Industry players are keen to add value by amplifying Thailand’s premium offerings and repositioning massage as healthcare and therapy.
“We are focusing on quality not quantity,” said Sunai Wachirawarakarn, the president of the Thai Spa Association.
He welcomed the reforms as a “crucial step”, and an opportunity to upskill practitioners and prepare them for a fast-changing and competitive economic environment.
“One of the key competitive advantages for this sector is it’s something that AI cannot replace. Even if you have a robot for the muscles, you cannot replace human touch.
“The people we have are so valuable, so we have to make sure that they get the proper skills.”
Siriraj Hospital, Thailand’s oldest and largest public hospital, is working to strengthen the scientific credibility of Thai traditional medicine.
It plays a major role in formalising the profession by offering undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in applied Thai traditional medicine and helping set international standards for “Nuad Thai”.
“Nuad Thai” specifically refers to the traditional form of massage that combines acupressure, assisted stretching and energy line work.
Recipients are usually fully clothed and no oil is used. It is a practice that dates back about 2,000 years and is traditionally taught in temples.
Practitioners are trained alongside doctors, and traditional techniques are studied through modern science.
The aim is to transform massage from a loosely regulated wellness service into a recognised form of healthcare, backed by research and clinical application, said Pravit Akarasereenont, the head of the Siriraj Center of Applied Thai Traditional Medicine.
While it will not be the path for most massage therapists, he is confident that this approach can filter down to the broader industry and help raise standards nationwide.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/thai-massage-regulations-reform-spas-6004021
