A Review of Lila Thai Massage in Chiang Mai, Thailand

When’s the last time you got a professional massage?

Ok, I’ll go first. Before my trip to Thailand in 2017, and my experience with Lila Thai Massage, I’d had exactly two massages in my life. Both of them had been for free, done by my mom’s friend, Larissa, who was in massage therapy school and needed practice hours. But massages were never something I’d thought about paying for.

Next question: When’s the last time you got a professional massage from a former inmate?

Unless Larissa has a secret she never shared with us, my answer was: Never….

Until I went to Chiang Mai.

Though you’ll find dozens of massage companies around the city, Lila Thai Massage stands apart due to its unique business model. Here, they rehabilitate former female prisoners and give them a new life by teaching them the skills they need for meaningful employment as massage therapists.

My friend Will and I were intrigued when we stumbled upon one of their seven locations at Tha Phae Gate. “Ex-Inmate Employment Center,” a large banner declares. “THAI MASSAGE 250 ฿/Hr,” says another. Realizing that an hour massage was only about $8 USD, we decided we couldn’t pass this up.

Note: In 2024, the prices are a bit different. On their website, it looks like a one-hour Thai Body Massage cost 350฿, or about $10.50 USD.

The Lila Thai Massage Experience

Taking off our shoes outside, we entered into the reception area. At the front desk, a woman put our names on a waiting list and told us to return in 20 minutes. After killing some time in a nearby shop, we made our way back to Lila. You can also make a reservation on the Lila Thai Massage website if you want to make sure you are able to get an appointment.

First, they took us back to have our feet washed and massaged in stone basins with flowers in the water. They gave us sandals and purple outfits resembling pajamas to change into. We put our things in lockers and received a key to hold onto for the duration of our visit.

After changing, we went into a dark room with a few massage tables. At first, I had a hard time not giggling because I wasn’t used to getting massages. But eventually, I calmed down. I told my therapist to be gentle with my right foot, which had recently been injured, and she was accommodating. She massaged my feet, legs, back, shoulders, arms, and neck. It was relaxing… until halfway through I realized I really needed to pee. (Word to the wise — make sure you go before the massage.)

The massage therapists were very polite, mostly quiet, and I found myself forgetting for the most part that these were former prisoners. I briefly wondered what they’d done to break the law — were they political protestors? — but it didn’t really matter to me. I was glad to know that their pasts were behind them and they had the opportunity for employment.

When the hour ended, we changed back into our clothes and were taken back to the area where we’d had our feet washed. There, they gave us a survey, a cup of tea, and a little keychain that seemed to have some sort of aromatherapy properties. (They were very adamant that mine was the blue one, and Will’s was the orange.) And then we went on our way.

Overall thoughts

Next time I’m back in Chiang Mai, I’ll definitely go back to Lila Thai Massage, and I’d recommend it to anyone traveling there. First of all, you can’t beat the price!

Besides that $8, full-body hour-long massage, they also offer many other massage treatments that are much more affordable than a similar treatment in the States. It was a great experience from beginning to end, and I appreciated the opportunity to support a business that serves an important purpose: to help provide opportunities to a marginalized group.

 

Would you ever give Lila Thai Massage a try? Let me know in the comments!

-Cathy

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Originally Published on April 8, 2018.