Are you looking to learn Thai massage in Thailand? With so many options available, it can be difficult to decide which school is the best fit for you. From the Suai Thai Massage Training Center in Kathu, Phuket to the Sunshine Massage School in Chiang Mai, there are plenty of places to learn the ancient art of Thai massage. In this article, we'll explore some of the top schools in Thailand and what they offer. The Suai Thai Massage Training Center is a popular choice for backpackers looking to learn Thai massage.
They offer a range of different courses, from beginner to advanced levels. The school is known for its friendly atmosphere and knowledgeable instructors. The Sunshine Massage School is a kind of newcomer school, located in Chiang Mai. It has a mix of Western and Thai teachers who offer massage courses and workshops following the lineage of Asokananda (Harald Brust) of the Sunshine Network.
The school has grown rapidly over the past 10 years and has a multilingual website. Pichest Boontumme in Hang Dong (Chiang Mai area) is a one-person school. Pichest teaches alone and teaching is done in the style of “sitting at the teacher's feet”. He is perhaps the most influential and renowned living Thai massage instructor (of course, for the West).
Ong's Thai massage school in Chiang Mai has also grown rapidly in recent years. It's a medium sized massage school with about 10 teachers. They offer a variety of Thai body training modalities and some types of Western spa. Loi Kroh Massage is one of the schools established in Chiang Mai (since 1999).
It's known for its Reusi Daton training programs and abdominal and genital massages. In the past, the school was known for its private Thai massage training opportunities, but it's unclear if this is still the case today. Master Kraijakkri Rungrojsakulporn's Thailand Metta yoga and massage school, also known as Kong, is a small school that specializes in foot massages, reflexology, Thai massage courses and Ruesi Dat Ton (Thai yoga). CMS Academy is a large spa-focused school that offers every imaginable modality of Thai healing, body work and spa and spa training with Western modalities.
Ajarn Sinchai Sukparset is a blind Thai massage practitioner and teacher specializing in therapeutic massage. He specializes in Thai abdominal chi massage (Chi Nei Tsang) courses and in Thai genital massage training, also known as Karsei Nei Tsang. Master Mantak Chia is an influential teacher in Chin Nei Tsang (and marketing). He is the undisputed leader in the Thai abdominal and organ massage community.
Backpackers often take courses while in Thailand, especially in Chiang Mai, which is famous for its enthusiasm for ancient Thai traditions. If you're looking to obtain a government accredited Thai massage school certificate or good parallel knowledge, there are plenty of options available. You can take three-level courses or even attend events like the annual Thai massage circus near Luang Prabang, Laos. Studying in the west can generate excellent skills and hours to get a license, but it will lack the cultural element of Thailand and will cost more.
If you're looking to take a gap year in Thailand to learn Thai massage, herbology and permaculture, there are plenty of schools that offer certification or licensing programs.
