Kunlarat Massage

03/05/2026

𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐚 from the USA 🇺🇸 left the review on Google Maps:

Having tried 10+ massages parlors in Thailand, I can say from experience this is one of the best.

🧠 Technique: I’ve had two of their skilled therapists who adjusted pressure and technique to my needs with one focused on relaxation and the other on deep tissue recovery.

🌿 My Experience: My Thai massage with B combined stretching, trigger point work, and massage in order to help my body recover from several days of Muay Thai training. She released knots, fascia and left me feeling lighter

⚡ Environment: The staff seemed to genuinely enjoy their work, which gave the whole place a welcoming, positive energy.

Whether you want real bodywork or just relaxation, this place has it. I’ll definitely be back.

___________________

Thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed review, Lata! 🙏You’ve clearly experienced many massage places in Thailand and beyond, so praise like this means even more to us.

We’re happy you noticed that every session is adapted to what you need on the day — recovery after Muay Thai, deeper work, or simply a chance to relax.

And thank you for noticing the mood of the team. Technique is one part of the experience — the energy of the place is another.

We always enjoy seeing you again, Lata, and we’ll look forward to your next visit 😊

Send a message to learn more

27/04/2026

𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐜𝐤: 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐍𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐈𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐞 (𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟐)

Neck pain can have many causes. In most cases, it comes from muscle tension, joint stiffness, poor posture, stress, or overuse. These problems can be painful and frustrating, but they often respond well to proper massage and bodywork.

However, some cases of neck pain are different.

Sometimes the real source of pain is an irritated or compressed nerve in the cervical spine (the neck vertebrae). In these cases, symptoms may be felt not only in the neck — but also in the head, shoulder, arm, or hand.

💡 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐀 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐜𝐤?

🔹 Herniated or bulging disc
🔹 Cervical spondylosis (age-related wear and tear)
🔹 Bone spurs narrowing the nerve space
🔹 Inflammation around the nerve root
🔹 Degenerative changes in the cervical joints

⚠️ 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝐁𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞-𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝

🔹 Tingling or numbness in the arm or hand
🔹 Pain traveling into the shoulder or down the arm
🔹 Weak grip strength
🔹 Difficulty turning the head normally
🔹 Dizziness or feeling off-balance
🔹 Symptoms that do not improve with rest

📍 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐬

1️⃣ Occipital Neuralgia
When upper cervical nerves become irritated, pain may travel upward into the head.

🔹 Sharp or stabbing pain at the base of the skull
🔹 Tender scalp
🔹 Pain radiating to the temple, forehead, or behind the eye

2️⃣ Cervical Radiculopathy
When a lower cervical nerve root is compressed, pain often travels downward.

🔹 Neck pain with shoulder pain
🔹 Tingling in fingers
🔹 Arm weakness
🔹 Pain radiating into the wrist or hand

💆 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐃𝐨 𝐈𝐟 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐈𝐭?

The most important rule is:

Diagnosis first, massage later.

Strong neck massage done without proper assessment may aggravate symptoms, especially if there is active nerve inflammation, disc herniation, or significant compression.

🔹 Recommended first step: consult a qualified professional such as an orthopedic doctor, neurologist, physiotherapist, or sports medicine specialist.

They may assess:

🔹 Reflexes
🔹 Arm strength
🔹 Sensation changes
🔹 Neck mobility
🔹 Which nerve root may be involved

Sometimes imaging such as MRI or X-ray may be recommended.

🔹 Common conservative treatment may include:

Anti-inflammatory medication (when prescribed)
Pain relief medication
Physical therapy
Mobility exercises
Posture correction
Nerve gliding exercises
Neck stabilization work

🔹 At home (if symptoms are mild):

Avoid sudden neck movements
Limit long periods looking down at the phone
Use good neck support during sleep
Take short walks
Maintain neutral posture

💆 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩?

Usually after professional assessment and outside the acute phase.

Gentle work for surrounding muscles — upper back, shoulders, chest, and supportive soft tissue care — may be helpful.

Deep pressure directly into a painful neck segment is not always appropriate.

🚨 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐟:

🔹 Arm weakness is worsening
🔹 You drop objects unexpectedly
🔹 Constant numbness develops
🔹 Walking or coordination changes
🔹 Symptoms begin after injury
🔹 Severe pain does not ease

Sometimes the safest treatment starts with understanding the true cause of the pain.

In our next post, we’ll explore pinched nerves in the lower back — including sciatica and disc-related nerve pain.

21/04/2026

Video from the recent ceremony of carrying out the Phra Singh statue from Wat Phra Singh — it is taken through the city so people can pour scented water over it. The Phra Singh statue is considered a symbol of Chiang Mai. This colorful ceremony takes place every year on April 13 and marks the opening of the Songkran festival in our city. 🎉💦

At 8 a.m. on April 13, Laa, Jaan, and I went to Wat Phra Singh to take part in the ceremony. Our meeting point was Kunlarat Massage.

There was also a small local handicraft market on the temple grounds, where I ended up buying a whole bag of Lanna-style wallets as gifts for our clients. 🛍️✨

Kunlarat Kongchan

20/04/2026

𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞: 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 "𝐍𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞" 𝐈𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞 (𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟏)

Have you ever felt a sharp, shooting pain that seemingly came out of nowhere? Or perhaps a persistent tingling in your hand that feels like "pins and needles" that just won’t go away?

These are classic signs of a pinched nerve—a common condition that can affect anyone, from office workers to professional athletes. Because this topic is so broad, we’re starting a series to help you understand what it is, why it happens, and how to find relief.

💡 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞?

A pinched nerve occurs when "too much pressure" is applied to a nerve by surrounding tissues—such as bones, cartilage, muscles, or tendons. This pressure disrupts the nerve's ability to send clear signals to the brain, leading to pain, numbness, or weakness.

⚠️ 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐲𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐅𝐨𝐫:

🔹 Sharp, aching, or burning pain that may radiate outward.
🔹 Numbness or decreased sensation in the area supplied by the nerve.
🔹 Tingling sensations (the "pins and needles" feeling).
🔹 Muscle weakness in the affected area.

📍 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐈𝐭 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐎𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧?

🔹 The Neck (Cervical): Often leading to pain that travels down the arms.
🔹 The Lower Back (Lumbar): Often manifesting as Sciatica.
🔹 The Wrist: Frequently related to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
🔹 The Shoulder and Scapula: Usually caused by muscle tension or poor posture.

💪 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩

Many people find significant relief through professional massage therapy. Но как это работает на самом деле?

✔️ Releasing Muscle Tension: Softening the "knots" that are pressing on the nerve.
✔️ Improving Circulation: Bringing oxygen-rich blood to the area to reduce inflammation.
✔️ Restoring Mobility: Stretching the fascia and muscles to give the nerve more "room" to breathe.

🎯 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭?

1️⃣ 𝘿𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙏𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙪𝙚 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙜𝙚: Excellent for targeting deep-seated chronic tension and "unsticking" muscle fibers.
2️⃣ 𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙞 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙜𝙚: Highly effective because it combines acupressure with passive stretching, which helps decompress the joints and lengthen the muscles surrounding the nerves.
3️⃣ 𝙎𝙬𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙜𝙚: Best if the pain is acute and you need to reduce overall inflammation and stress through gentle strokes.

In the next post, we’ll dive deep into neck pain and how to manage it.

Stay tuned! 🚀

19/04/2026

🔥 Hot season in Chiang Mai – time for discounts! 💥Our air conditioners are working at full capacity! 😊Traditional Thai massage – now 250 baht per hour!

12/04/2026

𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐌𝐨𝐚𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐤𝐫𝐚𝐧

The most iconic image of Songkran water fights in Chiang Mai: music, crowds, a slow-moving procession of trucks and pickup beds packed with people dousing each other and passersby from barrels of water. The convoy barely crawls — often it just stops entirely — along the moat surrounding the Old City. When the barrels run dry, they can be refilled straight from the moat for just 100 baht. Enterprising locals line the canal with hoses and portable pumps; those without pumps scoop water in buckets and sprint back and forth.

But how safe is that moat water, actually?

🏚️ 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐚𝐭

The moat is an artificial canal encircling the Old City. It collects rainwater and street runoff, and occasionally receives sewage overflow and organic waste. Before Songkran, city authorities do make an effort: debris is cleared, the dirty water is pumped out and replaced with fresh water, and laboratory tests are conducted and publicly announced. In some years — 2014 and 2015, for example — elevated parasite counts led officials to declare the water unsafe. In recent years, the official line has been that the water is "safe for splashing, but not for drinking" — a phrase that tends to draw considerable skepticism, and outright mockery, from Chiang Mai locals.

At the very start of the festivities, the water may indeed be relatively clean. But as Songkran unfolds, thousands of people scoop water from the moat with buckets and barrels, drench each other, and the water drains right back in. The Old City's aged infrastructure is riddled with rat burrows — including in the moat walls themselves. As dirty water seeps back through those burrows, it becomes saturated with rat f***s. The longer the celebrations go on, the more contaminated the moat becomes.

⚠️ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐤𝐬

🐀 𝙇𝙚𝙥𝙩𝙤𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙨 — the primary threat

Also known as rat fever or rat urine disease, leptospirosis is caused by Leptospira bacteria (mainly L. interrogans), shed in rat urine. The bacteria thrive in slow-moving or stagnant water, especially in Thailand's tropical climate. During Songkran, contaminated water splashes onto skin and mucous membranes — and the risk spikes sharply if you have any cuts or abrasions, or if water gets into your eyes or mouth.

🌡️ Symptoms appear 5–14 days after exposure: high fever, severe headache, intense muscle pain (particularly in the calves), chills, red eyes without discharge, nausea. In severe cases — Weil's disease — the infection can cause jaundice, kidney and liver failure, internal bleeding, and can be fatal without treatment.

This isn't a theoretical risk. Thailand reports hundreds to thousands of leptospirosis cases every year following rain, flooding, and water festivals. Doctors issue specific warnings about it during Songkran. The Old City moat — stagnant, rat-infested — is a textbook breeding ground.

𝐎𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤𝐬

🤢 𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙨 — Salmonella bacteria from rat f***s contaminate the water and can be transmitted by swallowing even small amounts, or through unwashed hands. Expect diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and fever.
🦠 𝙍𝙖𝙩-𝙗𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙛𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 — caused by Streptobacillus moniliformis or Spirillum minus, these bacteria can spread not only through bites and scratches but also through water or food contaminated with rat f***s or urine. Symptoms include fever, rash, and joint pain; complications such as endocarditis are possible in severe cases.
🟡 𝙃𝙚𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙨 𝙀 (𝙧𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣) — Rocahepevirus ratti (rat HEV) is shed in rat f***s and spreads through contaminated water via the fecal-oral route. Cases of human infection have been documented across Asia, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. It presents as acute hepatitis: jaundice, fatigue, and liver pain.
🫁 𝙃𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙧𝙪𝙨 — primarily transmitted by inhaling aerosolized particles from dried f***s or urine, though contact with heavily contaminated water carries some theoretical risk. Rare in Thailand and Southeast Asia, but worth noting; it can cause severe pulmonary or renal disease.

✅ 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐨

Tha Phae Gate and Moat Road are among the most atmospheric and exhilarating Songkran venues in all of Thailand. Bangkokians routinely make the trip north, insisting this is the real Songkran compared to the capital's version — and honestly, it's hard to argue. The chaos is spectacular.

But the moat water is another matter entirely.

💧 Use clean water — from bottles, hoses, or municipal supplies — not from the moat or street runoff.
🩹 Cover any cuts or abrasions with waterproof bandages before heading out.
👄 Keep water out of your eyes, nose, and mouth as much as possible.
🚿 Shower with soap after the festivities, especially if you were in the Old City area.
🏥 Watch for symptoms in the 1–3 weeks following Songkran. Fever combined with muscle pain and red eyes is a classic leptospirosis presentation — see a doctor immediately and mention your exposure to moat water in Chiang Mai. Leptospirosis is treatable with antibiotics (doxycycline or penicillin), but early treatment is critical.

If symptoms appear, don't try to tough it out or self-medicate. Chiang Mai has excellent clinics and hospitals staffed with doctors who know exactly what to look for after Songkran.

🎉 Celebrate hard — just leave the moat water out of it.

29/03/2026

𝟕 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐤𝐫𝐚𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐌𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰

1️⃣ Songkran is the only Thai holiday celebrated according to the solar calendar rather than the lunar one. This is because it is a "civil" rather than a purely Buddhist festival, despite the Buddhist rituals performed. Buddhist holidays are tied to the lunar calendar: for example, Buddhist Lent coincides with the rainy season when monks traditionally stay in monasteries, and monsoon rains follow lunar cycles. Songkran’s roots lie in Hinduism, which Thais practiced before adopting Buddhism; in Hinduism, the year is calculated based on the movement of the Sun.

2️⃣ Unlike the Western New Year, which arrives instantly at 00:00:00, the Thai New Year arrives over the course of three days. This is because Songkran represents the gradual transition of the Sun from one position to another. However, if the exact moment matters to you, astrologers say that in 2026, the "midpoint" of this journey will occur on April 14th between 10:34 AM and 10:42 AM.

3️⃣ There is a specific division within these three days. April 13 — 𝘔𝘢𝘩𝘢 𝘚𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘬𝘳𝘢𝘯: considered the last day of the old year. However, this is when the festivities (celebrations, water splashing, etc.) begin, and in a practical sense, it is what people call "New Year." April 14 — 𝘞𝘢𝘯 𝘕𝘢𝘰: the transition day between the old and the new year. It is forbidden to use profanity or argue on this day; otherwise, you will carry that negativity with you into the future. April 15 — 𝘞𝘢𝘯 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘦𝘯𝘨 𝘚𝘰𝘬: this is actually the first day of the New Year.

4️⃣ Dates in the solar calendar do not "jump" from year to year as much as they do in the lunar calendar. An error of one day accumulates approximately every 1,000 years. Therefore, the Thai government has decreed that for the next 800 years, Songkran will begin on April 13, after which the start date will move to April 14. Laotians and Cambodians, who also celebrate Songkran, do not agree with this.

5️⃣ Southern Thais, who established the Kingdom of Siam with its capital in Bangkok, adopted the Sanskrit name for the holiday—Songkran—via the Cambodians. Northern Thais, who once established the Lanna Kingdom with its capital in Chiang Mai, do not use this word, much like their Laotian neighbors. They simply call the holiday "New Year" (𝘗𝘪 𝘔𝘢𝘪). For instance, people still say it this way in my hometown of Mae Chaem, located in an isolated mountain valley on the other side of Doi Inthanon.

6️⃣ Many foreigners believe that "water fights" are an ancient tradition. However, splashing plain water on everyone in the street only became fashionable a few decades ago when "water battles" were introduced to attract tourists. The authentic ritual consists of symbolically washing those close to you with special aromatic water to wash away the negativity accumulated over the past year. Thais prepare this water themselves using various recipes (for example, my mother in Mae Chaem makes it with turmeric, dried orange peel, and rose petals), then sprinkle it from a beautiful special bowl very selectively, sparingly, and most importantly, with the consent of the person being "washed."

7️⃣ "Water fights" during Songkran are not known at all in Cambodia, take place only in tourist areas in Laos (Luang Prabang), and even in Thailand, they don't happen everywhere. While Chiang Mai is considered the site of the largest and longest water battle in the world, just 100 kilometers away in Mae Chaem, only children splash each other, and even then, not everywhere. Many residents of Bangkok and Chiang Mai leave for these "dry" locations during the holidays to avoid the water splashing.

----------------------------

If you think this post was written to promote the town of Mae Chaem, you are mistaken 🙂 Personally, I will be staying in Chiang Mai during the holiday, and my massage parlor will be open for you all those days. 🙏

In previous years, on April 13, we would put a barrel of water in my pickup truck and drive around the city, while my most daring massage therapists would climb into the back and splash water from that barrel on everyone around. Now, my diesel Ford Ranger is sidelined due to a lack of fuel, and it's unlikely we will participate in the "water fights" this year. Many drivers will probably do the same, and in 2026, Songkran in Chiang Mai might not be as wild and crowded as before.

26/03/2026

Tech Neck 📱, stiff shoulders 💻, tension headaches 😣 — we see it every day.
And we know exactly what to do about it.
Bee’s got your neck covered 💆‍♀️✨

21/03/2026

🦴 𝐃𝐨 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 “𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬” 𝐨𝐫 “𝐋𝐨𝐰 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬”?

Neck and upper back pain isn't just "stress" - it’s often a result of 𝘜𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘊𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘚𝘺𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘦. This happens when your muscles fall out of balance: some become overactive and tight, while others become weak and "sleepy."

But did you know there are actually two distinct types of this imbalance? Identifying yours is the secret to finally fixing the pain.

🔍 𝐓𝐡𝐞 "𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭"

Stand in front of a mirror and look at the line of your collarbones:

𝙑-𝙎𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙚: Your collarbones angle upward. You have 𝙃𝙞𝙜𝙝 𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨.

𝙁𝙡𝙖𝙩/𝙃𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙯𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡: Your collarbones are parallel to the floor. You have 𝙇𝙤𝙬 𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨..

Why it matters: Stretching the wrong muscle can actually make your pain worse! Depending on your type, some muscles need stretching, while others desperately need strengthening.

⚖️ 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞

🔺 𝙏𝙮𝙥𝙚 1: 𝙃𝙞𝙜𝙝 𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨 (𝙑-𝙎𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙚)

Upper Trapezius: ❌ Tight & Overactive

Levator Scapulae: ❌ Tight & Overactive

Lower Trapezius: ⚠️ Weak & Underactive

🔹 𝙏𝙮𝙥𝙚 2: 𝙇𝙤𝙬 𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨 (𝙁𝙡𝙖𝙩)

Upper Trapezius: ⚠️ Weak & Overstretched

Levator Scapulae: ❌ Tight & Overactive

Lower Trapezius: ✅ Normal Function

🛠 𝟒 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬
(Recommended by Kunlarat Massage)

𝟏. “𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤” 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐜𝐡
Target: Levator Scapulae (Works for BOTH types)

Place your left hand on your right shoulder to pin it down.

Turn your head down and to the left (nose toward your left armpit).

Extend your right arm down toward the floor.

Hold 30s | Rest 10s | Repeat 3x per side.

𝟐. “𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐚𝐫-𝐭𝐨-𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫” 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐜𝐡
Target: Upper Trapezius (Best for BOTH, but crucial for High Shoulders)

Tilt your ear toward your shoulder, then gently tilt your chin slightly forward.

Use your hand to keep the opposite shoulder down; reach the other arm back slightly.

Hold 30s | Rest 10s | Repeat 3x per side.

𝟑. “𝐇𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝” 𝐒𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐞
Target: Lower Trapezius (Best for HIGH shoulders)

Place palms on the top of your buttocks, fingers pointing down.

Engage your core and slide your hands down your thighs until arms are straight, pulling the shoulder blades down.

Hold 5s | 10 Reps | 3 Sets daily.

𝟒. “𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐭”
Target: Upper Trapezius (Best for LOW shoulders)

Hold arms out to the sides, elbows bent 90° (cactus position).

Shrug your shoulder blades upward toward your ears (don't just move your elbows!).

Hold 3s | Repeat 20x.

💡 𝐏𝐫𝐨 𝐓𝐢𝐩: If one shoulder is higher than the other, perform these exercises separately on each side to correct the asymmetry.

While these exercises are a great start for home care, chronic tension often lives deep in the fascia. For faster, deeper relief, a professional Shoulder & Neck Massage can release those stubborn knots that stretching alone can't reach.

✨ Ready to find your balance? Book your session today!

18/03/2026

𝐊𝐮𝐧𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲-𝐭𝐨-𝐄𝐚𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐚𝐢 🍲✨

If you’re looking for high-quality authentic Thai food, the absolute best spot is Siri Wattana Market. 🏆 Though officially named Siri Wattana, we locals usually call it Thanin Market (กาดธานินทร์). 🇹🇭

📍 Location: It’s tucked away in the Santhitam area, just north of the Old City (link in the comment).

Why do we love it?

🌟 Quality over everything: Prices are a bit higher than your typical farmer’s market, but the quality is much better!

🌭 Sai Oua Heaven: It has the best selection of Northern Thai sausages (Sai Oua) in the city. Every vendor has their own secret recipe with different herbs, spices, and fat levels. You have to try them all! 🤤

🏡 Local Favorite: The market opens early in the morning and is the go-to spot for the Thai middle class to grab their daily meals. 🍱

Yesterday, I noticed a whole tour bus of tourists arriving for an excursion... 🚌💔 It would be such a shame if this place becomes a tourist trap like Jing Jai Market. We all know that food made for tourists is never as tasty—and always more expensive! 💸❌

So, let’s keep this between us! 🤫 Don’t tell everyone about Thanin Market. Let’s keep this delicious secret to ourselves! 🤐✨

14/03/2026

🩺 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐮𝐭 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐇𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐬 — 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐆𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞

You've been waking up at night from shoulder pain. Raising your arm is getting harder. A friend recommends a Thai massage — "it'll loosen things up," she says.

But what if the problem isn't a tight muscle at all?

🔍 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐬 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐳𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫?

𝙁𝙧𝙤𝙯𝙚𝙣 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙧 - known medically as adhesive capsulitis - occurs when the joint capsule surrounding the shoulder joint becomes inflamed, thickened, and scarred. This isn't a muscle problem. It's a structural change inside the joint itself, and it progressively limits range of motion regardless of how relaxed your muscles are.

The condition typically affects people over 40 and is more common in women. Its cause is often unknown - it can follow injury or surgery, develop alongside conditions like diabetes or hyperthyroidism, or appear with no clear trigger at all.

📅 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬

Frozen shoulder progresses through three stages:

🌡️ Freezing (2–9 months): Pain gradually worsens and movement becomes increasingly restricted.

🧊 Frozen (4–12 months): Pain may ease slightly, but stiffness is at its peak. Even a physiotherapist cannot move the arm through its full range.

☀️ Thawing (6–24 months): Mobility slowly returns. Without proper treatment, the shoulder may never fully recover.

⚠️ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫: Mistaking It for a Muscle Problem
In the early stages, frozen shoulder feels almost identical to common muscle issues — trigger points in the deltoid, trapezius tension, rotator cuff strain. The person complains of shoulder pain, limited movement, and discomfort when lifting the arm. It's easy to assume it's just a "pulled muscle."

The key difference: with a muscle problem, if you relax the muscles or gently assist the movement, the arm goes further. With frozen shoulder, the range is equally restricted whether the client moves on their own or the therapist moves the arm for them — because the joint itself is mechanically blocked.

🌙 Another telling sign: night pain. People with frozen shoulder often can't sleep on the affected side and wake up when they roll over. This is less typical of purely muscular problems.

🧪 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬

At Kunlarat Massage, we use the following simple tests to identify frozen shoulder before beginning any treatment:

🙋 Arm raise — Ask the client to slowly raise the arm out to the side. With frozen shoulder, movement typically stops at or just below shoulder height, with a sharp or pulling pain. The person often tilts their torso to compensate.
🤚 Hand behind back — Ask the client to reach behind their back (as if fastening a bra or scratching the middle of their back). This internal rotation movement is usually the most restricted — the hand may only reach the lower back or buttocks.
🤝 Passive raise — This is the most telling test. Gently take the client's arm and try to raise it while their muscles are fully relaxed. With a muscle problem, the arm goes significantly higher than the client can manage on their own. With frozen shoulder, the restriction is nearly the same — active or passive.

💬 A useful screening question before any session: "Is it hard to raise your arm to put on a t-shirt or brush your hair?" If yes, and the problem has persisted for several months, frozen shoulder is a real possibility.

❌ 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞

An undertrained therapist who mistakes frozen shoulder for a muscle problem may apply standard techniques — strong passive stretches, forced rotations, pushing the arm back or overhead to "work out the stiffness."

𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙖𝙘𝙝 — 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙢!

The problem isn't in the muscles. It's in the joint capsule, which is already inflamed and has lost its elasticity. Forcing the joint through a larger range triggers more inflammation, more pain, and protective muscle spasm. The shoulder can end up more locked than before, and recovery — already measured in months — can be pushed back further.

✅ 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐃𝐨

Massage doesn't cure frozen shoulder, but it can meaningfully support recovery — if applied correctly.

The goal is to relieve muscle tension around the shoulder, not to force movement in the joint itself. Safe approaches include:

🫸 Gentle work on surrounding muscles — upper trapezius, rhomboids, subscapular zone, pectorals. When these muscles relax, the shoulder often moves a little more freely with less pain.
💆 Soft pressure along the arm — working the deltoid, the outer arm down to the elbow, and the forearm, without any stretching.
📐 Movement only within the pain-free range — sometimes just a few degrees. No pushing through discomfort.
💡 In Thai massage specifically, a useful principle applies: relax the shoulder blade and upper back first, then work the arm. Starting directly on the shoulder joint almost always increases pain.

🚫 Techniques to avoid entirely: strong shoulder stretches, forced rotation, pulling the arm behind the back, and direct pressure into the front of the shoulder joint.

🗓️ 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐎𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧?

🔴 Acute (pain + inflammation) Once every 1–2 weeks
🟡 Chronic (stiffness) Once a week until mobility improves
🟢 Maintenance Every few weeks as needed
Massage works best as part of a broader plan. Coordinate with a physiotherapist or physician — they can add targeted stretching, joint mobilization, and other interventions that address the capsule itself.

🛑 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐩 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐀𝐥𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫

Avoid massage if there is active inflammation or infection in the shoulder, recent surgery without medical clearance, blood clotting disorders, or severe osteoporosis.

💡 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐦 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐞

Shoulder pain that doesn't improve — especially if it wakes you at night and limits basic movements like raising your arm or reaching behind your back — deserves a proper diagnosis before any hands-on treatment.

Massage can ease pain and help maintain muscle function during recovery. But applied without understanding what's actually going on in the joint, it can set you back significantly. Know what you're dealing with first.

10/03/2026

𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐱𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐟: 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞?

Massage is one of life's simplest pleasures — but walk into a spa menu and the options get overwhelming fast. Here's a breakdown of three classics, all focused on relaxation and stress relief.

🫧 𝐎𝐢𝐥 (𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐡) 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞

What most people picture when they hear the word "massage." The technique combines long gliding strokes, muscle kneading, targeted pressure, and light rhythmic tapping — each movement serving a different purpose, from calming the nervous system to working out stubborn knots.

✨ Best for: first-time massage-goers, stress relief, releasing tense or cramped muscles, couples massage
🏷️ Price in Kunlarat Massage: 1 hr - 350 ฿, 1,5 hrs - 520 ฿, 2 hrs - 700 ฿

🪨 𝐇𝐨𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞

Smooth heated stones are placed on the body and used as massage tools. The heat penetrates deep into the muscles, loosening tension that hands alone can't always reach — particularly in the back and shoulders. Deeply relaxing, yet the warmth keeps you present enough to actually feel it working.

✨ Best for: deep relaxation, releasing very tense muscles, unwinding after prolonged stress
🏷️ Price in Kunlarat Massage: 1,5 hrs - 850 ฿

🙏 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐢 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞

A traditional technique built around assisted stretching and acupressure. Sessions take place on a floor mat, fully clothed. The therapist works with hands, feet, and elbows to move through the whole body systematically. Less likely to put you to sleep than oil massage — more likely to leave you feeling reset.

✨ Best for: improving flexibility, relieving tension, restoring energy and body tone.
🏷️ Price in Kunlarat Massage: 1 hr - 300 ฿, 1,5 hrs - 450 ฿, 2 hrs - 600 ฿