Fish Spas to be Regulated

"We will convene a meeting with fish-spa operators and make them understand what needs to be done," Public Health Minister Jurin Laksanawisit announced.

He added that the Health Service Support Department (HSSD) was given the job of determining if extra measures should be taken to ensure users' safety.

"The operators have to be strict about checking users' feet for wounds, and the water should always be clean," he said, adding that open wounds spread germs in the water and put other users at risk.

HSSD director-general Dr Somchai Pinyopornpanich disclosed that his agency was already discussing the issue with the Department of Fisheries and the Department of Health so as to come up with measures to regulate fish spas.

"Fish used in the spas must be no bigger than four inches, and should have no teeth," he said, adding that the Siamese algae eater or the flying fish would be appropriate.

Somchai also insisted that the spas use ultraviolet rays to clean equipment, have an efficient water-filter system for the tanks and ensure that the towels are cleaned properly after use.

"The water in the tanks should be at a 6.5 to 8.5 pH level, be well circulated and free from E coli," he said, adding that very fine filters should be used and half the water in the tank should be changed on a daily basis.

He also said that fish spa operators would be required to check customers' health.

"People with skin diseases, open or pus-filled wounds, or diabetes should not be allowed to use the services," he said.

Meanwhile, president of the Dermatological Society of Thailand, Dr Noppadol Noppakhun, advised against using fish spas. "They are not very useful. The fish are safe, but you put yourself at risk if other users have communicable diseases or skin diseases," he said.

Vice-president of the Thai Lanna Spa Association, Kaiwit Wongthong, said he never agreed with the idea of a fish spa. "It's a place where germs will spread," he said.

Kaiwit added that the Public Health Ministry should closely regulate these fish spas because the number of complaints was on the rise.