ICHCAP

Thai experts are calling to improve Thai massage standards to enhanse customer confidence and generate national revenue.

Thai massage `Nuat Thai` was recognized as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2019. Nuat Thai is a non-medical and manual therapy in which masseuses rebalance the patient`s body, energy, and structure. Illnesses believed to be caused by blocked energy flow along ‘sen’, lines understood to crisscross the human body, using hands, elbows, knees, feet, and hot compress. This began from the self meditation tradition in the past Thai rural communities. Each village had a massage healers to treat muscle aches from farming. Over time, these experiences have evolved in to a formal system of knowledge and has become a professional occupation today.

However, concerns about Thai massages have increased due to two recent deaths in December 2024. Although one of the accidents was not found to be directly related to Thai massages, the incidents highlighted the problems of unlicensed establishments and affected the credibility of the Thai massage industry as a whole.

Experts have urged related organizations to establish Thai massage standards for massage parlors nationwide in order to restore trust and raise awareness of massage. They also recommended that the massage parlor’s certificates be valid for 5 years to receive periodic training on rules, prohibitions, and preventive measures when providing services. Additionally, massage parlors must obtain permission to operate as medical facilities and could face up to six years of imprisonment or a fine of 50,000 baht if they fail to comply.

Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin announced plans to increase customer trust and promote Thai massage as an alternative treatment through Thai massage standards. He also emphasized that the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, the Department of Health Service Support and the Thai Traditional Medical Council are accelerating efforts to improve the quality of customers’ quality of life through empowerment of massagers.

Reference : https://asianews.network/experts-call-for-upgrading-of-thai-massage-standards/