Massage and spa

Massage and spa

นวดไทยหนึ่งชั่วโมงครับ/ค่ะ
[ nuat thai nueng chuang-mong khrap/kha ]

Thai massage for 1 hour

นวดเท้าครับ/ค่ะ
[ nuat thao khrap/kha ]

Foot massage

นวดน้ำมันสองชั่วโมงครับ/ค่ะ
[ nuat nam-man song chuang-mong khrap/kha ]

Oil massage for 2 hours

นวดห้องเดียวกันได้ไหมครับ/ค่ะ
[ nuat hong diaw kan dai mai khrap/kha ]

Can we massage in the same room?

เปลี่ยนชุดตรงนี้ครับ/ค่ะ
[ plian chut trong nii khrap/kha ]

Change your clothes here

นอนหงายครับ/ค่ะ
[ non ngaai khrap/kha ]

Lie on your back

นอนคว่ำครับ/ค่ะ
[ non khwam khrap/kha ]

Lie on your stomach

แรงไปครับ/ค่ะ เบาๆ หน่อย
[ raeng pai khrap/kha, bao-bao noi ]

Too hard, softer please

แรงๆ หน่อยครับ/ค่ะ
[ raeng-raeng noi khrap/kha ]

Harder, please

โอ๊ย เจ็บครับ/ค่ะ
[ oi jep khrap/kha ]

Ouch! It hurts

ปวดหลังครับ/ค่ะ
[ puat lang khrap/kha ]

My back hurts

ไม่ต้องนวดขานะครับ/ค่ะ
[ mai tong nuat khaa na khrap/kha ]

Please don't massage my leg

สบายมากครับ/ค่ะ
[ sa-baai maak khrap/kha ]

Very comfortable/relaxing

น้ำชาครับ/ค่ะ เชิญครับ/ค่ะ
[ nam chaa khrap/kha choen khrap/kha ]

Here is your tea, please enjoy

นี่ทิปครับ/ค่ะ ขอบคุณมาก
[ nii thip khrap/kha khop-khun maak ]

Here is a tip, thank you very much

Cultural notes

Experiencing a traditional Thai massage, or นวดไทย (nuat thai), is a must-do for any traveler, but it is vastly different from a gentle Western spa treatment. Traditional Thai massage is an active, deeply physical process involving acupressure and yoga-like stretching. When you enter a shop, you will typically change into loose-fitting pajamas provided by the establishment. If you prefer a more relaxing experience, you should ask for an oil massage: นวดน้ำมัน (nuat nam-man). During the session, communication is vital to avoid unnecessary pain. If the therapist is applying too much pressure, do not suffer in silence! You must speak up and say แรงไปครับ/ค่ะ (raeng pai khrap/kha - "It is too hard") or politely request เบาๆ หน่อย (bao-bao noi - "Softer, please"). Conversely, if you want more pressure, you can ask for แรงๆ หน่อย (raeng-raeng noi - "Harder, please"). If something actually hurts, say โอ๊ย เจ็บ (oi chep - "Ouch, it hurts"). It is also important to communicate your physical boundaries before the massage begins. If you have a bad back, tell them ปวดหลัง (puat lang - "My back hurts"). If you want them to completely avoid a specific area, such as your legs, say ไม่ต้องนวดขา (mai tong nuat kha - "No need to massage the legs"). When the massage is perfectly relaxing, compliment the therapist by saying สบายมาก (sa-bai mak - "Very comfortable"). Finally, while tipping might not be customary in your home country, in Thailand's massage industry, a direct cash tip to your therapist (usually 50 to 100 baht) is highly expected and deeply appreciated, as they rely heavily on this income. Giving it directly to them with a smile and a "Khop-khun" completes this culturally rich experience.