Thai Traditional Massage
In the life of any human being, no one can avoid sickness and how people of each nation deal with their symptioms and diseases depend on their culture, tradition, and values. Of all diseases, approximaterly 30% are severe and thus require modern medicine and health care specialists. The other 70% are not serious and common diseases that are preventable and can be treated by self-care using traditional or folk medicines. In Thailand, Thai traditional massage has been the national arts and science of healing and remedy to relieve muscle fatigue, ache and pain, reduce stress, relieve back and neck pain, as well as a means to treat paresthesia, hemiplegia and paralysis. As mentioned in the dispatch of Lalubaire, the French envoy to Siam during 1656 – 1688, “In Siam, when someone gets sick, not much is done except for giving body massage or acupressure and most are healed.”
Nowadays the ancient wisdom of Thai traditional massage has been developed into a part of the body of knowledge of Thai traditional medicine, a holistic medicine. Thai traditional massage can be divided into two main categories, namely “Royal massage” and “Folk massage”. Royal massage was originally the type of massage for the royal family or aristocracy; hence, it is given to the patients in a very polite nature using only hands and fingers, while folk massage refers to the type of massage applying among the family members and the general public. The masseur uses different parts of his body, i.e. hands, elbows, knees, to bend, pull, press or tread.
To gain acceptance by the general public, the institute of Thai traditional Medicine (ITTM), Ministry of Public Health has revived and conducted research on the body of knowledge of Thai traditional massage in order to develop, integrate and apply Thai traditional massage into a form of self-reliant health care system. The arts and science of Thai traditional massage is now well accepted by Thais and foreigners alike.
Currently there are about 6,000 masseurs/masseuses who finished different levels of Thai traditional massage training courses from various institutes in Thailand. The ITTM has developed standard of training curricula on Thai traditional massage and has offered many training courses covering both theory and practice and has produced many well-trained Thai masseurs/masseuses to the labor market. Thai traditional massage service is now becoming very popular both in Thailand and abroad; thus there is currently a great demand for Thai masseurs/masseuses. The ITTM in cooperation with the Department of Skill Development. Ministry of Labor has set up and categorized the National Occupational Skill Standards of Thai Traditional Massage into 3 levels based on the knowledge, hours of practice, and experience. Those who pass the skill tests can then receive Certificate issued by both offices.
For more information, please contact the Institute of Thai Traditional Medicine, Department for Development of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, Ministry of Public Health, Tiwanon Road, Nonthaburi 11000. Thailand
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