After climbing the 400 steps of Doi Suthep, my Canadian mates and I decided to take a break and headed to the prison for a massage. Yes, you read correctly. The Chiang Mai Women’s Correctional Institution is known for its efforts in re-educating and re-habilitating women for a new life after they are released. I was actually reading an article about it on the flight there, and was touched by the humanity of it all. These women, incarcerated for mostly non-violent crimes with light sentences, are given a chance to learn skills for their post-prison life, and also get to keep a percentage of their tips and wages. One of the new skills they learn is Thai massage, and they are quite good at it, judging by the TripAdvisor reviews.
The massage center is right across the street from the prison itself. In stark contrast to the barbed wires and high wall, we entered a garden where flowers bloomed under the shade of tall palm trees. There was a line for massages and as we waited, we enjoyed some of the best Thai tea and coconut shake in Chiang Mai.
It was my first massage in Thailand and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The women looked like they were mostly in their 20s and 30s, and all had bright smiles on their faces. One welcomed me into the room by washing my feet (which felt great after a morning of walking). I was then given a robe that could fit at least 2 of me, and ushered to a bed in a room with at least 10 other beds. There were no curtains to separate the beds, but as long as you close your eyes, you can still enjoy the tranquility of it all.
That is, until two French guys ended up on both sides of me and started asking the masseuse questions like “how did you end up in prison” and “how long is your sentence?” I’m not sure how the masseuse felt, but I felt quite awkward to listen to the conversation, as the masseuses struggled to understand the questions which were then re-asked in multiple ways. They all answered the questions, even smiled and laughed, but I can’t begin to imagine the stories behind the short answers of “amphetamine” and “18 months.” I guess for most visitors, we are here not only for the good massages and helping the prisoners, we all hold some curiosity for their stories, wondering what brought them here, and what their lives were like outside their workday. I wonder how they feel about it, knowing that there’s still some hints of apprehension behind our glances, and that it was their status as prisoners that brought us here in the first place. Or perhaps they are just happy to be doing something productive during the day, before heading back into their cramped jail cells in the evening.
My masseuse bent me into all kinds of weird position for an hour, and got on top of me to twisted my arms and legs like a wrestler. It was definitely not a relaxing massage as I’m constantly wondering how she’s going to rearrange my limbs next. However, this seemingly tortuous exercise was surprisingly good for my body as I walked out feeling refreshed. My masseuse brought me some tea as I thanked her and left this strange institution, with mixed feelings of sadness and relief. I didn’t even catch her name, and don’t really know her story, but I hope that she’ll live a fruitful and happy life as many of the Thai people I’ve met 🙂
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