The styles of traditional Thai massage

We are sometimes asked by the advanced clients, which style of traditional Thai massage we specialize in – the Northern or the Southern? Since our studio is in Chiang Mai, we are often expected to provide exclusively the Northern-style massage.

So let’s find out what’s it all about!

First, what is traditional Thai massage itself? Its formal name in the Thai language is Nuat Phaen Boran which literally means the ancient-manner massage. It is clearly different from other types of Thai massage as there is no oil used, and the receiver sits or lies down on a padded mat on the floor while remaining fully clothed throughout. Thus, Aroma massage, Herbal compress massage, and so on can’t be considered “Nuat Phaen Boran”.

According to massage theory, two recognized schools of traditional Thai massage are the Southern and the Northern styles. Both of them have the same basic foundation, revere one and the same person as their founder, the legendary Shivago Komarpaj (Cheewok Komaraphat), and indeed use the same principles of work, despite the considerable difference in approaches.

What is the Southern Style of Thai massage?

Such a term has been entrenched behind a form of therapeutic bodywork, codified in the mid-19th century by the Center for Thai Traditional Medicine in Bangkok’s Wat Pho temple. This style nowadays is in use throughout all of Thailand, not only in the South, as well as the temple and its world-renowned school are considered the birthplace and spiritual home of Thai massage.

Bangkok at that time was largely inhabited by ethnic Chinese. No surprise that the then-current treatments in the Siamese capital were heavily influenced by Traditional Chinese Medicine which was regarded most authoritative in the region. From these same roots there also came Japanese Shiatsu Massage, sharing many similarities with the Southern Thai style.

The Southern school focuses primarily on deep acupressure to stimulate and open up life energy channels called Sen Lines. When these lines become deficient or blocked, symptoms of malaise occur, and the practitioner uses their hands, fingers, and other body parts to administer firm pressure, balancing or unblocking the flow of energy.

What is the Northern Style Thai massage?

The laid-back mountainous North of Thailand with the center in Chiang Mai, once the Kingdom of Lanna, is somewhat culturally different from the dynamic coastal South, once the Kingdom of Siam, which was open to influences from beyond the seas. It is believed that life in the northern region is still pretty relaxed and meditative, and the ancient Thai traditions related to Indian culture are best preserved right here.

In the 1960s, the famous Thai Massage practitioner Ajahn Sinthorn Chaichakan, who in the past graduated from the Wat Pho school, created the original blend of Lanna Thai and Northern Hill Tribe healing practices. He founded in Chiang Mai the medical institution known today as Thai Massage School Old Medical Hospital Shivagakomarapaj, the oldest center for developing the so-called “Northern” style of Thai massage.

The Northern school has significant Indian influence through the ancient Lanna Kingdom, including the elements of Hatha Yoga, Ayurveda, and Herbal Therapy. It focuses on applying deep static pressure, stretching exercises, and rhythmic massage strokes to release tension and ease stressed muscles. Although this massage is gentler and slower than the Southern one, it can still be very strong at times.

In fact, little do the Thais outside of massage schools consider the Southern and Northern styles of Nuat Phaen Boran and whether they differ. Distinctions between Royal and Folk traditional Thai massage seem to be more meaningful for the Thai people – because of the great attention that is always paid in Thai culture to the observance of social etiquette!

What is a Royal Thai massage?

Royal Thai massage or Nuad Rajchasumnak (Court massage) is a particular kind of Southern-style Thai massage, developed in order to treat the members of The Royal family and aristocracy. It requires the masseur to strictly adhere to specific rules of non-intimacy, great respect, and courtesy of the high-ranking patient.

The main rule is that the therapist must stay during the treatment on their knees, retaining an arm’s length distance from the patient, and never cross the patient’s body or even breathe on it. Therefore, the giver must keep their arms wholly straight and can use only their thumbs, fingers, and palms to apply pressure on the energy lines in the receiver’s body.

It is, for this reason, Royal Thai massage is based solely on the principles of strong acupressure and doesn’t involve any stretching and stroking manipulations. Its practitioners must have such strong hands and fingers that one of the entrance requirements for the learners is the ability to perform “floor lifting”, i.e. lifting up one’s body with fingers pressed on the floor while sitting in a cross-legged position.

How about Folk Thai Massage?

Folk Thai massage or Nuat Chaloiesak (Unofficial massage) is a bit of a grab bag for various massage practices used by indigenous folk healers and family members in rural communities all across the country. Not being bound by any common protocols but grounded on local traditional medicine, these techniques focus primarily on working with tense and tight villagers’ muscles due to their intense labor occupations.

In contrast to Royal massage, “Commoner” massage isn’t considered to be very “courteous”. A folk practitioner usually works in close and intimate contact with the receiver’s body and often uses their own body weight to apply acupressure, spinal twists, and stretches. These manipulations can be done not only with the masseur’s thumbs, palms, arms, and elbows – but with their knees, feet, and heels as well.

Folk massage is often viewed as a popular version of the Northern style Thai Massage, which is not quite right, but rather the Northern Style is a codified and ennobled version of Nuat Chaloiesak. Another version of Folk Thai massage called Thai yoga massage is actively developed now in Western countries. Furthermore, there’s a lesser-known Thai Lanna massage in the Chiang Mai area which is also rooted in the native treatment practices.

But that’s not all – there is also a “Thai-style” Massage!

The typical Thai massage establishment, unless it is not related to a healthcare facility or school, doesn’t get too hung up on all these styles. The services provided there usually may be deemed as Nuat Phaen Thai or just Thai-manner massage, combining techniques from different teachers and traditions. The choice of the technique depends not on the commitment to a particular teaching but on customer requests and the individual background, experience, and physical abilities of a particular employee.

Hence even Khmer, Burmese, Hill Tribe, and any other distinct massage methods, passed through generations in the masseuse’s home village, can be used sometimes under the brand of Nuat Phaen Thai. On the other side, certified practitioners largely incorporate some kind of a blend of the Northern and Southern styles into their work, and so do most Thai massage schools teach their learners both styles at the same time.

The specialization solely on one certain modality of Thai massage is rare. The Southern or Northern style can be found alone in treatment protocols in clinics of traditional Thai medicine, respectively in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. And, as one might guess, “Royal style Thai massage”, promoted by some spas in highly-touristed areas, has nothing to do with the actual Royal massage – it’s deceptive marketing!

So which style do we prefer?

Unless otherwise agreed, Kunlarat Massage therapists also tend to perform traditional Thai massage in the eclectic style that is worded in the description of the service as “the combining of the elements of stretching yoga and acupressure techniques”. The specific ratio of these “Northern” and “Southern” elements depends on how our masseuse or masseur understands the needs of a given client.

However, it should be recognized that as a result of working many years in Taiwan (La, Manee, Saai) and Korea (Da) or training at the Traditional Chinese Medicine School in Bangkok (Bee) we can be more inclined to firm acupressure methods, which much sought after in East Asian countries. Please let us know if there is any way that we can improve your treatment or comfort – for example, heavier or lighter massage pressure!

Short Thai glossary on the topic

Term and its literal meaning	What it is	Where can be found
นวดแผนโบราณ (nûuat păen boh-raan) “Massage in ancient style”	Massage in exact accordance with Wat Pho medical wisdom inscribed on its stones	Mostly in Thai massage schools and clinics of traditional medicine
นวดราชสำนัก (nûuat râat-chá-săm-nák) “Royal Court massage”	Massage based on Wat Pho medical wisdom and strict adherence to Thai Royal Court etiquette	In the places where the Members of the Thai Royal Family receive medical care
นวดแบบเชลยศักดิ์ (nûuat bàep chá-loiie sàk) “Massage in an unofficial manner”	Variety of folk healing practices, sometimes quite exotic even by Thai standards. Dim view of Wat Pho medical wisdom	In remote rural and ethnic minority areas
นวดแผนไทย (nûuat păen tai) “Massage in Thai style”	Freestyle involving Thai massage techniques preferred by a specific massage therapist	In a vast majority of the conventional massage establishments
นวดไทย (nûuat tai) “Thai massage”	An umbrella term for all types and modalities of Thai massage	As the name of the service, it might be the shortening for “nûuat păen tai”, see the above