Nari, the masseuse, begins her treatment by rubbing the insides of my thighs with weak hands, her hands wandering closer and closer to my crotch. I feel nothing but a faint tickle on the skin.
This massage is going to be a waste of time and money, I think, lying on the bed naked apart from wide spa-pants.
I’ve heard much criticism of massages in Phnom Penh – that they are low quality and have even led to back injuries, due to poorly trained masseuses. Last week I decided to find out for myself. I frequented different spas and spoke to physiotherapists and doctors to decipher the difference between an excellent and lousy massage.
Nari works at a spa in BKK1. At $7 for a 60 minute Khmer full-body massage, the treatment that I choose is in the middle-priced segment. The ambience of the room is tasteful and relaxing –a panelled mahogany ceiling, the scent of lemongrass wafting from an oil-burner and ethereal music set the scene. The right environment can enhance a good massage – however the experience with Nari makes me wince.
The massage doesn’t increase in strength and she keeps on focusing on the insides of my upper thighs. She makes me a special offer that I kindly refuse. When she knows that I am here only for a massage, she slings her legs around one of my legs, leans back and then swings around with the full weight of her body. My spine cracks. When she wants to repeat this procedure with my other leg I tell her to stop. I also tell Nari to stop when she jams her elbows in the vertebrae of my back and neck.
The kind of treatment I experienced can result in a back injury that has to be fixed by a medical professional. French physiotherapist and medicinal masseur Jean Jaques Dhuez has been practicing in Phnom Penh for 21 years. “When they twist your back this can put the vertebrae out of place causing a lot of pain,” he says.