Today, it has become difficult to determine the true origins of this practice. This is because all knowledge was passed down orally from teacher to student, and written records weren't considered an important part of the tradition. Various forms of Thai massage were practiced by nuns in Buddhist temples. This is precisely where its widespread popularity began.
A Heritage of the Crowned Heads
The first mentions of traditional Thai massage were found dating back to 1455 AD. These records describe how such sessions were used to effectively treat all members of the royal family.
One of the main pieces of evidence of the practice dates back to the period when the Chakri dynasty ruled the country. King Rama I promoted improving the health of the nation, not just members of the royal family. As a result, the knowledge that had accumulated over a long period was preserved. This gave a push to the development of medicine. His successors also continued this work and recorded medical knowledge more thoroughly. For example, Rama III issued a decree establishing the first university, which was located in a monastery.
In 1870, Rama V founded an academy that specialized in collecting all existing information on folk healing methods. It's worth noting that his court employed specialists who practiced massage. Unfortunately, during the Vietnam War, the reputation of massage was damaged. During this period, it became largely associated with the provision of sexual services to American soldiers.
In 1977, the World Health Organization held a conference focused mainly on traditional medicine. Over the years, the Organization managed to convince member countries to incorporate traditional methods into healthcare systems. It was at that time that the Thai government adopted a national policy to support this field.
Today
After that, Thai massage gradually began to gain significance in the country. Although modern healthcare never fully embraced classical medicine, it still got its chance to develop. This included improvements in training methods and the certification of practitioners. An important milestone for the field was the unification of practicing therapists in 1985. At that time, they developed the foundation and standards for a new stage of development. By 2004, every specialist was required to obtain special permission to work in a massage salon.