Successful fight of Thai massage in Sweden..!

Mrs. Bee, the Thai massage warrior of Borlange city - Sweden.

BORLÄNGE, Sweden – July 27, 2025

Written by Nice

A quiet struggle in Borlänge is shedding light on a nationwide challenge for legitimate Thai massage businesses, now fighting to reclaim trust and secure their future through rigorous certification.

At the heart of this battle is Siwanart, a 61-year-old salon owner, whose personal journey mirrors the broader industry's efforts to distinguish authentic wellness from illicit activities.

Siwanart, who arrived in Sweden 21 years ago from Sa Kaeo, Thailand, found her calling in traditional Thai massage after a career change due to illness. She poured her heart into establishing her salon, building a clientele that often utilized the Swedish Friskvårdsbidrag (wellness benefits) – a vital support system for her legitimate business.

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National Scandal Leads to Industry-Wide Ban

The industry was rocked approximately six months ago by a national scandal. Police investigations, widely reported across Sweden, revealed that around 20 Thai massage salons were offering sexual services, with some even misusing wellness platforms.

In response, major wellness benefit providers, Epassi and Benify (now Benifex), took drastic action, removing all Thai massage services from their platforms.

> “It felt so unfair,” recounts Siwanart.

“For four agonizing months, my legitimate customers couldn't use Epassi. It felt like every honest business was being punished for the actions of a few. I feared everything I had built would crumble.”

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ThaiWISE and NuadThai Nordic Forge a Path to Legitimacy

In these difficult times, Siwanart found support in ThaiWISE (Thai Women in Sweden Empowerment).

> “It was like finding fellow travelers,” she says, emphasizing the power of community.

A key figure in this movement is Panadda Changmanee, known as “Yui,” project manager for ThaiWISE. Recognizing the damage to the industry’s reputation, ThaiWISE launched the NuadThai Nordic Network to rebuild trust and set professional standards.

The result was a blue certification badge, showing that a salon has passed strict screening and upholds ethical, legal, and wellness-based practices.

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Epassi and Benifex Partner for Re-inclusion

Now, both Epassi and Benifex have partnered with the NuadThai Nordic Network. Certified salons displaying the blue badge are once again allowed to accept Friskvårdsbidrag payments via Epassi — restoring access to legitimate wellness for both businesses and clients.

> “You must fight for what you've built, especially when you do everything correctly and pay your taxes in full,” says Siwanart.

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A Call for Respect and Fairness

Her message to the public and authorities is clear:

> “We just want people to understand the difference between legitimate Thai massage businesses like mine, that follow all the rules, and others. We are trained, experienced, we help people feel better, we pay our taxes, and we contribute to this country. All we ask is to be treated with fairness and respect.”

Siwanart’s journey continues — a powerful reflection of the resilience of small business owners, and a shared mission to protect the dignity, skill, and future of traditional Thai massage in Sweden.

link to full story on scandasia.com

her story on youtube

From Thai Nurse to Entrepreneur in Sweden: A Story of Resilience and Redefining Success

BBORLÄNGE, Sweden – July 27, 2025

Written by Nice

At the age of 52, Kusuma Pongmeetha embodies a powerful spirit of determination. Her life in Borlänge, Sweden, is a world away from her past as a nurse in Thailand. Each day, she rises before dawn to clean a local college, then shifts to managing her own massage business—one that often faces social prejudice.

Kusuma dedicated 21 years of her life as a nurse in Thailand, graduating from Khon Kaen University. Like many, her journey to Sweden began with love. But starting a new life in Scandinavia was far from easy. She moved to Borlänge after meeting her Swedish boyfriend during a time when the city was receiving many Syrian and Somali refugees, which made it extremely difficult for newcomers to find work.

“Finding a job was really hard,” Kusuma recalls, her voice heavy with emotion. She had to work tirelessly—cleaning, painting houses, and sometimes doing three shifts in a row with only two hours of sleep a night. It was a clear testament to her physical and mental strength, though she admits the toll it took on her health.

Her personal life was just as challenging. After divorcing her previous husband, she entered a new relationship that began online. But just two days after arriving in Sweden, the man told her he no longer loved her and had met someone else. “I was left alone in a country I didn’t know. Everything collapsed in an instant,” she said, her voice trembling. That heartbreak forced her to find shelter and start over from zero. But for Kusuma, giving up was never an option.

Her daily routine paints a picture of hard-earned resilience—pushing a cleaning cart through college hallways, wiping down surfaces, folding laundry. But amidst the busyness, she also finds deep moments of joy. She prepares picnic meals for sunny days in the park, picks berries and mushrooms in the calm Swedish forests, and takes care of ducks and chickens at her small farm. “I’m happy just having healthy ducks and chickens,” she says with a warm smile, showing her gift for finding peace in life’s simplest moments.

Her career in Thai massage in Sweden hasn’t come without challenges. Kusuma openly shares the societal bias she faces, where Thai massage is often wrongly associated with sex work. But she and her husband, who is also a massage therapist, are determined to change that perception. They focus on the therapeutic value of traditional Thai massage—relieving chronic pain and aiding recovery—and attend training courses to deepen their knowledge and practice.

Despite the hardships, Kusuma’s story is ultimately one of triumph. Her unwavering determination and inner strength helped her overcome seemingly impossible obstacles and build a life filled with newfound joy. She emphasizes the importance of community support and finding people who truly understand and believe in her mission.

As her story comes to a close, it leaves a powerful message: Life’s challenges may be unavoidable, but perseverance, an unbreakable spirit, and the ability to find joy in everyday moments can lead to a life not just of survival—but of true living. Kusuma Pongmeetha’s journey is a moving reminder that the truest form of success isn’t measured by external rewards, but by the quiet resilience of the human soul.

see her daily routine nr.1

her story on youtube

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