Welcome to our analysis today. We'll try to take a closer look at the history of Thai massage based on the materials we've gathered.
We want to understand how this fascinating healing art developed, what its roots are – and they seem truly complex.
Indeed, it’s not an easy task. Reconstructing such a complete history is quite a challenge, as unfortunately very few medical texts from before the 19th century have survived.
War destruction, the tropical climate – all of that took its toll.
Exactly. That’s why sources suggest we shouldn’t look for one single line of development, right?
It’s better to see modern Thai massage as the result of...
well, at least five different historical layers of influence.
Exactly. That’s probably a better approach. We can try to break it down. Maybe let's start with Buddhism?
Good idea. Theravāda Buddhism seems essential.
Yes, it’s the foundation. Many medical texts in Thailand draw directly from Buddhist teachings about the body, disease, and healing,
and you can see it in massage practice in the emphasis on ethics and compassion.
That’s the famous *metta* and, very importantly, the mindfulness of the masseur – mindfulness of their own breath, but also of the client’s body.
Mhm. And here we immediately see the figure of Jivaka Komarabhacca, the legendary doctor of the Buddha. He’s more than just a patron, right?
Definitely. His figure roots the whole practice in that Buddhist healing tradition based on compassion. A powerful symbol.
Sure.
Let’s move on to the second layer – Ayurveda.
Where did that come from in Thailand?
Ayurveda? Well, it came from India. Along with Buddhism, those influences intertwined. Thai medical texts show clear traces of Ayurveda.
For example, the concept of *doshas* – the body constitution types – or the idea of the four elements: earth, water, fire, and air. But especially important is the concept of *lom*.
Lom – that’s the energy, the air element?
Exactly.
Lom, meaning wind – the energy of wind. It’s the force that animates the body. And that comes directly from Indian subtle physiology. Interestingly, this *lom* concept was widely adopted, while other Ayurvedic ideas weren’t as influential. That shows a kind of selective adaptation in the Thai context.
I see. Many people also associate Thai massage with yoga-like positions?
Right. And that leads us to the third layer – also very important.
Yoga.
Yes. Specifically, the system of exercises known in Thailand as *luesi dat ton*, meaning roughly “stretching exercises of the rishis” or sages. It’s very close to hatha yoga. It had a big influence on the positions used in massage. Even more interestingly, the energy lines – *sen* – in Thai massage...
Yes.
...have their counterparts in the *nadi* channels of yoga.
Yes.
Sometimes they even share the same names. But again, we see that selective system – chakras, central to yoga, are practically absent in traditional Thai massage.
It’s fascinating how flexibly it was all adapted. The fourth layer includes other external influences, mainly Chinese, right? How did they appear?
Well, centuries of Chinese communities living in Siam and later Thailand must have left a mark.
Yes.
As a result, Thai massage today includes elements of Chinese medicine – like modified foot reflexology, acupressure techniques, or even abdominal massage, *tuina*.
Aha.
Some researchers even suggest that similarities between *sen* lines and Chinese meridians may come from there, though that’s still debated. And we shouldn’t forget other influences, like Khmer magical practices. It was all blending together.
We’re now reaching the fifth layer, which seems to tie everything together.
Indigenous Thai medicine.
Definitely.
I’d say this is the most pervasive, fundamental layer.
It worked like a filter.
All those external influences passed through this filter
and took on a unique Thai character.
Modern massage is deeply infused with local healing traditions.
Like what, for example?
Well, for instance, *yam keng* – walking on the back.
Or traditional bone-setting techniques.
Or the very distinctive *tok sen*.
That’s the rhythmic tapping of body points
with a special wooden hammer and wedge.
Tok sen – I’ve heard of that.
So, these five layers create an image of extraordinary complexity.
Sources also emphasize that the practices themselves were very diverse.
There wasn’t a single top-down tradition.
Absolutely not.
That’s worth remembering.
Different schools.
Different teachers.
Each one combined these layers in their own way.
Created their own style.
There was also a clear divide.
In villages, massage was let’s say less formalized.
Passed on orally.
Often by healers, somewhat shaman-like.
Deeply rooted in local animistic beliefs.
And often reluctantly shared with outsiders.
And at the royal court.
In Ayutthaya and later in Bangkok.
There it was different.
Yes, definitely different.
Court tradition was more formalized.
Based on written texts.
And you can see stronger, more academic Indian and Ayurvedic influences there.
Yogic ones too.
The most famous example is the artifacts from Wat Pho temple in Bangkok.
From the 1830s.
Exactly those.
Sixty plaques with engraved energy line diagrams, points,
and statues showing yoga and self-massage postures.
This shows an attempt by the court elite to systematize the knowledge.
Though it must be added that most of those original statues were unfortunately destroyed.
They’re now being reconstructed.
But importantly, the sources urge us to approach these artifacts with caution, right?
Their historical significance and direct connection to later teachings,
even within Wat Pho itself, is unclear.
It seems the knowledge was available mainly to the elite.
That’s a key caveat.
These materials from Wat Pho shouldn’t be seen as a universal model of Thai massage from that era.
They’re more like a snapshot – an image from a specific courtly context.
A very important snapshot, but still limited.
I see.
So the main conclusion from all of this is that
there’s no such thing as one authentic, original form of Thai massage.
It’s a living, dynamic art.
Multi-layered.
Its development was decentralized, depending on individual masters and local customs.
Exactly.
And instead of looking for some mythical true form,
maybe it’s better to simply appreciate this fascinating diversity.
It reflects a rich history, a vibrant culture of Thailand.
That’s true.
And maybe it’s worth reflecting, in the end,
how an awareness of all these layers
from Buddhist spirituality to subtle Ayurvedic and yogic concepts,
to indigenous techniques like *tok sen*,
how all of this might affect our perception,
our personal experience of Thai massage?
That’s a good question.
I think it lets us view the experience with much more depth and respect for its complexity.