Where to Study Thai Massage
By Pierce Salguero,

courtesy of the Tao Mountain Association
(Content and structure edited to fit the Naga Center website)

I am always asked by students and prospective students where the best places to study Thai massage are. My own feeling, as I often tell my students, is that anyone hoping to learn Thai massage therapy should seek out the best institutions in their own country to learn the classic routine before traveling to Thailand. I feel that a traveler with a few weeks or months to spend in Thailand is not served by spending this precious time learning the basics in a crowded class of tourists who may or may not take this art form seriously. Most Western students will, moreover, find themselves disappointed by the lack of theoretical teaching at most Thai schools, as well as by the inevitable language barrier that still exists in most places.

On the other hand, the traveler who is already familiar with Thai massage and has a decent background in the theory can travel to Chiang Mai or Bangkok and learn directly from practitioners of this art by receiving, observing, and discussing massage in a less formal setting. There is an older generation of true masters practicing in tucked-away corners of Chiang Mai and Bangkok. These people have neither web sites nor international marketing tools, and thus remain relatively unknown to prospective travelers. These are the individuals with whom one can truly see the highest levels of perfection of this art form, and with whom it is a privilege to work. But, it requires you to travel to Thailand, track them down, and spend the time to get to know them. This, in my view, is the most rewarding way to learn this tradition, and is an experience the traveler will never forget.

Of course, the reader who is planning on spending a lengthy period of time in Thailand can ignore all of the above and jump right into a basic class knowing that they will have plenty of time to spend with the masters at a later date. This is the route that I took, and it is still entirely possible to spend several years in Thailand learning the traditional healing arts while supporting one's self by teaching English or by working with non-profit organizations. The benefits of learning in Thailand are many, not least of all the cultural experience and personal connections that can be made.

Studying Thai Massage at Home

Searching for a basic course in Thai Massage outside of Thailand can seem like a daunting process. Many schools talk about their lineage, their techniques, and other facets of their teachings in ways that can be confusing and sometimes misleading to beginning students. In reality, most Thai massage schools in the West essentially teach the classic routine introduced by any Tao Mountain Association member school/teacher. When you are looking for a school, keep in mind that the major difference from place to place is not the content but the atmosphere, the cultural knowledge of the teacher, and the attention to safety and proper body mechanics.

When looking at a school, be sure that the teacher studied in Thailand, and didn't simply watch a video or take a weekend seminar somewhere. (Beware: this happens more often than you would think!) Unfortunately, most schools in the West either in an attempt to appeal to the Western clinical massage setting, or else out of an ignorance of the traditions have stripped out important cultural elements of traditional Thai massage training. Be sure that the school teaches the history, theory, and culture of Thai healing.

Any serious school will include daily ceremonies addressed to the Father Doctor, and will follow the traditional code of ethics of the Thai healer. This should be your minimum criteria in choosing a school. Also, be sure that they know to which lineage they belong. Like in most Asian arts, in Thai massage, lineage is an important mark of authenticity. In the traditional viewpoint, the teacher who does not know his or her lineage is not worth studying with.

In the interests of promoting the integrity of Thai traditions and the culture of Thai healing, our organization, Tao Mountain, maintains a website with a large quantity of information and resources about Thai massage and herbal medicine. We maintain a free monthly newsletter to keep the public abreast of interesting developments and topics in the world of Thai medicine, and also provide links to Basic, Advanced, and Teacher Training courses.

Studying Massage in Thailand

The recommendations I make in this section have to be taken with a grain of salt. Thailand is a developing country and the situation there changes drastically over the course of a few years. The traveler seeking to learn Thai massage in the country of its origin will be faced with a quite different reality than when I took my first course in 1997, or when I taught my last course at the Traditional Medicine Hospital in 2000. As the popularity of this modality grows, courses at the best schools are becoming over-crowded. Furthermore, many students are not professional therapists, but rather fun-seeking backpackers, leading to a sometimes boisterous classroom environment. However, I give the following recommendations based on the long-standing respect with which these institutions have been regarded.

There are many more locations to study and receive massage than I can possibly mention here, and new facilities are constantly popping up. Note that there are many other schools and renowned private instructors in Thailand, although the serious student should be aware that these schools are not always reputable. The following are some well-known schools in and around Chiang Mai. Even if you do not study at all of these places, the traveler to Thailand should make a point of at least receiving a massage at these facilities to get a sense of the different styles of each. The best course of action for any student is usually to travel to Chiang Mai or Bangkok without a plan, gauge for yourself the lay of the land, and decide in person the best places to study.

Chiang Mai's Foundation of Shivagakomarpaj Traditional Medicine Hospital is, according to many, Thailand's premier massage school. The course features a decent introduction to the theory and practice of Thai medicine (when the theory teacher is in residence, that is). The Traditional Medicine Hospital's ten-day course is one of the best offered on this subject for beginners and professionals alike, although recently classes have been unfortunately over-crowded. Upon completion of ten days, a certification exam is given (although virtually no Thai certificates are recognized in Western countries). Graduates of the foundation are on occasion able to continue their education by volunteering as "interns" with subsequent courses.

Wat Po (or Wat Pho) is a well-known tourist temple in Bangkok which has for well over a century been the center of gravity for the serious study of Thai massage and herbal medicine. This is the headquarters of the Southern Style lineage, and is recognized, along with The Traditional Medicine Hospital, as one of the top two schools in the country. Wat Pho offers 30-hour courses, which are taken 3 hours per day over 10 days. They offer both a basic and an advanced therapeutic course. Wat Pho is also, to my knowledge, the only place to formally study Thai herbal medicine. Although the language barrier is formidable, it is possible to take a 1-3 year course in traditional Thai medicine.

Baan Nit
(Soi 2, Th. Chaiyaphum, Chiang Mai)
One of the most interesting and colorful experiences I had in my Thai massage education was learning with Mama Nit. A very unstructured, informal, and intuitive learning environment, but a real treat to work with such a powerful energy worker. One-on-one instruction is usually possible, and terms are negotiable.
Pichet Boonthume

(3/3 M. 5 T. Bahn Vehn A., Hang Dong)
Another well-known character in Chiang Mai's Thai massage elite. A teacher with a very unique style, learning with Pichet is definitely worth the experience.
Sunshine Network Institute
(www.asokananda.com)
Asokananda pioneered the study of Thai Massage in the 1980s, and wrote the first books on the subject in any European language. Although his practice of Thai Massage is heavily influenced by Indian ideas, his school in Chiang Mai has one of the more well-known programs of study.

Mr. Poo (57/4 Rajutit Rd Soi 8, Chiang Mai) is another genuine master of Thai massage offering small classes to the serious student. If you cannot or choose not to study with him, it is well worth it to receive a session from him as not many of the masters are still accepting new patients.