20-year-old Thai female singer dies after receiving neck and shoulder massage

According to Bangkok Post, Ping Chayada passed away around 6 a.m. on December 8 at the intensive care unit of a hospital in Udon Thani (Thailand). The cause of death was determined to be blood infection and brain edema, complications that may be related to a series of massage therapies she had received earlier. Thairath reported that on October 28, Chayada had shared on her personal page about a "horrible experience" while getting a massage at a facility in Udon Thani. She mentioned that she sought this therapy hoping to alleviate neck and shoulder pain, but the result was completely opposite to her expectations. In her post, the singer described: "I went for a massage to get better, but the result was a misaligned neck spine, pinched nerves. My arm kept twitching, itching and numbness from head to toe, my body was so weak that I couldn't lift anything. I couldn't even dress myself. The pain spread throughout my body, so intense that it caused convulsions, I couldn't do anything. It was a terrible experience for a 20-year-old girl." After the first massage session, Chayada started feeling numbness in her arm. However, she still returned to the facility for a second therapy session, but this time her condition worsened as she experienced severe pain and couldn't lie straight on her back. Later, the singer returned for a third time and described encountering a "heavy-handed" massage therapist who caused her body to swell and bruise all over. Despite taking pain medication, Chayada's symptoms did not improve. Her health condition continued to deteriorate. Chayada began feeling pain in her abdomen and chest, numbness all over her body, and her body weakened to the point where she could only function at half capacity. By November 18, Chayada posted a final status, stating that she couldn't reply to messages or comments as she was lying paralyzed in bed, unable to care for herself. After nearly a month of being bedridden, Chayada could not recover. Her passing not only left behind sorrow but also raised concerns in Thailand about the safety of neck and shoulder massage techniques. Public opinion is now questioning the responsibility and techniques of massage facilities, and calling for increased awareness of the potential risks of such therapies. On the afternoon of December 8, provincial authorities in Udon Thani conducted an inspection of a traditional neck massage facility near Nong Prajak Park in downtown Udon Thani - where Ping Chayada had received a massage before her death. During the inspection, authorities found 2 licensed employees and are investigating 5 others. Regarding the massage facility, 60-year-old manager Nitchapa stated that the place has been operating since 2005 with an unstable number of staff, changing daily. She emphasized that the facility does not provide neck twisting or neck turning services, as these techniques are considered dangerous and are not part of formal training programs. However, Nitchapa also admitted: "We always try to ensure safety but cannot fully control if guests and staff make private agreements." Currently, relevant information has been collected and awaits an official report from the Director of Public Health in Udon Thani on December 9.