Wellness disciplines

Thailand's best-known manual therapy, recognised by UNESCO in 2019, in which the practitioner presses, stretches and moves the body along the traditional sen lines.

A relaxing oil massage in which plant essential oils, diluted in a carrier oil, add scent to long gliding strokes, sometimes with warm stones.

A massage of the feet based on the idea that areas of the sole correspond to other parts of the body – widely offered in Thailand as a relaxing foot massage.

A Lanna folk technique in which the healer taps a wooden wedge with a small wooden hammer, sending rhythmic vibrations along the body's sen lines.

A rare Lanna “fire-foot” massage: the healer dips a foot in herbal oil, warms it on a plough blade heated in a fire, then presses the warm foot onto the body.

A deep, targeted folk technique in which the practitioner grasps, hooks and “plucks” the sen – the cord-like lines felt along muscles and tendons.

A hands-on massage of the belly, around the navel, presented by its teachers as a Taoist practice for the internal organs and emotional balance.

A Japanese hands-on therapy, received fully clothed, that uses finger and palm pressure plus gentle stretches along the body's traditional meridian lines.

Oil-based therapies from India's Ayurveda: Abhyanga, a full-body massage with warm oil, and Shirodhara, a steady stream of warm oil poured onto the forehead.

A relaxation massage adapted to pregnancy: side-lying or seated, moderate pressure, no work on the belly and extra care with the legs and essential oils.

A licensed manual-care profession, born in the United States, that focuses on the spine and joints, mainly using hands-on adjustments.

A licensed health profession that helps people develop, keep or regain movement and function through exercise, hands-on therapy and advice.

A hands-on approach from the United States that looks at how the body's structure and function interact, using a wide range of manual techniques.

A very light, rhythmic hands-on technique that aims to encourage lymph fluid to drain, mainly used to manage swelling such as lymphoedema.

Massage adapted to people who train or play sport, used before or after effort and during training periods to help with soreness and flexibility.

Thailand's own system of healthcare, combining herbal medicine, therapeutic massage, midwifery and a theory of the body's four elements.

A medical tradition from China that uses herbal medicine, acupuncture and related methods to restore balance in the body, based on ideas such as qi and yin–yang.

A practice from traditional Chinese medicine in which very thin, sterile needles are inserted at specific points on the body, most often to ease pain.

An ancient technique in which cups create suction on the skin, mainly used by people looking for relief from muscle pain and tension.

A traditional East Asian technique in which a smooth-edged tool is stroked firmly over oiled skin until red marks appear, mostly used for muscle aches.

An East Asian practice that warms specific points on the body with burning mugwort (moxa).

India's traditional 'knowledge of life', which combines diet, daily routine, herbal preparations and body therapies.

The use of plants and plant preparations to support health, from ancient traditions to Thailand's own herbal pharmacy.

A broad 'natural health' approach built on lifestyle, diet and a mix of complementary therapies.

A 200-year-old system using highly diluted remedies, for which major reviews find no reliable evidence of effect beyond placebo.

A Japanese practice in which a practitioner rests their hands lightly on, or just above, the body in a calm, quiet setting.

A modern energy-work practice built on the old Indian idea of chakras, 'wheels' along the spine, usually combining hands, breath, sound or stones.

A deeply relaxing listening experience in which you lie down while a practitioner plays singing bowls, gongs and other resonant instruments.

A no-touch energy-work system from the Philippines in which the practitioner moves their hands at a distance from the body to 'cleanse' and 'energise' it.

An age-old gesture of care in which a healer rests their hands on, or holds them near, a person to offer comfort, blessing or 'healing energy'.

A New Age practice in which stones such as quartz or amethyst are placed on or around the body, held or worn, with the aim of influencing energy and mood.

A self-help technique in which you tap with your fingertips on points of the face and upper body while focusing on a difficult feeling or memory.

A family of mental practices that train attention and calm, rooted in Buddhist tradition and practised widely in Thai temples.

Paying attention to the present moment, on purpose and without judgement – a form of meditation that has also become a structured secular programme.

Techniques that deliberately change the pace, depth or pattern of breathing – from slow, calming breathing to intense, fast-paced styles.

The use of hypnosis – a state of focused attention and heightened response to suggestion – to help change habits, thoughts or the experience of symptoms.

A European relaxation method that combines breathing, gentle movement, body awareness and positive visualisation, created in the 1960s.

A structured conversation with a coach to clarify goals and move towards them: a support for personal growth, not a treatment.

A form of psychotherapy in which making art, drawing, painting, clay, is used alongside talking, with a trained art therapist.

The use of music-based experiences, singing, playing, listening, improvising, by a trained music therapist to support health and well-being.

A talking therapy in which a trained counsellor listens without judgement and helps you find your own way through difficulties.

Clinical psychology is a health profession that assesses and treats psychological difficulties, mainly through evidence-based talking therapies: in Thailand, it is a licensed profession.

An ancient Indian practice that today usually combines physical postures, breathing techniques and meditation.

A method of controlled exercise, on a mat or on spring-based equipment, created by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century.

A Chinese practice of slow, relaxed, circular movements coordinated with the breath, which began as a martial art.

A family of Chinese practices combining slow, gentle movement, deep breathing and focused attention.

Thailand's traditional 'hermit self-stretching' exercises: slow postures combined with breathing, famous for the hermit statues at Wat Pho.

A form of psychotherapy that uses movement and dance to support emotional, social, cognitive and physical well-being.

Thai fortune telling (หมอดู, mor du) is a living cultural practice of reading palms, birth dates and temple fortune sticks to reflect on love, work and luck.

Astrology is a very old divinatory tradition that interprets the positions of the Sun, Moon and planets at birth; in Thailand it shapes dates, colours and ceremonies.

Tarot is a 78-card deck, born as an Italian card game, that is now widely used as a tool for reflection and fortune telling, including in Thailand.

Numerology is the belief that numbers, including those hidden in names and birth dates, carry mystical meaning; in Thailand it shapes choices of lucky phone numbers, licence plates and names.

Human Design is a modern self-knowledge system, created in 1987, that combines astrology, the I Ching, Kabbalah and Vedic philosophy into a personal chart called a bodygraph.

Thai folk healers (หมอพื้นบ้าน, mor phuen ban) are respected community healers who use local knowledge, herbs, bone setting and ritual, and can be officially certified in Thailand.

Shamanic healing refers to spiritual practices in which a practitioner enters a trance-like state to seek help from a spirit world; it is a cultural and spiritual practice, not a medical treatment.

Feng shui (ฮวงจุ้ย) is a traditional Chinese art of arranging homes, buildings and graves to harmonise with the flow of qi, widely consulted in Thailand for houses and businesses.

A dietitian is a licensed health professional who assesses your nutritional status and plans diet therapy, including for people living with a medical condition.

A nutritionist is trained in nutrition science and gives information and guidance on how food affects health and wellbeing.

Detox programmes and fasting are diets or routines that claim to cleanse the body; the body already removes waste through the liver and kidneys, and evidence for commercial detox programmes is weak.

A health coach is a partner in behaviour change who helps you set your own health goals and stay on track, without diagnosing or prescribing treatment.

A spa is a place built around care through water and touch, where massage, baths and steam are combined for rest and relaxation.

A yoga studio is a space where teachers lead group or private classes combining postures, breathing and meditation, from gentle to physically demanding.

A wellness retreat is a stay of several days built around activities such as yoga, meditation, healthy food, spa care and rest, away from everyday routines.

A meditation retreat is a period of intensive, usually silent practice in a monastery or meditation centre, following a strict daily schedule.

A Thai traditional medicine clinic is a licensed health facility where Thai traditional medicine practitioners examine patients and offer herbal medicines, therapeutic massage, herbal compresses and herbal steam.

A Thai herbal sauna (ob samunphrai) is a steam bath in which fresh or dried herbs are boiled so that you sit in warm, fragrant steam.

An ice bath, or cold water immersion, means sitting in very cold water, usually around 10–15 °C, for a short time.

Float therapy means lying on your back in shallow, very salty water at skin temperature, in a dark and quiet tank or room, so that you float effortlessly.