TRAINING Except for the advanced courses, there are
no entrance requirements and with a stu- dent/teacher ratio of four to one, learning is intense and very hands-on. Advance registration is preferred but it’s
not uncommon for international students to be accommodated on a drop-in basis; con- sequently during any given class, tutors might be teaching several levels to various nationalities. Beginners are clearly identified with numerous ink spots running up and down their limbs to illustrate the pressure points of the body.
DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE
Completing the General Thai Massage course is the aim for most registrants. Te course covers 30 hours of practical and theo- retical classes, which is taught over five days and costs thb8,500 (us$260, €210, £170). Te five key learning areas include pres-
sure points to release energy, massage techniques to relax muscles – Wat Po TTM teaches an especially deep method that relaxes nerves and readies the muscles for stretching – a reflexology-style foot mas- sage, additional techniques for women and the application of herbal compresses to de- stress core muscle groups. To pass, students must attend 100 per cent
of the classes and are assessed via a practi- cal test – although it’s quite subjective and a teacher might choose to reject a student who doesn’t seem to have the right attitude, focus, intuition, touch or academic grooming.
INTERNATIONAL WAT PO TTM STUDENTS
“Thai massage has become a very stylish thing to do. I wanted to learn from the best and Wat Po is the top school, so I came to Thailand. You learn such a lot in a short time that it can be hard to remember. Surprisingly, language isn’t an issue as everyone learns by watching and doing. It’s a very practical course that’s half fun and totally professional.”
Christa Zschau, Ulm, Germany
“I was working in Malaysia with a friend who had just finished a course at Wat Po and really inspired me to give it a go. I’m already a practising massage therapist and it helps to have an understanding of anatomy. Thai massage is quite different to learn; it’s going to be a great additional skill back home.”
Andrew Funk, Melbourne, Australia
“Wat Po’s fame is lore. I was coming to Thailand anyway so thought I would take the opportunity to learn a new skill. Thai Massage is just beginning to catch on in the UK so I hope to be at the start of the wave.”
Chris Pimlott, Blackpool, UK
Foreign students who complete the course
earn a Certificate of Pride which recognises their acquisition of the basic concepts. Tai nationals, however, must attend an
additional two weeks of classroom theory which includes classes in phys- iology and anatomy as well as lessons focusing on the circu- latory, renal and reproductive systems. This course content has been developed in associa- tion with Bangkok’s Bumrungrad International hospital and the Ministry of Health and has added a degree of standardisation, as well as bringing a depth of knowledge to what is essentially still an intuitive, familial practice that is passed from one genera- tion to the next. Once this extra stage is
Pupils can eat at the onsite cafe for less than a dollar 62 Read Spa Business online
spabusiness.com / digital
completed, nationals earn a Certificate of Achievement – the equivalent to a college diploma, which enables them to practise in Tailand. Foreigners are wel- come to attend theory classes for a higher certificate but all lessons are conducted in Tai. Students also have the option to pursue the equivalent of a col-
lege degree, but only at the Chetawan Salaya Health School where longer term, residen- tial courses include Level II, Tai Medical Massage which covers aspects of traditional medicine and pharmacy, as well as spa ther- apies such as nail care and body treatments. Tere are also diploma-like courses in aro- matherapy herbal steam and oil massage remedies designed to enhance the school’s key focus of Tai massage.
THAI PRIORITIES
While no financial subsidies exist to assist international students, Tai nationals can apply for grants from the school. Aid is generally reserved for those from villages too poor to support its own health clinic and applicants must not only be recom- mended by an outreach doctor, but also be endorsed by village elders. Students who receive free education are expected to return to the village with their newly-acquired and much-needed skills. For other graduates, the Ministry of Health
maintains a central job registry in conjunc- tion with Wat Po TTM. Although overseas spa operators can access this resource by contacting the school, the registry’s pri- mary purpose is to keep Tai practitioners in the country in order to maintain the integ- rity of their craſt.
SPA BUSINESS 3 2010 ©Cybertrek 2010
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84