Massasge Anyone?
Posted by Stuart at 10:52 AM on January 28, 2003In Thailand, there is nothing "odd" about elephants or massages. Yet these are the topics in two separate Reuter "Oddly Enough" stories this week. (By the way, the excellent yet cheap (US$5) traditional Thai massages are one of my favorite things about Thailand.)
BANGKOK (Reuters) - A massage a day keeps the Thai death toll at bay.
That's the message from Thailand's health ministry, which said Monday it planned to set up traditional massage services at gas stations to help motorists relieve stress and, hopefully, cut the road toll.
The ministry, in a statement, said it was working with a Thai fuel company to provide the services in 21 gas stations on major inter-city highways and around the capital Bangkok from next month.
"The more hours people continue to drive on roads, the less concentration motorists tend to have and the more accidents are likely to occur," Vichai Chokevivat, head of the ministry's department of Thai traditional medicine, said in the statement.
"A 15-minute pause for stretching or massage will help relieve their stress," Vichai said.
How lovely! I wish massages were only $5 here. I would get one everyday of the week!!! But with $80-$100 prices for 45 min-1hour massage . . . needless to say, I rarely, as in once a year if I'm lucky, get a professional massage. One thing I miss about living at home is our nightly backrubs while watching tv, before going to bed. aaahhhhhh.
I have to agree with the ministry's department. Even psychological/physiological/medical/good health reports here say that if one sits on the job, then that person should get up and walk for 15 minutes or so several times a day (3 times, or so). Stretches during the day, quick 10 minute naps, etc. all help to relieve that stress.
I say . . . NO MORE WORK!!! That'll relieve my stress! :-)
Love you!!