After having had a fascinating dive in the Andaman Sea or after a night dancing in one of Patong’s discos, a relaxing massage done by the soft hands of Thai girls will help to refresh and revive you. Thai traditional massage is one of the most famous recreational activities in Thailand (this should not be confused with Full Body Massage, offered in specialized massage parlors like Christins in Patong Beach).

Practiced for centuries and passed down verbally from one generation to the next, from teacher to student or from parent to child, traditional Thai massage has a long history.

The roots of this way of therapeutically healing and recreation go back to India. Jivaka Komabhacca, a doctor friend and contemporary of Buddha, is believed to be the founder of this practice over 2.500 years ago. The heavy Indian influence on the southeast Asian cultures including Thailand and the Malay peninsula, helped spread the knowledge about massage rapidly throughout the region. Ancient Chinese medical techniques, brought in by a large number of immigrants, had further influence on Thai massage.

At the time that Thai culture came to full flower under the kings of Ayutthaya, a large collection of medical texts about Thai massage and its techniques existed. But with the Burmese invasion of 1776, leading to the destruction of the capital, most of these scriptures were lost forever. What was left was carved in the Wat Poh in Bangkok in 1832 by order of King Rama III, who wanted to preserve this great tradition.

According to these inscriptions, the theoretical basis of Thai massage are energy lines, of which the major ten are called “Sen”. Important acupressure points are located on these lines which run through the body and working on them will help to remove blockages of energy flow.

Therapeutic massage for treatment of specific conditions and diseases is also practiced in Thailand, but only by a small number of skilled practitioners. For a good experience of popular Thai massage, a massage girl from one of the many massage parlors all over Phuket or even one of the beach girls offering a massage for a few Baht will suffice.