Originating in India and practiced in Thailand for centuries, the massage was popularized when a specialty school opened in the s to train massage therapists from around the world.
Krairath, who teaches at the Reclining Buddha School inside the famed Wat Pho Temple, helps thousands of Thai and foreign students who flock to the center each year. The son of a masseuse, he takes great pride in his role sharing the ancient discipline at a temple whose certification is a proud banner for any massage shop. In the Wat Pho complex, trainees run through a catalog of moves targeting the body's acupressure points with thumbs, elbows, knees and feet while also incorporating deep stretches and contortions.
Doctors and monks were said to have brought these methods 2, years ago to Thailand, passing its secrets from master to disciple in temples and later within families. The nuad Thai school, which has trained more than , massage therapists who practice in countries, first opened in The school's director Preeda Tangtrongchitr says they usually see an uptick in interest from Thais when the economy is bad.
But the training is demanding, said Chilean Sari, a professional masseuse who traveled to Bangkok to learn the discipline. For Matthieu Rochefolle, a nurse from Lyon, France, adding Thai massage techniques to his repertoire of skills could help his elderly patients aching for relief. Global Edition. Home Asia Pacific. Turning the tables Massage employs tens of thousands of Thais.
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