Historically speaking the knowledge of traditional Thai massage reached South East Asia some 2500 years ago. It is said to have been introduced then by a doctor from Northern India by the name of Jivaka Kumar Bhacca, a contemporary of Buddha and personal doctor of the Magadra King Bimbisara. Kumar Bhacca is known to have been a friend of Buddha and a doctor for the Byddhist monks. He is mentioned in the Pali Kanon, the old texts of Buddhism of the Southern school of Theravada (found today mainly in Sri Lanka, Burma/Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand).
In the 17th century mention was made of medical texts written in the Pali language and Khmer scrpt on palm tree leaves. These old texrs seem to have been of great importance and were worshipped almost in the same way as the Buddhist writings. However, when in 1767 the ancient royal town of Ayutthaya was destroyed by burmese conquers, the old texts were largely lost. Only fragments survived which King Rama III in 1832 used as a basis for the famous epigraphs of the Phra Chetup Temple (Was Pho) in Bangkok.
The most famous massage school, The Wat Pho Traditional Medical School, is also a part of this temple.
This is a dry (without oil) treatment done with a thin massage gown, on a mattress placed on the ground. In addition to their fingers, the thai massage use hands, elbows, knees and feets very effectively during the massage of physiological points. You will find that you are fresher both physically and mentally when you are finished, and you will feel more active and balanced.
