Death of singer, 20, sparks warnings against 'neck-twisting' massages in Thailand
A Singaporean tourist also died after taking massage at parlour in Phuket
(Web Desk) - The deaths of a Thai singer and a Singaporean tourist following visits to massage parlours in Thailand have caused shock and prompted warnings from doctors.
Chayada Prao-hom, 20, died in a hospital in northeastern Udon Thani city on Sunday. Her health had reportedly deteriorated following three massage sessions since October.
She had taken the massages to relieve shoulder pain, the Nation TV reported.
A few days after receiving the first massage, the singer reported on Facebook that she had been left bedridden, with numbness spreading through her body. Her condition deteriorated with consecutive sessions instead of improving.
In that 6 November post, Chayada said she had gone to a parlour for two sessions of “a neck twist” and another massage with a “heavy hand”, the South China Morning Post reported.
She found herself in a paralytic state a fortnight later, unable to lift her right arm.
“I want my story to be a lesson for those who like being massaged a lot. I must recover. I want to work already,” Chayada wrote.
The singer died from a blood infection and brain swelling, the hospital said.
An investigation had been launched to determine whether her death was linked to the treatments or any underlying causes, provisional authorities told reporters on Monday. They confirmed that the parlour and all the masseuses were working with proper licences.
In a similar incident, a Singaporean tourist died after taking a massage at a parlour in Phuket, police said. Lee Mun Tuk, 52, died soon after receiving a 45-minute oil massage at a parlour on Patong beach, the Bangkok Post reported.
Patong police chief Chalermchai Hernsawad said Lee had fallen asleep during the procedure and started showing symptoms of distress after some time.
The man’s wife, who was travelling with him, did not allow an autopsy to confirm the exact cause of his death. She was taking his body home for funeral, the police chief said.
