Traditional Thai Massage

On Monday evening, four of us went to enjoy traditional Thai massages. When walking through the streets of both Bangkok and Chiang Mai, you'll notice that there are more massage places on each street than you can count. I've become used to seeing between four to ten massage places within eye sight scattered between restaurants and shops on busy roads. Seeming like more of an expensive luxury in the United States where many people go their entire life without having experienced a professional massage, massage is a part of both the Thai culture and healthcare system.

When I first arrived in Thailand I came with the notion that massages were for luxury, mainly for tourists. I soon realized that  massages were enjoyed by most people, regardless of age, gender, or financial status.

Converting the price of massages from their currency, Thai Baht, to the United States dollar (1 usd = 33 baht), I have seen an average price range of $10 to $20 for a one hour of massage. Due to traditional Thai massages not using resources like body oil or incense, I have found their pricing to be around $10 on average in Chiang Mai.

Unlike more common massage techniques that involve kneading and rubbing of muscles, this style of massage involves accupressure, the instructor twisting you into different yoga like positions, and realigning ones energies. During my massage, the instructor seemed to have found every pin point location in my body that was painful to press on, but at the end of it, a lot of my tension was relieved and I walked away feeling peaceful and relaxed.

What I love about healthcare in Thailand is their focus on treating the mind, body, and spirit as completely as possible. Incorporating massage into patient treatment is found in many doctors offices and it has been extremely interesting learning how complementary medicine is used in addition to the western medicine that we are already accustomed to.


~Natalie Underdown