The Thai massage is a kind of traditional therapy with a long history. It origin can be traced as far back to ancient west India 2500 years ago and the founder was Jiwako Koma, court doctor to the Indian King Bimbimsara. Dr. Jiwako was also the personal physician of the Lord Buddha. His traditional medicine, massage knowledge and technique were introduced to Thailand by the first group of missionary monks who spread and developed it. Today Jiwako Koma is still respected as the father of medicine by the Thai people.
Image of Dr. Jiwako
In the 18th century, during the rule of King Nikolo or Ramam the 3rd. in order to inherit and develop the true essence of traditional medicine theory, the king called together the then traditional doctors and widely absorb their traditional medicine and valuable massage experiences, transcribed them into words, inscribe them into marble tablets and inlaid them on a corridor wall in the temple of the Sleeping Buddha in Wat Po.
Today, people can still see these inscriptions, and Wat Po has become an important base for training traditional Thai Massage.
Thai massage was the highest rite for Thai Kings in ancient times to receive distinguised imperial guests. Currently, in Thailand especially in tourist region, massage centers can be seen everywhere. The number of people engaged in this work is far more than that in other countries.
The characteristics of Thai massage adopt exquisite finger, palm, elbow and foot pressing and other manipulations with stress on carrying out repeated pulling, stretching, pushing and grasping of four limbs and various muscles in the human body to make the moment of various joints normal or super normal. In particular stamping, rolling and swinging of spine and four limb joints and massage beautifying of face make people feel happy and relaxed and fresh looking.
Thai massage requires about 2 hours for each senior. Most local people enjoys this massage and all who tour Thailand like to experience it because it only eliminate fatigue, but also has obvious curative effect to human muscle injury, gout and inflammation.
Traditional Thai Massage Mural at Wat Po
Bro. Ooi Peng Cheng runs a Japanese Shiatsu Therapy, Aroma Therapy, and Reflexology Clinic at Wan Ching Yuen Centre every Wednesday morning and at Than Wah Wan every Monday.