Massage industry set for clean up, says health ministry

PUBLISHED: 24 Mar 2025 at 05: 05

On March 3, a statue of a contortionist draws visitors’ attention at Wat Pho, known as the centre of knowledge for Thai traditional physical therapy and massage. (Photo: Apichart Jinakul) — Wat Pho, known as the center of knowledge for Thai conventional physical therapy and treatment, is the site of a monument of a ventriloquist that draws visitors ‘ focus on March 3. ( Photo: Apichart Jinakul )

The Ministry of Public Health ( MOPH) is making more efforts to improve Thai massage services.

Kosit Suvinijjit, a minister of public health director, highlighted the rise in health-related firms, including healthcare resorts, but warned of a shortfall of around 50 000 Thai massage therapists in Thailand.

He cited concerns about contradictory standards and poor procedures, which have frequently equated Thai massage with brothels, and have damaged the profession’s reputation.

The distinction between poor services, traditional Thai massage, and nuad Thai was made even more clear.

According to him, Nuad Thai is now recognized by the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO ) as an intangible cultural heritage in 2019. He further stated that businesses using the term “nuad Thai” must uphold the required standards.

Mr. Kosit claimed that mistakes in the past had led to the erroneous association of Thai treatment with massage shops. &nbsp,

He forewarned the MOPH of its legal action against those who falsely represented the company.

He claimed that” Thai massage therapists deserve regard as a noble profession.”

The Ministry is also launching the “Skilled Regional Treatment Practitioner” project, which has a pilot program for 100 individuals and aims to advance the knowledge of local professionals who have acquired their skills through temple teachings or family customs.

The action will make sure that future generations can have access to this important knowledge, he said.

Thai massage instructors will also be categorized according to the amount of training hours, which may range from 60 hours for beginners to 500 to 800 hours for advanced students.

Higher qualification levels are related to higher earnings potential, he said, and the structure is intended to encourage practitioners to advance their skills and learn new techniques.

Mr. Kosit stated that service providers may change prices in response to the patient’s level of certification, and a star-rating program will be implemented to assist practitioners who want to advance their credentials and earn more money will be introduced.

Additionally, the government intends to teach an extra 20 000 Thai massage therapists, with a focus on injuries like muscle pain, frozen shoulder, and stroke recovery. The Ministry anticipates that these efforts will address the persistent shortfall and provide promising career opportunities.