Rapin Nichanon, the director of Phuket Prison, told The Phuket News about opening a new massage shop where women prisoners are the therapists.
“We ran three month Thai massage training courses for female prisoners who have demonstrated good behaviour and who will soon be released.”
He said the idea was to give prisoners the skills to find employment when they went back into society, and enable them to save some money ahead of their release.
The massage shop opened on November 23, and will charge B130 an hour for foot massage and B120 an hour for Thai massage.
Fifty per cent of the money will go to the prisoners, 30 per cent to Phuket Prison, 10 per cent to the Department of Corrections, and 10 per cent to the prison officials supervising the shop.
The massage shop is located on Damrong Rd in Phuket Town, next to a shop that sells craft products made by prisoners.
Just over B200,000 was spent fitting out the shop with six beds, two massage chairs and air conditioners. The shop is open Monday to Friday from 8am until 4.30pm.