Day #150: Massage at the Women's Prison

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Chiang Mai Women's Prison has an apparently progressive rehabilitation programme for its inmates: opposite the high-walled, whitewashed prison itself is a block dedicated to preparing the women for their release back into society, including a cafe, a shop where "Prison Products" are sold, and a massage centre where the prisoners are taught and then give Thai massage, and are given the proceeds to save for their life on the outside (apparently all are due for release within the next 6 months). As I had never had a Thai massage before, I decided to give the massage centre a try.

When you arrive at the entrance, you are greeted by a female prison warden in brown uniform, who calls through to the waiting area, and your masseuse comes to collect you and take you to the changing area. You are given a set of loose pyjamas to wear and taken through to the massage area, a room with about 15 beds, about 10 of which were in use. It looks very smart and modern and no different from any other professional spa.

Thai massage was not what I was expecting: it isn't what I think of as massage at all, but instead involves being pulled into different shapes by the masseuse, stretching all joints and muscles. It is very physical and skilled work for the masseuse, who has to various climb up on the bed, and yank the person into different positions and hold them in stretches, starting with the feet and working upwards to finish with the neck. It was relaxing once I got used to the idea and to hearing my stiff joints clunking and only occasionally uncomfortable when a tight muscle was stretched, and I felt very loosened afterwards. There was only the occasional alarming move, such as when I was lying on my front and pulled up by the arms and held there, but I came out unscathed. It lasted for an hour, but the "full" massage (which I intend to give a try at some point!) lasts for 2 hours.

It was strange though, looking around the room at all these prisoners giving massages. It was all very sociable: the masseuses chat to themselves and would sometimes have a joke with the prison wardens. Some of the women looked like they'd had rough lives but others, and my masseuse in particular, were young, sweet-faced, polite and giggly and I couldn't help but wonder what on earth had happened in her life and what she had done to land up in this situation. It was notable too that all the customers were Westerners - I could imagine a similar programme in the UK wouldn't be all that popular with the locals either. Overall though, I admired the effort the authorities were making to prepare these women for their lives after prison - I ended up really hoping my masseuse would go on to have a happy and successful life on the outside, though I will never know.

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