The objective of this research is to survey the factors that effect people for making the decision to use Thai traditional massage services from the place that has a standard of massage issued by the ministry of public health in Hatyai District, Songkhla Province, southern Thailand.   The result of this research has been analyzed from the collective data from 384 questionnaires.

The result shows that 73.2% of the customers were male. The age ranging from 31 to 40 years old is 34.1%. Thai and Malaysian nationality clientele have a close ratio which is 45.6% and 44.3% respectively. The married clientele is 51.6%, bachelor degree graduated clientele at 30.2%, Self-employed or business owners as 35.7%. The monthly income averaging from 5,000 – 10,000 baht as 27.5%, 34.6% of the massaged customers used the service between 04.00pm and 08.00 pm, 65.4% of them gave the reason as to relax the muscles. 50.4% of the clientele preferred to choose a masseuse themselves, an experienced and skillful masseuse was preferable as 38.3%. Body massage was preferable as 81.9% of the figures show. 85.3% of the people surveyed showed that the clientele gave extra money as a tip to the masseuse. The satisfaction of services which was given as a reason was 47.4%. And 94.5% of the clientele stated they would go back for services at the same place.

Figures from the study show that the clientele gave the significance to each factor as following:-

The factor of marketing and promotion

The clientele gave the most significance to the advertisement and public relation.

The factor of place

The emphasis about the importance of cleanliness and tidiness of the resting area of the surroundings is an important factor.

The factor of masseuse

The masseuse must have experience and skills related to their work.

The factor of other services

The clientele preferred and gave significance to the personal cleanliness and hygiene as well as correct dress and manner of the customer relation staff.

The factor of massage equipment

The clientele gave the most significance to the cleanliness of the massage room, mattresses and pillow cases.

The factor of its logo and reputation

The clientele preferred the places where a standard certificate had been issued by the ministry of public health.

The factor of advertisement

The customers gave significance to the advertising sign, yet the most significant factor was the regulation issued by the ministry of public health to provide the place as a non smoking

environment regarding the respect to non-smoker’ s health and rights.

The analysis of the relation between the customer’ s self choice of masseuse or being in a queue to have a massage service – In the case of testing with a customers nationality, age range and educational background, it was found that there was no difference in behavior regarding this issue as given that the statistical significance was > 0.05. But the occupational factor showed that the customers have the difference of selection, which gives the statistical significance of < 0.05.

The analysis of the difference of average mean, which is about the factor of marketing and promotion, environment, masseuses, services, massage equipment, its reputation, advertisement and the average mean of all factors shows that Thai and Malaysian customers give the different significance only to the factor of advertisement which gives the statistical significance as < 0.05.

The clientele of a different age range gives the different significance to the factor of marketing and promotion, which has a statistical significance as < 0.05.

The difference of educational background of clientele shows the different significance to the factor of marketing and promotion, which has the statistical significance as < 0.05.

From the study it can be ascertained that the customer’ s occupational background is a crucial factor that gives the different significance to place, masseuse, and the average mean of all factors which has the statistical significance as< 0.05.

The difference of customer’ s status gives the different significance to the factor of masseuse which has a statistical significance as < 0.05.

Each customer of a different income gives the different significance to the factor of place, services, equipment and the average mean of all factors.

The factor which relates with the regulations for a standard certificate, which is issued by the ministry of public health is:-

1. The place, which is provided for masseuses to sit showing themselves.

2. The card of number which each masseuse must have it on a uniform.

3. The place, which is provided as non-smoking area.

The clientele of a different age range gives the different significance to a non-smoking place as mentioned by law, which has a statistical significance as < 0.05.

The difference of clientele’ s educational background shows the different significance to the place which is provided for masseuses to sit showing themselves, which is < 0.05 as the statistical significance.

Each customer of a different occupation gives the different significance to the factor of having the number of each masseuse, which has a statistical significance as < 0.05.

And each customer of a different income gives the different significance to the all factors of place, which is provided for masseuses, having the number of each masseuse, and the non-smoking place as mentioned by law, which has a statistical significance as < 0.05.