Authorities in Bangkok want to declare Thai massage - in its "traditional" form - as an example of "World Cultural Heritage".
And in doing so, it hopes to rid Thai massage of its often-seedy reputation.
Police and a prominent public health inspector toured hotspots in the Thai capital this week to expose massage parlours involved in unseemly activities.
But word of the visit by Dr Patraphon Jeungsomjetphaisan, who heads the public health arm of the Prosecution Affairs Institute, leaked out and in Sukhumvit Soi 35 most massage shops shut up for the day before the police arrived.
Dr Patraphon told the assembled media that he believes at least 50 massage shops in the capital are just fronts for prostitution - not the cultural wonder he wants to promote.
The INN news channel reported that Dr Patraphon called for Thai masseuses and masseurs to have permits and their workplaces to be licenced.
He told INN of plans to declare Thai massage as a "moradok loke" or "world cultural heritage" tradition.