The recent deaths of a Thai singer and a Singaporean tourist following visits to massage parlors in Thailand have shocked the public and prompted warnings from medical experts.
Chayada Prao-hom, a 20-year-old singer, passed away at a hospital in Udon Thani, a city in northeastern Thailand, on Sunday. Reports indicate that her health deteriorated after undergoing three massage sessions since October.
According to Nation TV, Chayada sought massages to relieve shoulder pain.
Shortly after her first massage, she posted on Facebook that she had become bedridden and was experiencing numbness throughout her body. Her condition worsened with each subsequent session rather than improving.
In a Facebook post on November 6, Chayada mentioned undergoing two “neck twist” sessions and another vigorous massage, as reported by the South China Morning Post.
Two weeks later, she became paralyzed and was unable to lift her right arm.
In the same post, Chayada wrote, “I want my story to be a lesson for those who like getting massages often. I must recover. I want to work already.”
Hospital officials later stated that the cause of her death was a blood infection and brain swelling.
Authorities have launched an investigation to determine whether her death was linked to the massage treatments or underlying health issues. Provisional officials informed the media on Monday that the massage parlor and its staff were properly licensed.
In a separate incident, a Singaporean tourist, Lee Mun Tuk, 52, died after a massage session in Phuket, according to police reports. The Bangkok Post reported that Lee passed away following a 45-minute oil massage on Patong Beach.
Patong Police Chief Chalermchai Hernsawad said Lee appeared to fall asleep during the massage and later showed signs of distress.
Lee’s wife, who accompanied him, declined an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. She chose to bring his body home for the funeral, according to the police chief.
She informed authorities that her husband had been drinking before the massage and believed his sedentary lifestyle, rather than foul play, was a contributing factor, Chief Hernsawad added.
While it remains uncertain whether the massages directly caused these deaths, the incidents have raised significant alarm in Thailand, a country known for its tourism, and prompted experts to warn against certain massage techniques.
Prof. Dr. Thiravat Hemachudha, an advisor to the College of Oriental Medicine at Rangsit University, emphasized the risks of neck manipulations, such as twists or cervical spine massages, which could lead to paralysis.
He explained that improper techniques could severely damage the blood vessels supplying the brain, potentially resulting in brain tissue death, hemiplegia, or paralysis.
Dr. Thiravat also highlighted that individuals with obesity or high blood pressure are at greater risk of stroke-related paralysis.
“The risk increases with the force applied during twisting, flicking, or circling the head. Prolonged repetition of these activities not only damages nerves but also affects blood vessels in the neck,” Dr. Thiravat cautioned.
