This prison in Chiang Mai, Thailand, is the best place to get a massage
After passing by golden temples and crossing the gates into the Old Town, I hand my helmet back to my driver and check in for my massage appointment. As I sip on my iced coffee in the shade, I'm grateful for the mist from the courtyard's waterfall, and the restaurant's mango sticky rice has left a sweet taste in my mouth. It feels like a normal morning in Chiang Mai until I spot the warden's uniform. That's when I remember that I am sitting in the middle of a prison.
When it's time for my massage, I am led into a dim room full of beds. Like many vocational schools in Thailand, no one is given a private room and everyone is clothed. They give me a locker to put my phone, wallet, and other valuables in—along with a key to hold onto. My masseuse is kind and quiet except when she whispers to make sure that the pressure of the massage is okay. I surrender to the flow of the massage, and easily forget that I am in a big room—part of the prison.
The experience is relaxing and luxurious, but it is even more rewarding to learn that this exceptional service offers a unique way support incarcerated women in Thailand.
Chiang Mai Women's Correctional Center is a women's prison that offers a Thai massage and spa training program. his vocational program, also called Naree Spa, allows non-violent prisoners to receive massage training, and each treatment helps women earn their certification as traditional Thai massage therapists. Prisoners live in a different part of the city but are transported in every day with wardens and other officials to do their training.
Today, travelers can also enjoy the restaurant, boutique, and beauty salons—all of which hire prisoners and allow them to get hands-on work experience. For those who are curious to learn more and are desperate for air conditioning, there is also a museum with information about the program on site.
(Related: 6 ways to explore Chiang Mai through its burgeoning craft scene, from ceramics to silver jewelery.)
Nuad Thai, or Thai massage, is incredibly important to the country's traditions and history, which is why it has earned UNESCO recognition on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. In traditional Thai villages, those who practiced Thai massage were seen as healers, which is why spa certification, in the form of certificates, is still regulated by the Thai Ministry of Public Health.
The standard curriculum for those looking to practice Thai massage is an 800-hour course that has to take place over more than two years. Like all massage students in Thailand, prisoners at the Chiang Mai Women's Correctional Center must learn philosophy, anatomy, and other physiology courses. They must also do 300 hours of professional experience training, which is where massages like mine come into play.
This makes these women true experts of their craft and incredibly knowledgeable of the human body. During my massage, my masseuse could tell something was wrong with me after briefly touching a small muscle on my ankle. After just a moment, she knew I was walking too much and advised me to stretch the muscle and rest it when I could.
Receiving spa certificates are a bright light in the otherwise dark reality of female incarceration in Thailand. According to the latest comparative statistics published by the Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research, Thailand has the world's second highest incarceration rate of women.
Andrea Giorgetta, the Asia Desk Director at the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) says, 'Women in Thailand tend to encounter greater difficulties and discrimination than men within the legal system due to a combination of factors, including poverty, a lack of legal knowledge, and inadequate legal assistance.'
These social and economic factors result in women receiving longer sentences that are disproportionate to their offenses—especially when you consider women's caregiving obligations or the role of abuse and coercion.
After serving their time in prison, women may face difficulties when it comes to finding jobs, which is why reoffending rates for women are between 14 percent (who are detained a second time) and 20 percent (who are detained up to a fifth time).
(Related: Some of the best cheese in the world is in Thailand—here's where to try it.)
Luckily for the women of Chiang Mai Women's Correctional Center—they are not alone. Thunyanun Yajom worked in the prison as an officer for more than 15 years before opening the Dignity Network, a certified massage center for vocational graduates from the women's prison. Each of the masseuses have gone through the programs outlined by the Thai Ministry of Public Health, but they still faced prejudice when attempting to find jobs.
Yajom says that before her spa, 'It was not easy for my ladies to find jobs after getting out of prison … if some places know you are ex-prisoners, they will leave you out of a job. Nobody cared about them.'
In 2014, she opened her first center with only three ex-prisoners, and it quickly became internationally appreciated by tourists and locals alike. Since then, they have expanded into five massage centers around Chiang Mai, and they have given more than 500 ex-prisoners jobs over the past decade. This steady employment gives women the chance to be financially independent, provide for their families, and give back to their communities.
Yajom says, 'We work together like family. When customers come into my shop, they feel the same because we take very good care of them.'
There are thousands of spas in Thailand, but the Dignity Network centers and the women's prison give travelers the chance to make their massages something more. These treatments provide an opportunity to play a small role in a much bigger movement towards women's liberation and independence in Thailand.
(Related: UNESCO recognizes more than just historical sites—here are 5 protected health customs.)
The Women's Correctional Center is located in Chiang Mai's old town (on Ratvithi Road in the Mueang Chiang Mai District) and is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the weekends. In order to get a massage, visitors must make a same-day appointment in person. Visitors should get there as early as possible because their appointments tend to book up quickly. The spa is occasionally closed for holidays, so be sure to check their Facebook page for any announcements.
Anyone is welcome to get a massage, but they ask you to indicate if you have heart problems, allergies, or any other conditions they should know about. They offer one-hour traditional Thai massages (250 Baht/about $7.36), two-hour Thai massages (500 Baht/$14.73), and one-hour foot massages (250 Baht/about $7.36). For your massage, visitors should wear loose clothing that they can easily move around in.
As mentioned before, there are five Dignity Network centers around Chiang Mai, and it's usually easier to get appointments at these spas. Each location has different hours that you can find on their website. As with most Thai spas, reservations are made in person, and they can accommodate guests fairly quickly.
(Related: How to plan a food tour around northern Thailand, from Chiang Mai to Phrae.)
Acacia Gabriel is a freelance journalist who covers responsible ecotourism, cultural experiences, and the intersection of outdoor adventure and luxury. Follow along on her website and Instagram.
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