Introduced as late as the 1990's, spas have gained increasing popularity due to the influx of more expatriates, settling into the country.‘Thai style’ therapy or Traditional Thai medicine on the other hand, has been practiced for over 2000 years. It is in the blending of the Western style therapy and relaxation, and the Thai approach to natural and holistic medicine, that Thailand now has a thriving spa industry that can cater to the need of both Eastern and Western cultures.

Traditional Thai medicine is a natural, holistic approach to health and well-being and is broken down into four different branches of healing. These are Traditional Thai massage, physical exercise, proper nutrition and the use of medicinal herbs. The primary goal of Traditional Thai medicine is not just to cure diseases and ailments, but rather for the prevention of illness by maintaining health and well-being. As the ancient Thais believed, ‘The absence of illness is the best blessing.’ This medical knowledge developed by Thai people over thousands of years, has been passed down orally from one generation to the next, and become known as the ancient wisdom of Thailand.

Traditional Thai massage, also known as Thai Yoga Therapy, Nuad Phaen Boran, or Nuat Thai, is a therapeutic technique that dates back thousands of years, and incorporates Hatha Yoga, acupressure and reflexology. The precise origins of Thai massage are relatively unknown, but today’s practitioners trace their techniques back to Jivaka Komarabhacca. From Northern India, Shivago, as he was also known as, was a personal physician to the Sangha, a friend and physician to the Buddha and a renowned healer in Buddhist tradition.

The recorded history of Thai massage was lost during the Burmese attack on the royal capital of Ayutthaya in 1767. However inscriptions were carved into the stone at the Wat Pho temple in Bangkok. These inscriptions illustrate the primary beliefs of Traditional Thai medicine: that energy flows along the body along ten major channels, or sen lines. If an obstruction occurs in any of these channels, it is believed that pain or disease results. In this sense, traditional Thai medicine is similar to many other ancient healing systems, which believe that illnesses are caused by an imbalance or obstruction within the individual, or by an imbalance between an individual and his environment. Ancient Thais treated these illnesses by using massage to restore the flow of energy throughout the body. Traditional Thai massage is a deep, full-body treatment, which includes both stretching of the joints and muscles and applied pressure to the sen lines. It is these traditions that the Thais still practice to