Shock death of a 20-year-old budding singer in Udon Thani linked to Thai traditional massage visits - Thai Examiner

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Shock death of 20-year-old Thai singer linked to Thai massage sessions. Chayada Prao-hom, a rising star, succumbed to infections after visiting a massage shop in Udon Thani. Her condition worsened after multiple visits, sparking an investigation into massage practices.​

Thailand was shocked on Sunday by the death of a young 20-year-old promising singing star from Udon Thani. Ms. Chayada Prao-hom died at 6 a.m. from chronic infections and organ failure. However, the root cause of the young woman’s demise may well be a number of visits to a Thai massage shop in Udon Thani. The death has sparked an urgent investigation by the Thai Department of Health Service Support (DHSS). In the meantime, medical experts are warning of the dangers posed by violent manoeuvres given by poorly trained or unlicensed practitioners. Meanwhile, the woman’s 47-year-old mother, Ms. Chanthakan Prao-hom, awaits a cause-of-death report from Udon Thani Hospital. Ms. Chanthakan is a former expert masseuse herself. Indeed, Ms. Chayada’s belief in the practice may have contributed to her demise as she visited the same massage shop three times, each time seeing her condition deteriorate.


47-year-old Chanthakan Prao-hom spoke to reporters on Sunday following her daughter’s death in Udon Thani early on Sunday morning. Her daughter Chayada (inset) of Nong Ping was a talented singer who already had a record contract. Her death, it would appear at this time, is linked to several Thai traditional massage sessions. (Source: Matichon)

A promising young luk thung singer died on Sunday morning at a hospital in Udon Thani from a range of infections. They included fungus in the blood and an infection that had spread to the brain.

The dead young woman was Nong Pim, or Chayada Prao-hom, who was a budding star in the genre. Luk thung is a 20th-century genre phenomenon. It arose in central Thailand earlier in the last century. However, it is particularly popular in Udon Thani.

Chayada was from Udon Thani’s Phibun Rak District. Her mother reveals shock over Thai massage sessions​

Many women and men have become stars in the industry. The young woman who died had already released two records. This came after she was signed to Guitar Records, headquartered near her home.

Ms. Chayada was from the Phibun Rak District in the heart of Udon Thani, northeast of the northeastern province. On Sunday, both the 22-year-old boyfriend of the talented singer and her 47-year-old mother spoke to the media. The story has sent shockwaves through Thailand. In brief, it appears the source of the otherwise healthy young woman’s demise was a series of three problematic Thai massage sessions.

Indeed, Ms. Chayada’s mother, Ms. Chanthakan Prao-hom, was previously an experienced Thai massage practitioner. On Sunday, she explained how doctors on Saturday told her that her daughter was fighting for her life. In particular, they asked if she should be given CPR. The mother replied negatively as she knew her daughter’s body was already severely weakened.

Previously, her daughter, who had returned from singing, asked her mother for a massage. She had nagging pain in the back. However, Ms. Chanthakan had just come out of surgery and felt unable. At length, her daughter’s boyfriend took her to a massage establishment in the centre of Udon Thani.

The young woman’s pain worsened after multiple Thai massage sessions, her health deteriorates rapidly​

Even after the first session, the young woman emerged with some parts of her body numb and immobilised. She then went back for two more sessions, but her condition grew progressively worse. The young woman was a believer in Thai massage. Therefore, she was anxious to have the situation resolved through a further massage.

Later, racked by pain and barely able to walk, she consulted with her mother. Ms. Chanthakan suggested she had a shifted vertebrae at the neck. Her mother dispatched her to Udon Thani Hospital. However, a doctor there dismissed her complaint. In particular, the idea that a Thai massage could have caused such an injury.

Subsequently, she visited other hospitals until this was exactly what was confirmed. By the time she was sent back to Udon Thani Hospital with a confirmed diagnosis, it was too late.

On November 6, she came to the second hospital ahead of an appointment on the 16th. The pain was unbearable. She was immediately admitted and placed in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). However, her condition deteriorated significantly.

Officials to investigate massage shop’s licensing and practices after the young singer’s death​

Meanwhile, Arkom Praditsuwan, deputy directorof the Department of Health Service Support (DHSS), announced that department officials would investigate the case. In particular, whether the massage shop that Chayada visited was accredited and licensed to provide the service.

“What we need to examine is whether the massage service they delivered (to Chayada) was correct practice and aligned with the standard pattern for Thai traditional massage,” Mr. Arkom said. He made no secret of his concerns.

“At present, Thai massage has been applied by some practitioners using various techniques, thereby falling below standards or leading to a service that might cause injury,” he said. “What we need to examine is whether the massage service they delivered (to Chayada) was correct practice and aligned with the standard pattern for Thai traditional massage.”

Meanwhile, in Rangsit, Pathum Thani, at the College of Oriental Medicine at Rangsit University, a more detailed diagnosis was made. Dr. Thiravat Hemachudha, a professor and key advisor, issued a warning about violent or improper massage.

He warned that twisting or flicking a person’s neck violently during neck stretching was fraught with risk. In short, there was a danger of damage to key arteries, especially the carotid and vertebral arteries.

Expert warns of risks in violent neck massages, which could lead to paralysis or artery damage​

Certainly, this could cause either full, partial, or sporadic paralysis. “The danger will increase in tandem with the force of the twisting, flicking, or circling of one’s head. Repeating these activities for a long time will not only create problems for the nerves but also the blood vessels at the neck,” Prof. Dr. Thiravat explained.

On Sunday, fans of Ms. Chayada were shocked by her death, in particular because the young singer had detailed her pain problems and massage treatments online. Her mother, Ms. Chanthakan, told reporters that the 20-year-old was her youngest child. Nong Ping had two older brothers.

The singer’s mother explained how her daughter’s condition deteriorated with each visit to the massage shop. She kept buying painkillers and muscle relaxants. Pitifully, she continued to believe in Thai massage.

Ms. Chayada had herself studied and practised Thai massage techniques. Starting with numbness, her daughter eventually lost the use of half her body. Subsequently, she could not walk and was bedridden after being admitted to the hospital.

Young singer’s condition worsens after third Thai massage. Mother diagnoses dislocated neck vertebrae​

At the massage shop, her massages were given by the same masseuse for the first two sessions. On the third visit, it was a masseuse with a heavier and more forceful hand. The young woman was treated in the same room each time.

Finally, after the effects of the third visit, the young woman asked her mother for help. The older woman quickly diagnosed that her daughter’s neck bone had shifted. She had previously tested her muscle areas.

However, there was no reason there for the swelling and weakness of the body.

She ordered her daughter to visit the hospital in Udon Thani. Nonetheless, on her first visit to Udon Thani Hospital, the doctor refused to conduct an X-ray. At the same time, observing the patient’s trembling hands, he asked if she was on drugs.

The young woman afterwards went back to work for a few days before trying another hospital. That was to Phibun Rak Hospital. At length, the doctors there confirmed her neck vertebrae had shifted in three places.

Health decline worsens; mother shares details of her daughter’s attempts to seek medical help​

Nong Ping was to return on November 16 but returned to that hospital on November 6, crippled with pain and immobility. Therefore, she was sent immediately back to Udon Thani Hospital.

“When the hospital wouldn’t do an X-ray of her neck, I told Nong Ping to hurry home. But Nong Ping had to work for 4-5 days.

When she got home, she went to Phibun Rak Hospital. She told the doctor about her symptoms, the doctor immediately did an X-ray,” explained Ms. Chanthakan on Sunday. “The doctor sent her to Udon Thani Hospital for further treatment in the case of a dislocated cervical spine since November 7, which included treatment for a dislocated cervical spine and spinal cord inflammation, which required treatment from several specialists. She was in a coma, staying in the ICU for about 10 nights.”

Furthermore, Ms. Chanthakan revealed that last night (December 7, 2024), the doctor called her to ask if she wanted CPR if her daughter’s heart stopped beating. She answered no.

“Nong Ping would not be with us for long because everything in her body was messed up. Her lungs were swollen with drug-resistant infections, her blood had fungus, the infection had spread to her brain, she had used expensive medicine, foreign medicine, and strong medicine, but the medicine also suppressed Nong Ping’s immune system,” her mother tearfully explained.

Grieving mother considers legal action as doctors investigate cause of death, reveals future funeral plans​

The grieving mother revealed that she is considering legal action but has not decided yet. Doctors at Udon Thani Hospital have revealed that the cause of death in Ms. Chayada’s case will be revealed on December 19.

Her mother told how her young daughter loved singing and would compete in Golden Mike contests. She had recently been signed by Guitar Records, a small music label.

The family saw a bright future for the beautiful young woman. “We didn’t talk much, but Nong Ping once said that if Ping recovered, she would make her mother rich. It wouldn’t be long before we were rich. She always said this.”

“As for Nong Ping’s dream, she wanted to be a famous singer. She released two singles, but she wasn’t famous yet before she passed away. The record label came to visit and helped pay for her treatment. We will wait for both brothers to return home before we will hold Nong Ping’s cremation ceremony. It is expected to be Wednesday or Thursday,” said Ms. Chanthakan.

At the same time, Ms. Chanthakan was clear that the art of Thai massage is to avoid potential danger.

She said proper masseuses must be trained to avoid anything that damages or threatens the neck bone. She emphasized that her daughter was young and healthy. In particular, she had no underlying disease. Therefore, how could this happen?

Heartbroken boyfriend remembers plans for engagement with the late singer, shares final moments​

In the meantime, her distraught boyfriend, Mr. Phuminarong, said the couple planned to get engaged. He said that while Nong Ping was not singing recently, they sold squid together. Then she did a singing event and came back with a sore back.

He took her to the massage shop in Udon Thani. “After the massage, she said it felt better. After a while, she said it hurt again, so he took her again. The first and second masseuses were the same person. However, after the event at Ban Lueam in Udon Thani, Nong Ping said her back hurt, so I took her to get a massage at the same shop, in the same room, but with a new masseuse.”

“Certainly, her condition worsened quickly after the third massage. Her arms began to weaken. At Nong Han Hospital, they confirmed her neck bone was dislocated. After that, she returned home and was bedridden before later being rushed to the hospital for the last time.”

Final moments of the young singer revealed by her boyfriend, who remembers her as a hopeful artist​

“Later, Ping called me to tell me that she had difficulty breathing, so she called an ambulance to take her to Udon Thani Hospital. I visited her every day when I didn’t have work, talked to her and encouraged her all the time, filmed her work, and sent her pictures of her cat. At first, she was on the 5th floor of the Luangta Maha Bua Building, and she was still able to respond and talk normally,” he explained.

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“I stayed to take care of her until Nong Ping breathed her last in front of me. I felt numb and still couldn’t accept it. Ping dreamed of becoming an artist. She entered a singing contest in Isan but didn’t win. She only entered the first and second rounds. I want to tell Nong Ping not to worry. I will ordain as a monk for her. As for suing for compensation, I haven’t thought about it yet. At first, her mother was going to file a police report, but she is waiting for the case to be finished first because she was still upset about the death,” said Mr. Phuminarong.

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Further reading:​

Budding Thai tourism entrepreneur to be deported after being arrested for working without a permit

Transport Minister orders report on bribery allegations in the US relating to junkets and Massage Parlours

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