Thai massage therapist dealing with sexual harassment despite warnings

A Queensland massage provider, operating in a resort town, says sex-service seekers wrongly assume her business will provide “disgusting” extras despite having six warning signs outside her clinic.

Thai massage therapist Malee Surachat says she is harassed weekly by men asking for “extras” despite multiple written warnings customers receive before even stepping inside her private Bowen clinic.

Diagnosed with an auto-immune disorder, Ms Surachat says she works hard to maintain her financial independence and is worried about her instinct to retaliate the next time she is faced with the offensive behaviour.

Professionally trained, she holds certificates in Thai massage and reflexology from Bangkok’s government accredited Thai Traditional Medicine Development Centre.

She also managed a massage therapy centre in Thailand for three years in Phuket before moving to Australia.

Massage therapist Pranee 'Malee' Surachat.

Ms Surachat says she was first harassed by customers in a clinic she opened on the main street of Bowen in January last year.

“Within the first month I had a guy walk in and ask for extras, and I didn’t feel safe so I put a sign up saying bookings only.

“If they asked me for ‘happy endings’ I would say ‘no’ but I would always give them one chance.

“I would stay calm and try to not get angry, but if they asked again, I would kick them out and tell them to pay for the hour.”

Ms Surachat says on one occasion after refusing to comply with a request, one of her customers offered her $300 to watch while he fondled himself instead.

“I was standing on him and when he asked me that I put more pressure on his tailbone and I pressed down so he would stop.

“I am worried that one day I will really hurt someone.”

SIX WARNING SIDES OUTSIDE AND TWO INSIDE

Signage at Bowen Thai Massage.

Moving to a private clinic in May this year, Ms Sucharat now has six warning signs outside her clinic and two inside.

“I always warn them twice in texts before their first booking and mark their names in my phone if they ask for something else.

“There are over 15 names I have marked but there have been many more, and I then know to ignore those calls in future.

‘NO UNDERWEAR, NO MASSAGE’

“It makes me angry, because I also have warnings on my Facebook page, gate and front door.”

Insisting her customers wear underwear is one of the ways Ms Surachat avoids inappropriate sexual behaviour.

“If someone says ‘I am uncomfortable with underwear’ I say ‘I am uncomfortable to massage without underwear at all.’

“Whatever size you are, even if you’re 200 kgs I have underwear for you,” she said.

Signage at Bowen Thai Massage.

Despite the warnings. Ms Surachat has received more than 10 inappropriate messages and three customers walking in with no booking since May.

“I get scared but I have a second door I can run out of and I can tell if they’re going to do something. I was grabbed once but I always protect myself.”

‘I LEARNT HOW TO PROTECT MYSELF AT 12’

At 12 years old Ms Surachat left her home in Thailand’s Phichit province to sew clothes in a factory in Bangkok.

“I lived in a big open room with 20 to 30 girls with one pillow and one blanket, sleeping on the floor.

“We were cooked rice to eat and I was paid $100 a month. I would see my parents every 2 or 3 years.

“I learnt how to protect myself when I was 12.”

Massage therapist Pranee 'Malee' Surachat.

Ms Surachat moved to Australia with her husband when she was 32.

“The temperature in Bowen is similar to Thailand and I like that so we stayed,” she said.

“In my country I had a hard life but I have an easy life now, a better job. I have lots of support and good customers and I don’t understand why people still ask me for those disgusting things.”

Ms Surachat says she knows at least two other Australian born massage therapists in Bowen who deal with similar requests.

She is also part of a Thai massage group of over 20,000 massage clinics within Australia.

“I have lots of friends who do massage and they’re all scared,” she said.

“Some of my friends say women only but I know there are lots of good men out there as well.”

Ms Surachat says she often works seven days a week and has a loyal following of customers.

“I just work enough to pay my bills.”