Tourist also among them

Two deaths after traditional Thai massages

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(Bild: stock.adobe.com/[e-mail])

A traditional Thai massage is said to be able to provide relief from all kinds of ailments. However, two people have died in quick succession following treatments using massage techniques from this system. Experts advise caution after these incidents - but many tourists are still concerned.

Both victims died at the beginning of December. The 20-year-old singer Chayada Prao-hom had already had a massage in Udon Thani at the beginning of October and then felt severe pain in her neck, shoulder and upper back. She also reported on her ordeal on Facebook - she had only had two sessions with "neck twists" and a third massage "with strong grips" applied to her. 

Here is a picture of the young singer:

Singer on Facebook: 'Numbness getting worse'
Afterwards, the young woman, who was known by her stage name Ping Chayada, suffered from symptoms of paralysis for weeks. Doctors diagnosed a displaced cervical spine. "The numbness is getting worse, my right arm is weak, and less than half of my body is functioning. I'm sharing this as a warning to anyone who likes massages. I hope for healing and thanks for reading," the woman explained on Facebook.

Although she visited several hospitals, Chayada found no one who could help her. She died on December 8 from blood poisoning and brain swelling. The massage practice was inspected and the employees were also trained - but the "neck twisting" was not one of the permitted techniques, the media reported. 

Tourist (52) suffered a heart attack
A tourist had died just one day earlier in Phuket after a massage: The vacationer from Singapore wanted to enjoy a 45-minute oil body massage, but the 52-year-old suffered a heart attack in the middle of it. Attempts to resuscitate the man failed.