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Traditional Thai massage should be based on In 1982, Ayurveda Vidhayalai (Jivaka
major lineages or schools and on a diversity of Kumar Bhaccha) was created as a full-time
regional styles of community-based massage school offering a diploma program which
to truly reflect a wide variety of Nuad Thai combined TTM with Western medical
practices. knowledge. Its Thai massage training (referred
to as hattavej or manual therapy) stressed
Traditional Thai Massage Schools polite demeanoron the part of practitioners.
The Association of Ancient Medicine For instance, the practitioner must approach
of Thailand, the first of such societies, was the patient on the knees at the start of a
established shortly after the 1932 revolution, session, avoid exhaling too hard on him or
which ended the absolute monarchy in Siam. her, and massage with the thumbs, the tips of
Over the years that followed, a number of other fingers and palms only. Other concerns
similar associations, most of which located at included proper body positioning, the angles
Buddhist temples, were formed to offer TTM and amount of pressure to apply. The school
training including Thai massage. Classes were departed from a typical practice of starting
held on weekends. Instructions on were with the feet, preferring to work the thighs
hands-on and given by teachers who practiced or legs just below the knees first and move
in either the ratchasamnak tradition of court down to the ankles. Massage was performed
massagers or the folk style of chaloeysak. when the patient was in one of the following
Among well-known Thai massage positions: sitting, lying on oneโ€s back or side.
schools were the Association of Ancient Never with the patient lying face down.
Medicine of Thailand, the Ayurvedic It was forbidden to perform too forceful
Association of Thailand (originally located at joint mobilization and manipulation on any
Wat Sam Phraya), and Wat Po Thai Traditional parts of the body.
Medical and Massage School. Their massage
routines were fundamentally similar in Community-based Traditional Thai
respect of sen lines and massage points to Massage
be manipulated to stimulate senprathansib
or the ten main energy lines. But there were Another form of Nuad Thai can be
variations in hand techniques, massage found in communities throughout all regions of
positions, and sequences of body parts to be Thailand. Though generally referred to as folk
massaged. Stretching and pulling were later massage, these practices are known by their
incorporated into the routines. vernacular names such as au-en, toksen, yam
khang (North), nuad kid sen (Northeast), jab
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