Traditional medicine clinic
Places & experiences
Traditional medicine clinic
คลินิกแพทย์แผนไทย
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.
IntensityModerate
Origin
Thailand
History
Traditional knowledge long passed from teacher to student; regulated as a profession under the Thai Traditional Medicine Profession Act of 2013
Licence in Thailand
Required
01
Where it comes from
Thai traditional medicine (TTM) is a healing system rooted in Thai culture that the Global Wellness Institute describes as approaching health as a balance between body, mind, nature and community, using herbs, massage, diet and breath.
For a long time this knowledge was passed down within families and from teacher to student. Successive Thai laws, from 1923 onwards, gradually moved training into schools, clinics and universities. Since the Thai Traditional Medicine Profession Act of 2013, training is accredited by the Thai Traditional Medical Council, and the newer field of applied Thai traditional medicine, which combines traditional knowledge with modern science, is taught only at university level.
Today TTM clinics exist both as private clinics and as departments inside public and university hospitals, such as the Center of Applied Thai Traditional Medicine at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok.
The principle
Unlike a spa, a TTM clinic is a healthcare setting. A licensed practitioner takes a history and examines you according to Thai traditional medicine principles, then may suggest herbal medicines, therapeutic massage, hot herbal compresses, herbal steam or advice on diet and lifestyle.
Many of these practices are traditional and some have been studied in small clinical trials in Thailand, with mixed results; a TTM clinic is best seen as a complement to, not a replacement for, conventional medical care.
What people come for
- Get a consultation based on Thai traditional medicine
- Receive therapeutic Thai massage from a licensed practitioner
- Try hot herbal compresses or herbal steam
- Get advice on Thai herbal medicines
- Postpartum care in the Thai tradition
- Support for everyday aches, sleep or stress alongside regular medical care
How it works on the body
Clinic treatments combine examination, hands-on therapy, heat and herbs, chosen by the practitioner for each person.
A session, step by step
- 01
Registration
You register as a patient, as in any clinic or hospital department.
- 02
Examination
A licensed practitioner asks about your symptoms and health history and examines you.
- 03
Treatment plan
The practitioner suggests one or more treatments, such as massage, compress, steam or herbal medicine.
- 04
Treatment
Treatments take place on site; for example, a herbal steam session at Siriraj lasts 30 minutes.
- 05
Advice and follow-up
You may receive herbal medicines, home advice and a suggestion to return for follow-up visits.
Precautions
- Tell the practitioner about all your medical conditions, medicines, pregnancy and allergies, especially before herbal medicines.
- Herbal steam raises heart rate and body temperature and can lower blood pressure; people with heart conditions or blood pressure problems should ask first.
- Keep seeing your doctor for diagnosed conditions and do not stop prescribed medicines.
- Check the clinic is licensed: in Thailand, a licensed TTM clinic shows a white sign with blue letters and an 11-digit licence number, and practitioners' photos and licence numbers are displayed.
Complementary practice: does not replace medical advice.
05
In Thailand
In Thailand, practising Thai traditional medicine requires a professional licence under the Thai Traditional Medicine Profession Act B.E. 2556 (2013), overseen by the Thai Traditional Medical Council; practising without one is punishable by up to 3 years in prison or a fine of up to 60,000 baht. A TTM clinic is also a medical facility that must be licensed under the Medical Facilities Act B.E. 2541 (1998) and run by a licensed practitioner. Thai PBS advises checking for the white sign with blue letters and an 11-digit licence number, a current fee receipt, and photos with licence numbers of the practitioners. The Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine of the Ministry of Public Health promotes TTM, which is also offered in many public hospitals.
Frequently asked questions
How is a TTM clinic different from a massage shop?
A massage shop is a health establishment for relaxation. A TTM clinic is a licensed medical facility where licensed practitioners examine and treat patients.
Who works in a TTM clinic?
Practitioners licensed in Thai traditional medicine or applied Thai traditional medicine, a field taught at university level.
Can it replace my regular doctor?
No. It can be a complement, but keep your doctor informed and continue prescribed treatment.
How do I check a clinic is legal?
Look for the white sign with blue letters and an 11-digit licence number, and for practitioners' photos with their licence numbers inside.
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Sources
- Thai PBS News – Thai traditional medicine practice requires a professional licence (Thai Traditional Medicine Profession Act B.E. 2556; Medical Facilities Act B.E. 2541); how to check a licensed clinic
- Thai Traditional Medicine Education System from the Past to Present. Health & Wellness Education Journal (TCI)
- Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Center of Applied Thai Traditional Medicine – Ayurved Clinic services (Siriraj Piyamaharajkarun Hospital)
- TCIJ (May 2020) – Thai Traditional Medicine Clinics Reopen (Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine statements)
- Global Wellness Institute (Aug 2025) – Wellness Tourism Initiative: Thailand case study
- Tungsukruthai P. et al. (2018) Efficacy and safety of herbal steam bath in allergic rhinitis: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Integrative Medicine 16(1):39-44
- Efficacy of Herbal Steam Bath in Reducing Muscle Pain: a Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Health Science of Thailand
- The Effect of Herbal Steam Bath in Cloth Tents on Vital Signs and Body Weight in Healthy Volunteers (Siriraj Applied Thai Traditional Medicine). Journal of Thai Traditional & Alternative Medicine