen city).

Here in the village I would probably find a granny that tramples on me for a 100 Baht/hour

 

Pattaya is indeed cheaper, but be aware that the 200 or even below for oil will be anything proper but just a shill/decoy.

You know for what...

 

I agree with you that it is hard to find Pattaya prices in Isaan, I just came off a 2000 km motorbike trip thru Isaan.  I just don't understand why?  I talked with a few owners and they said Bangkok charges that much.  I told them the rents were more in Bangkok than Isaan as were labor costs - I never got an intelligent reply?

 

And no KhunBENQ 200 baht professional oil massages can be found in good shops in Pattaya, you just have to find them.  Over the years I had hundreds of them.

[carlyai]

 
I agree with you that it is hard to find Pattaya prices in Isaan, I just came off a 2000 km motorbike trip thru Isaan.  I just don't understand why?  I talked with a few owners and they said Bangkok charges that much.  I told them the rents were more in Bangkok than Isaan as were labor costs - I never got an intelligent reply?
 
And no KhunBENQ 200 baht professional oil massages can be found in good shops in Pattaya, you just have to find them.  Over the years I had hundreds of them.

You probably find that most the isaan girls worked in Pattaya or Bangkok before.

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[Patmalone]

Oil massage  in Bueng Kan is 400 baht.

[zorro1]

Dual pricing alive and well in the sticks

[Happy Grumpy]

1 minute ago, zorro1 said:

Dual pricing alive and well in the sticks

 

Nope. Same price for Thais.

 

 

[zorro1]

 

Nope. Same price for Thais.

 

 

Isaan has always been about raping farang and this Thread proved it.

I'm falling over laughing at you're suggestion that some farm girl or farmer will pay 400 baht

...

[Happy Grumpy]

22 minutes ago, zorro1 said:

Isaan has always been about raping farang and this Thread proved it.

I'm falling over laughing at you're suggestion that some farm girl or farmer will pay 400 baht

 

They wouldn't, they'd get it off Yai for free, but would buy her dinner from the market in return. 

[Get Real]

500 Bath for a massage? What´s the problem? It´s about 18 USD approx. Who can say that isn´t cheap. Why even look for saving some 5 dollar? Your time must be worth more than that!

[David B in Thailand]

You might check any of the eight legit shops near the Buriram Medical Center aka Buriram Government Hospital. They are not fancy.   Prices are very reasonable and no hint of upsell. Many hospitals also offer professional massage in Isaan. 

[gerry1953]

10 hours ago, Get Real said:

500 Bath for a massage? What´s the problem? It´s about 18 USD approx. Who can say that isn´t cheap. Why even look for saving some 5 dollar? Your time must be worth more than that!

 

So let me get this straight Get Real.  If you can buy a new 1million baht Toyota car in Pattaya but that exact same car in Isaan was 2.5 million baht then you would be OK with paying that??? I guess 2 week millionaires are excluded but expats tend to be more thoughtful.  When people live in an area they expect to get good value, when guys like you think it's great to pay 2.5 times the going rate it just encourages gouging.  I am not poor at all but I respect good  value and frequent those "good value" places.  A lady working the fields here may make 200 baht in a 10 hour day in the hot sun doing hard work, doing a 1 hour oil massage in an air conditioned shop and getting say half of the 500 baht would be a great job.  Unfortunately when you drive by they are sitting down watching TV or doing the more reasonably priced 200 baht Thai massages???

I guess you also think in the low season in Pattaya it is okay to raise the price of beer up 20 baht because they are selling less?  With your mentality it's only about 30%?

I haven't had an oil massage in Isaan for 16 months but when I return to the Jomtien area I have them daily at 200 baht.  Their loss, I just don't understand their mentality.

[Get Real]

7 hours ago, gerry1953 said:

 

So let me get this straight Get Real.  If you can buy a new 1million baht Toyota car in Pattaya but that exact same car in Isaan was 2.5 million baht then you would be OK with paying that??? I guess 2 week millionaires are excluded but expats tend to be more thoughtful.  When people live in an area they expect to get good value, when guys like you think it's great to pay 2.5 times the going rate it just encourages gouging.  I am not poor at all but I respect good  value and frequent those "good value" places.  A lady working the fields here may make 200 baht in a 10 hour day in the hot sun doing hard work, doing a 1 hour oil massage in an air conditioned shop and getting say half of the 500 baht would be a great job.  Unfortunately when you drive by they are sitting down watching TV or doing the more reasonably priced 200 baht Thai massages???

I guess you also think in the low season in Pattaya it is okay to raise the price of beer up 20 baht because they are selling less?  With your mentality it's only about 30%?

I haven't had an oil massage in Isaan for 16 months but when I return to the Jomtien area I have them daily at 200 baht.  Their loss, I just don't understand their mentality.

Ops, Gerry. Now you´re out in deep water. Just for you little information I have been living in Thailand for over 16 years. I can tell you directly that many of the people on long stay in Thailand don´t have a problem with 500 bath for a massage, because then they also get quality. Regarding you silly try to compare millions of Bath with a small amount of 200-500 Bath, that´s just showing how little you understand just because the percentual change happened to fit. After that you talk about the lady working in the fields with a poor salury, that would be happy to get pay half for a massage. Yes off course she would. On the other hand she wouldn´t have high rent, electricity and other things to pay for doing her work. Same with the poor pay of working in the farm, it´s just no expenses. Just to go to somebody, cut rice and get payed.

Finally regarding the beer in Pattaya. Yes for me it´s absolutely fine to raise the beer price at any point in that city, and all other that seems to attract all the crazy and criminal people on the earth. I wouldn´t even go there and drink a beer if somebody payed my trip, stay and the beers a was drinking.

If you want to impress somebody with you superior knowledge in the future, just feel free to get a bit warmer and put in some post more before you try again. Cheers! Taking a beer at home, together with the comfort and social life with my family. Always same good taste, same price and no annoying powerdrinking grown-up mentally ill in infant stage.

[gerry1953]

After reading your silly reply I don't feel I am in "hot water".  Long term people generally do NOT like paying 2.5 times normal prices in other communities.  I am sure the people living or holidaying in Pattaya appreciate the kind words of a 16 year Thai veteran like yourself.  Please continuing over paying and defending yourself but please try to stay away from the "power drinking".

[rick75]

They charge more for oil as it's harder work. Most would prefer to do just Thai massage hence the price difference.

[Craig krup]

Down at Nong Prajak park in Udon it's 150-200 baht for an hour. When you hit the park from the east (having headed west from the UD Town Central Plaza area on Watthananuwong) there's a massive row of places off to the left on Tasa Road. If you walk straight into the park from Watthananuwong, turn right, walk around with the water on your left and immediately past the bike hire there's a couple of cabins on your right, and it's 150 or so an hour, certainly in the morning. 

[4MyEgo]

Over a period of 10 years I have had many Thai massages in BKK, Phuket & Pattaya, they were the best for me, but as one gets older, the pain and suffering that would follow for days after made me change oil massages which I have also had in BKK, Phuket & Pattaya.

 

But IMHO you cannot compare the oil massages and Thai massages here in Isaan with the oil and Thai massages in BKK, Phuket & Pattaya.

 

For one, I had a soar shoulder for as far back as I can remember, the Thai lady given me the Thai massage here in Isaan picked up on the spot, a 1st, she kept at it until I told her that I couldn't take it anymore, she recommended I come back next week and she would call in a lady she knew who could fix it, a little expensive she told me, i.e. double what I was paying her, sure enough, next week came, the lady did what she did, and at the end, she pushed me forward while I was sitting down, and the next thing I knew, my face was in my knees, never been that close to my privates...lol

 

From that day forward I have never had a problem with my shoulder ever again, however have always gone for the oil massages, which I have no problem paying the going rate i.e. 400-500 baht. The oil massages here are heaps better than in the tourist locations, I don't know why that is, but they are and you cannot compare rice field workers on 250 baht a day to a person who has a shop (over heads) for what she charges, and to be honest, I am not a cheap Charlie, as an hour back in Oz would set you back 1,100-1,300 baht an hour for an oil massage.