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A proposed amendment to relax controls on genuine massage parlours while still curbing sexual services has a loophole that means gay practices would not be covered.

At present, all massage parlours, including those providing only foot or scalp massage, have to operate with a licence. The proposal, if adopted, would mean those providing massages above the neck and/or below the knee - whether the masseur and client were of the opposite or same sex - would not need to apply for licences.

Licences would be required for venues providing full-body massages for customers - but only for opposite sex cases.

No licence requirement is provisioned for a client and full-body masseur of the same sex.

The relaxation aims to cut the red tape for above-board businesses, said the Security Bureau, which has proposed the change.

Tommy Chen No'el, a spokesman for Rainbow Action, an advocacy group for sex workers, said: 'It's good news for us. It should actually lift controls on giving massages to customers of different sex as well.'

The activist has been performing massage services for men at a location requested by the customers - usually their homes or hotels - for about two years.

'I can now work in a proper parlour without worrying how far I should go in a full-body massage. It just takes the pressure off me,' he said.

Chow Chun-yu, chairman of the Hong Kong Licensed Massage Association, said the existing law had failed to stem illegal sex activities in massage parlours.

'The practitioners rather than the parlours should be licensed. When you hold the masseurs responsible, they would behave properly because they don't want to lose their job,' Mr Chow said.

'But the amendment should also cover offering services to customers of the same sex, although the gay community is a relatively small one in Hong Kong.'

There are now around 200 licensed parlours, employing more than 10,000 staff.

A spokesman for the Security Bureau played down the concerns, saying: 'There were few incidents of illegal sex activities involving homosexual people in Hong Kong. We have no record of massage parlours catering only to the homosexuals.'

James To Kun-sun, Democratic Party legislator and deputy chairman of Legco's security panel, welcomed the proposals.

The amendment bill will be gazetted tomorrow and introduced into the Legislative Council for first reading on May 16.



Legal loophole on same-sex massages