Minister of Public Health Somsak Thepsutin has urged the public to be confident about traditional Thai massage, saying that the Ministry of Public Health had set guidelines for traditional Thai massage standards.
Referring to the death of a young singer in Udon Thani after sessions of massage that included neck twisting at a local massage parlor, Minister Somsak dismissed claims that the death was linked to Thai massage visits.
He said that results of an X-ray and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan conducted on the patient showed no evidence of cervical bone fractures or dislocations. This confirmed that the case was not linked to health complications from massage. The patient died from a severe blood infection.
The Department of Health Service Support has coordinated with the Udon Thani Provincial Public Health Office in checking the massage parlor involved. They found that the massage parlor, which is located in Udon Thani Mueang District, was licensed. All seven masseuses working there had registered as service providers in massage for health.
The Department of Health Service Support has been stepping up efforts to ensure the quality of Thai massage parlors across the country and their operations in accordance with the law.
Traditional Thai massage has been in existence since ancient times. Basically, it involves the use of hands to press, push, and rub along various parts of the body to relieve the strains and tensions of daily life. It has also become one facet of alternative healthcare.
The Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, under the Ministry of Public Health, has provided training in which people can learn proper techniques of massage for health. Many people enjoy the experience of traditional Thai massage, reflecting folk wisdom passed on from generation to generation.
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