Suddenly, in one swift unexpected movement she was sat astride me and had placed the palms of her hands on either side of my pelvis. She pushed down. This was the moment when I realized there was more to Thai massage than just a way to find some indulgent shade from the blazing sun while travelling around Thailand.
Considering Thais are a painfully shy people who would always rather laugh and smile than confront or disagree, I was slightly taken aback by this rather forward and intrusive contact during this my first Thai massage experience in Thailand.
What exactly was the significance of getting so close to my lady-bits and pushing down for so long? And then why did she go on to flick the tops of my ears? And prior to this had it really been appropriate to put her foot in my armpit and later in my groin?
Well, yes is the answer. Though it can leave you feeling very relaxed a Thai massage should not necessary be a relaxing or sensual experience at the time. Quite the opposite seeing as traditionally it is a treatment that is intended to stimulate and invigorate the immune and nervous systems and improve blood circulation. Though most massage parlours in tourist resorts in Thailand will offer a range of different massage techniques, including the more western Swedish, oil and sports massage, it is the oil-free Thai massage, which as well as having considerable health benefits it is an important Thai tradition.
Traditional Thai massage focuses on stimulating pressure points all over the body with the application of rhythmic force, as well as moving the recipient into yoga-like positions, which helps improve blood circulation. The masseur uses all of their limbs to do this and a full treatment will typically last over two hours.
