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I SPA, the leading operator of 15 luxury Thai-inspired spas in China, is expanding into Thailand with the opening of two new spas in five-star hotels in Bangkok and Phuket and the launch of the boutique “I SPA life” brand in August.

Sirirat Fungkhajon, co-founder of I SPA China and Thailand, said that after seven years as the operator of traditional Thai spas in China and enjoying a rapid growth from just one spa in Beijing in 2005 to 15 spas to date, it was high time the company brought the brand back to its origin.

I SPA currently operates in Beijing, Tianjin, Guangzhou, Tangshan, Nanjing, Xian and Sanya,

In China, she said I SPA pioneered the traditional Thai spa concept with a focus on Thai health and beauty treatments and the use of imported Thai herbal and natural skin products, complete with Chinese and Asian body therapies.

“In Thailand, I SPA brings a range of ancient health and beauty therapies from China, India, Indonesia, Japan and Thailand to create a sanctuary of well being in line with our slogan, ‘I SPA Thailand, where legendary Asian therapies live on,’” said Sirirat, who is also managing publisher of HotelCIRCLEasia.

I SPA opens the first spa in Thailand at The Landmark Bangkok on Sukhumvit Road on August 1, 2012. Occupying a 750 square meter section of the hotel’s ninth floor, I SPA at The Landmark Bangkok takes on a Thai-inspired architecture and design and features 10 treatment rooms with 12 spa beds and four foot therapy rooms with five loungers.

In response to demand for boutique spa operations, I SPA Thailand has launched the boutique “I SPA life” brand for hotels with a small-scale spa that operate with a flexible setup and treatment range.

The first “I SPA life” is scheduled to open in September at the Absolute Twin Sands Resort and Spa in Phuket, Thailand. Spanning 520-square meters of the resort’s grounds, overlooking the Andaman Sea, I SPA life at Absolute Twin Sands Resort and Spa features modern architecture and design and offers six treatment rooms with 12 spa beds and an outdoor foot therapy area.

Sirirat said Bangkok and Phuket are the perfect locations to launch the first spas under the I SPA and I SPA life brands in Thailand. “We are under negotiations with other hotels in Thailand and Cambodia, and we look forward to continuing to expand the I SPA and I SPA life brands to major destinations in Thailand and its neighboring countries.”

To support its expansion in Thailand, I SPA opened a training centre in Bangkok in August 2011 and has already sent a few batches of Thai therapists for on-the-job training at various I SPA outlets in China. I SPA therapists must pass 10 weeks of theoretical and practical training and two weeks of practice with model guests.