Table of Contents

ABSTRACT

The traditional healing system of Thailand is threatened by modern development. A number of scientific studies have recently concluded that the Traditional Thai medical system is effective and safe, but commercial forces are tempting the practitioners to leave the old ways, for more shallow practices, that helps patients less, but gives the practitioners more money. In the healing work, Thai traditional massage, the head, trunk, limps, hands, feet, inner organs i.e., the tongue, intestines, kidneys, liver, lungs, genitals, prostate and womb are massaged when needed. The Thai tradition of intimate body work is thus close to the European tradition of body work offered as part of holistic mind-body medicine, which has been practiced all over Europe for more than two thousand years, first described scientifically in the west by Hippocrates 400 BCE.

Keywords: Traditional healing, Thailand, Thai traditional massage, prostate massage, vaginal massage, pain, holistic mind-body medicine, Hippocratic mind-body medicine