5 Reasons To Study Thai Massage In Thailand

 Why learn Thai Massage in Thailand?

Every year thousands of people come to Thailand to study Thai Massage. They have a number of reasons:

• It’s cheaper than in the western world ( for short stays the airfare and accommodation cost will eat up the difference, but for longer study periods this is definitely true)
• There is a large selection of Thai Massage schools (very true)
• The perception is that the training is more authentic or better (not always true)
• The easy and cheap availability of massage treatments (very true and an important factor)
• It’s just more fun being in Thailand (the atmosphere, the people, the smiles, the entertainment, the food)

Thai Massage study in a pleasant environment

For the purpose of this article we will shine a spot light on the last reason, that it’s more enjoyable being in Thailand.

When you study Thai Massage, the quality of education, the cost, and the school selection are all important.

However it does make a big difference if you stay in a boring Motel 6 room in a city which has no atmosphere compared to staying in a holistic hot spot with a vibrant massage community and lots of possibilities for other activities.

That’s what you find in Thailand!

Where to study Thai Massage in Thailand?

I often get asked what’s the best place to learn Thai Massage in Thailand. This depends on several factors:

• If you want to be near beaches, then the best choice would be an island in the southern part of Thailand like Ko Samui, Ko Phangan or Phuket.
• If you like big city life or you like the curriculum of the famous Wat Po school, then you would have to be in Bangkok.
• If you prefer to have the biggest choice of schools, a city with lots of atmosphere, the lowest cost of living, a vibrant holistic community, spectacular natural surroundings, and lots of things to do, then Chiang Mai would be your best choice.

Overall Chiang Mai has by far the most factors in it’s favor. Just keep in mind that there are no beaches within a 1000 kilometers.
In this article we will focus on Chiang Mai.

When should you go

The next question I get asked a lot is what’s the best time of the year to visit Thailand. Let’s start out with the time which you should avoid. That’s March, April and May.

These months are extremely hot, and in the case of Chiang Mai suffer from horrendous air pollution due to agricultural burning. (If you go to the southern islands, the air pollution is not an issue, but it is still hot).

The most pleasant months in Chiang Mai are November, December and January. That’s when the days are warm and the nights cool down. That’s a big advantage in a country which is almost always hot. That’s also the festival season – more about that later.

July through September is rainy season in Chiang Mai, but generally it doesn’t rain so much that it will inconvenience you a lot (there can be exceptions). The advantage of this time period is that the cloud cover keeps the temperatures down and that the air is cleaner.

Which Thai Massage school should you choose?

I get asked this question a lot, but it is impossible to answer, because it depends on your personal preference:

• Do you prefer a small intimate school with a local feeling?
• Do you prefer a large school with a massive curriculum, big classes, and a variety of training options to choose from?
• Do you prefer one-on-one training where you work directly with a teacher?
• How much time and money do you have? Do you want to take an introductory Thai Massage class or a full fledged multi month training program?
• What teaching style and class options appeal to you most?
• Do you want to learn from one specific teacher or in a larger institutionalized environment where you don’t get to choose a teacher

Finding the best school for you

As you can see, there are many options. There is no ONE best school. If there were, everyone would study Thai Massage there and all other schools would go out of business.

However there might be ONE best school for YOU and your preferences. The only way to find out is to do research on the internet. Look for reviews, check trip advisor and thailand forums.

Read the website of the schools to find out what they offer, where they are located, if they are in town or out of town, compare prices etc.

If you have plenty of time, you can also just show up in Chiang Mai and then visit several Thai Massage schools before you make your decision. 

Chiang Mai advantages

This is without doubt the most atmospheric major city in Thailand. Here are some factors:

• It has a very low cost of living (much cheaper than Bangkok)
• It has a laid back atmosphere with a slow pace of life
• People are generally friendly and tolerant
• There are lots of attractions in and around Chiang Mai
• The natural surroundings are spectacular. The city is surrounded by mountains
• The pleasant winter climate is better than any other place in Thailand
• It is a very safe place to be, even for single women
• It has the biggest selection of Thai Massage schools in Thailand
• Excellent food with plenty of healthy and vegetarian choices

The festival season in Chiang Mai

I already mentioned that November, December and January have the best climate. However this season is also famous for it’s spectacular festivals. 

These are mostly multi day events with huge colorful parades, floats, fireworks, thousands of fire balloons lighting up the sky, and a party atmosphere. People come from all over Thailand and all over the world to see those festivals.

The Thais are true masters at putting on amazing festivals with lots of entertainment, great food, dancing, competitions, shows, and colorful parades.

The main festivals are:

• Loi Krathong in the second half of November
• Kings’s birthday (December 5)
• New Year (December 31 – January 1)
• Flower festival (February)
• Songkran, the Thai New Year (April)

The dates of some of these festivals are calculated by the lunar calendar which means that they happen on different dates every year.

Other entertainment

Besides the above mentioned festivals there are plenty of smaller events happening, like the famous Sunday market in Chiang Mai which is a weekly festival all by itself.

And if there is no festival happening, you can find lots of other things to do like mountain treks, hill tribe village visits, elephant camps, adventure activities, zoo, botanical garden, tiger kingdom (you get to hug a tiger), snake farms, orchid farms and many others.

Or you can rent a scooter and drive through stunning scenery right outside of Chiang Mai.

What if you cannot study Thai Massage in Thailand?

Regardless of the advantages which you might find in Thailand, most people will not travel half way around the world to learn Thai Massage. 

• They might not have the time or the money
• They have family and children whom they cannot leave
• They have jobs which do not allow them extended holidays
• They do not feel comfortable with major travel abroad
• They would prefer to learn in their own environment
• They are looking for an easier, more convenient solution
• They want good training without a major financial investment

The ‘Study Thai Massage Online’ Solution

This is where Thai Healing Massage Academy offers the perfect solution. You can learn Thai Massage right from your home, at your own pace, and in a convenient way.

The training is excellent and detailed. It includes videos and text material which you receive gradually. In this way you have enough practice time and don’t get into an overwhelm mode like when you receive all training material at once.

The instructor, Shama Kern,  is a veteran Thai Massage teacher with 16 years of experience. He has been living in Thailand for over a decade. 

You will feel like in a classroom without having to leave your home.

This solution will work best if you are already a massage therapist or yoga practitioner/teacher. If you are not sure if online training is for you, check out this article.

On top of the Thai Massage training you will also receive lots of fascinating material about Thailand – it’s culture, it’s beauty, it’s massage scene, it’s people etc.

You will feel like you are in close contact with Thailand without having to travel there. It’s not a dry study program but a unique learning experience with atmosphere and cultural content. 

Thai Healing Massage Academy offers 20 online training programs which cover Thai Massage and many highly specific therapeutic methods to turn you into a Thai Massage expert.

You can start with a free introductory video course or, if you are ready to really study Thai Massage, check out or most popular training program.

The author, Shama Kern, has been practicing and teaching Thai Massage for 18 years. He is the founder and director of Thai Healing Massage Academy and the creator of 20 online Thai Massage video training courses.