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Thailand: Centre
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Thai spas
Thailand:spa capital | Types of spas - Spa treatments - Spa Tips | Spa Locations
Apart from being one of the world’s fantastic
holiday destinations, Thailand has also earned a reputation as
the spa capital of Asia. The country boasts a significant number
of spas and many of them are ranked as world-class.  The
spa business in Thailand has rapidly grown due to increased customers’
demands. Since 1994 many luxurious hotels and resorts have established
in-house spas for their customers and walk-in visitors.
Nowadays, Thai spa treatments are not anymore an extravagance
and the Ministry of Public Health has announced that all spas
have to register with the Medical Registration Department of the
Ministry (or a Provincial Health Office for upcountry areas) in
order to maintain high standards of the industry. According to
the data surveyed by the Office of Export Services, Department
of Export Promotion, in 2004, there are altogether about 700 spa
operators over Thailand.
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| Thailand’s spa sector has
witnessed a phenomenal growth. A study undertaken by the Intelligent
Spa reports a growth of 64% for the period 2000-2002. Between June
2001and June 2002, some 230 Thai spa operators attracted a total
of 303 million spa users, out of which 2.5 million, or 79 per cent
were overseas spa patrons contributing a total of US$85 million
to Thailand’s foreign exchange earnings. In 2004, Thai spas continued
to register a strong growth. They generated 5.3 billion bath in
revenue, exceeding the original target by nearly ten per cent. The
2005 revenue target is 6.7 billion bath, an increase of 26 per cent.
(Source: the Ministry of Public Health)
According
to the Intelligent Spa 2005 research for Thailand, during the
period between July 2003 and June 2004 there were approximately
3.6 million foreign visitors to Thai spas. The benchmarks from
the latest research indicated that 78% of spa visitors were foreigners
including 57% females and 43% males. Almost half of the spas in
the country were resort spas and each spa contained 9.4 treatment
rooms on average. (Source: Intelligent Spa Releases 2005)
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Certification standards for Thai spas |
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Spa operators around
the world have opted for self-regulation. Other than the
presence of the International Spa Association or ISPA, there
is not a global organization, agency or legal entity responsible
for setting global standards for spas per se.
 Thailand
has set an extraordinary precedent. The state has been working
jointly with private sector operators and Thai spa associations
to develop specific standards for the Thai spa industry
and has taken a step beyond current practice - the regulation
and the enforcement of industry standards via legislation.
Under the Ministerial Announcement dated 21 April 2004
issued by the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), the ministry
assumes the role of custodian overseeing the growth and
development of the spa sector with one of its duties being
to assist in the development of guidelines and specific
standards for the Thai spa industry. Local industry standards
are being developed in accordance with existing benchmarks
for quality adopted by the global spa industry- a move which
lifts the bar for health spas, traditional Thai massage,
and long-stay healthcare products and services – the three
leading products in this category.
And also under the above announcement, business operators
that offer health & beauty spa services and Thai massage
services are issued with a one-year certificate which must
be renewed annually by sending an application for the re-inspection
30 days prior to the expiration date.
CERTIFIED
SPA OPERATORS BY GEOGRAPHIC AREA
AND TYPE – JULY 2005
Source: Ministry of Public Health |
Province |
No. of Spas Certified |
Breakdown by Type |
Hotel & Resort Spas |
Day Spas |
Destination Spas |
| Key Destinations: |
| - Bangkok |
85 |
10 |
75 |
|
| - Chiang Mai |
17 |
3 |
12 |
2 |
| - Phuket |
51 |
34 |
17 |
|
| - Surat Thani |
29 |
21 |
8 |
|
| - Krabi |
5 |
5 |
0 |
|
| Central Thailand |
| - Pathum Thani |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
| - Nonthaburi |
5 |
0 |
5 |
|
| Pattaya & The Eastern Seaboard |
| - Chon Buri |
6 |
6 |
0 |
|
| - Rayong |
5 |
2 |
3 |
|
| - Trat |
3 |
3 |
0 |
|
| - Chanthaburi |
3 |
0 |
3 |
|
| Gulf Coast |
| - Phetchaburi |
3 |
0 |
3 |
|
| - Prachuap Khiri Khan |
5 |
4 |
1 |
|
| Northern Thailand |
| - Mae Hong Son |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
| - Lampang |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
| - Phitsanulok |
5 |
2 |
3 |
|
| - Phetchabun |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
| - Nakhon Sawan |
8 |
0 |
8 |
|
| Northeastern
Thailand |
| - Nakhon Ratchasima |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
| Southern
Thailand |
| - Ranong |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
| - Pattani |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
| Total: |
238 |
92 |
144 |
2 |
At present, Thai spas are very popular among travelers as
is evidenced by the key findings of the Spa Industry Surveys
& Spa Consumer Surveys conducted by Intelligent Spa, Singapore,
which show the following statistical data.
Potential spa-holiday destinations (%) |
Thailand 22% |
Europe 6% |
Indonesia 19% |
India 5% |
Malaysia 13% |
New Zealand 4% |
Australia 7% |
United States 4% |
Singapore 6% |
Others 14% |
Destinations
for next spa |
Thailand 42% |
Maldives 5% |
Indonesia 30% |
Others 8% |
Malaysia 5% |
|
Favourite spa
treatments |
Massage 54% |
Facial 4% |
Body Scrub 14% |
Others 18% |
Body Wrap 10% |
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Related links
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From the survey,
the most popular spa treatment is massage. It can be because of
the efficacy of Thai traditional massage that is proved by the
increasing numbers of people who have come to receive the services
and to take the courses.
Read more
Thailand -- Paradise for Spa Lovers |
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The art of massage has been practiced and developed for centuries
in Thailand. A description of Thai massage was carved on stone
tablets which were fixed on pillars and along the corridor of
the ordination hall of Wat Pho by King Rama III’s command. These
stone inscriptions are still in good condition today.
Read more
Traditional Thai Massage |
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As for Thai foot reflexology massage, it has been enhanced by comparison
with other varieties such as Chinese massage, Korean massage
and Japanese massage to bring out the supreme benefits of these
modality. Nowadays, Wat Pho is the centre of massage services
and study in Thailand.
Read more
Foot Reflexology Massage:A Healing Touch
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