Nida Tunsuttiwong
Among the most popular activities cited by visitors to the kingdom when referring to their vacation ‘to do’ lists is ‘experience a traditional Thai massage’. And while it’s pretty easy to find a place offering massages near the country’s leading tourist destinations, it’s a good deal more difficult to find somewhere that offers traditional Thai massage tuition to locals and foreigners alike.
While the Bangkok temple of Wat Pho (the Temple of The Reclining Buddha) has built a long-term reputation internationally as an esteemed center for the tuition of Thai massage, aspiring masseurs and masseuses may not be aware of a center based in the northern province of Chiang Mai called the Thai Massage School Shivagakomarpaj.
Pioneering Founder
More widely referred to as the Old Medicine Hospital in English, Thai Massage School Shivagakomarpaj was established by Sinthorn Chaichakan, who learned the art of Thai massage at Wat Pho’s famous school of traditional medicine and Thai massage.
After spending three years in Bangkok deepening his knowledge and perfecting his technique, Sinthorn returned to Chiang Mai and established a small clinic offering traditional medicine near Wat Nantharam. The clinic moved on several occasions before settling at its current home on Wua Lai Road as the Classic Thai Medicine Hospital.
As part of the celebrations planned to mark its 50th anniversary next year, the clinic and school, which is now formally known as Thai Massage School Shivagakomarpaj, have been providing treatments and training under the theme ‘the past is the school’s future’.
Limited Local Interest
Parawat Poungpiam, who is the school’s director, pointed out that the name refers to the name of the Lord Buddha’s physician. Shivagakomarpaj was responsible for creating numerous herbal medicines, as well as a form of massage routine that would later become better known as Thai hermit exercises.
The school has won several major plaudits and been recognized for its dedication towards providing knowledge about Thai massage, both at local and international levels. Among the awards received by Sinthorn is a Long Life Award from the Thai Institute of Healing Arts in the US (http://www.thai-institute.com).
Parawat pointed out that over the past 50 years, over 70,000 people from around the world have attended the school’s training sessions. The majority of students, who tend to learn about the school through word of mouth, are from European countries, including France, Germany, Italy and Spain, while many others come from China, Poland, Russia, South Korea and the US. Only about 5% of all students are Thais, according to the school.
Parawat says people with an interest but zero knowledge should begin with a package that includes Level 1 and 2 of the school’s Thai Massage Course. A two-week package, which runs from Monday to Friday, will only set you back 9,000 baht (US$280), which includes free accommodation at the school’s homestay facility.
The Level 1 and 2 courses provide students with a basic knowledge about the human anatomy, various massage techniques, along with information about ethics. By the end of the program, students should be able to practice stretching massages, energy line massages, as well as acupressure.
Another benefit of learning at this school is that every course, including the Thai Technique Therapeutic Massage Course and the Thai Hot Herbal Compress Course, come with an English-language textbook.
Aiming High
Entrepreneurs interested in developing their own massage businesses need to pass a Level 4 course, along with a oil massage course, which represents an essential technique that every masseur or masseuse needs to be able to carry out.
During the course, students also learn how to incorporate traditional Lanna techniques with a oil massage technique. Such skills could be very useful for masseurs or masseuses looking to work in Europe, according to Parawat.
Those who successfully graduate are awarded a certificate, certified by the ministries of Education and Public Health, which can be used to apply for vacancies at massage centers or spas around the world. According to Parawat, up to 80% of graduates of the school had since been able to successfully establish their own businesses.
Thai Massage School Shivagakomarpaj: Promotions
- Phra Rue Sri Package - Buy seven Thai massage courses (@ 35,000 baht), get one free domestic air-ticket and accommodation (valid through year-end)
- Phuket residents are invited to join a seven-day Shivaga Aroma Well-Being Massage course, which will also be taught by international massage experts. The 14,900-baht fee includes a domestic air ticket and free accommodation (valid through year-end)
- Thai students can sign up for English courses (30 hours) for just 7,200 baht, or attend a Thai-language course (30 hours) for 4,900 baht (rates valid through until the end of August. |
Thai Massage School Shivagakomarpaj’s offices open daily from 9 am to 6 pm.
For further information, call Tel: +66(0)5 327 5085, e-mail info@thaimassageschool.com, or visit the school’s official website at http://www.thaimassageschool.ac.th
Transport Connections:
Air: Thai Airways and several budget carriers, including Air Asia, service the Bangkok-Chiang Mai route.
Rail: Trains run to Chiang Mai regularly from Hualamphong, Bangkok’s principal railway station. The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) also operates an overnight (sleeper) service.
Car: From Chiang Mai International Airport, take Route 1141 to Yak Sanambin (the airport intersection). Turn left at the intersection and drive towards the old Medicine Cultural Center. You will soon spot Shivagakomarpaj on your left-hand side.
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