How to Become a Thai Massage Practitioner
Thai massage is a form of massage that focuses on stretching over pressure. Although Thai massage is taught at many U.S. massage schools, it may be about the same price to study Thai massage in Thailand. The advantage of studying Thai massage in Thailand is the opportunity to explore and understand the culture from which the practice originated.
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Things You'll Need
- Contact information for Thai massage schools
- Passport
- Airplane ticket
- Hotel reservations (optional)
Instructions
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Studying in Thailand
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Consider studying Thai massage at a well know massage school in Thailand. Although Bangkok is the largest city in Thailand with many massage schools, Chiang Mai in northern Thailand has more.
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Contact several schools and select one at which to study. It is usually best to select a school accredited by the government of Thailand. Most schools offer week-long programs for certification in various aspects of Thai massage. If you can stay for several weeks or months, you should be able to complete a number of courses in advanced Thai massage. Most school courses run about a week and cost between 8,000 and 12,000 Thai baht, or between $300 and $400 U.S. dollars.
If you want more in-depth training, accredited massage schools in Thailand offer more in-depth courses that follow the initial basic course. Although the initial basic week course will qualify you to work in basic Thai massage, the more in depth course, especially something like a month long intensive professional course, will be more likely to help you achieve certification in some states in the U.S..
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Register with the school of your choice. The school may be able to help you with hotel accommodations in Thailand. Clean, safe, comfortable hotel accommodations in Thailand run between $20 per night for simple budget accommodations to several hundred dollars at high-end, five-star western hotels.
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Ensure that you have enough money for food, laundry and other things while studying. Food in Thailand is not very expensive. Your school should be able to give you more guidelines.
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Buy your airplane ticket after you have planned for expenses and registered for the school. For a week of studying massage in Bangkok or Chiang Mai, your airfare will be your largest expense. Discount airfare from the west coast of the United States runs between $700 and $1,000, depending on the season.
Transferring Thai Certifications to the U.S.
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Check your state's certification requirements. Each state has unique requirements. Some states either have no requirements for certification or may accept Thai government certified massage schools for state certification in the U.S.
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If your state requires certification from a school in the U.S., check with area schools to see if they will accept your Thai government certified training as part of their curriculum. Some schools may certify a number of introductory training hours from Thailand if you complete a more advanced course of study at their school.
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Consult out-of-state schools if you can't find a school in your state willing to work with your Thai certified training. Out-of-state schools may be willing to certify training from some Thai schools for a fee. If you are concerned about transferring the training hours, consult the U.S. based school before enrolling in the Thai school.
Training in the U.S.
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Locate a good school in the U.S. specializing in Thai massage. Be sure the school will be accepted by any massage therapy accreditation agencies in your state. Different states have different requirements.
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Find a school with training staff that has either studied Thai massage at a Thai government accredited school in Thailand or who has received massage certification by the Thai government based on coursework in the U.S. This will ensure that the practitioner has a good understanding and knowledge of both traditional Thai massage techniques and the medical and philosophical basis underlying the techniques.
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Attend the school's basic training course if you have no previous experience or training in Thai massage. If you have previous experience and training, see if the school will accept your training and issue any required state certification paperwork.
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Tips & Warnings
Many travel agencies offer package deals including tuition at massage schools. However, by contacting the schools directly and planning your own travel, you can both save money and ensure that the school you attend is accredited by the Thai government.
If you choose to study in Thailand, ask for lodging and advice on daily life from the school.
Some states may not accept Thai certification under any circumstances. Make sure you check your state requirements before deciding on a course of education.
