Thai massage is much more than a pleasant relaxation technique.

It developed over centuries from elements of Indian Ayurvedic medicine, yoga techniques and regional Thai traditions.

To this day, it remains an important part of the cultural identity of many Thai people. As early as 1788, King Rama I had traditional massage techniques recorded in stone at Wat Pho. This temple is still considered the centre of Thai massage teachings.

If you visit a salon where the therapists have verifiably trained at Wo, that’s a good sign. Traditional Thai massage combines two elements: passive yoga stretches and Thai acupressure. Key pressure points and tight muscles are worked with the thumbs, palms or elbows. In my experience, it can be painful—sometimes quite a lot.

But it can bring enormous relief, especially for acute muscle tension or back pain. My personal favorites are massage parlors where blind people work. They often have an especially sensitive sense of touch and can detect muscle tension more accurately than many other massage therapists.

When I first visited Bangkok in 1993, I asked for a good massage because of my back problems, and was sent to exactly this kind of salon. After just one session, it was a revelation.

Many tourists shy away from intense acupressure massages.

I can understand that, because these treatments can be really intense.

Many people therefore prefer an oil massage. Personally, it feels more like being stroked. It makes me sleepy, but it doesn’t really solve my problems. Since tourists prefer oil massages, they’re often a little more expensive, too.

There are different styles of Thai massage.

The Wat Pho school tends to use firm, direct pressure at a faster pace. Its approach is primarily therapeutic.

The northern Chiang Mai style focuses more on stretching, calm and relaxation.

Both can be very good. It depends on what you need.

Alongside hands-on massage, there are also herbal compress massages. The compresses are warmed and then applied to tense areas with tapping or circular motions. The penetrating warmth can be particularly helpful in easing stubborn muscle tension.

Another method uses rounded wooden sticks.

This allows for very deep pressure. Experienced massage therapists sometimes even use a wooden hammer and chisel to release deeper blockages through vibration. It can be effective, but it really should be left to experienced hands.

Avoid Thai massage if you have a fever, acute inflammation, a recent injury, or open wounds.

In such cases, a massage is not a good idea.

I always carefully choose the massage places I visit in Bangkok, and I’ve never been disappointed.

My advice is simple: pay 100 baht more for a one-hour treatment. That way, you’ll be in good hands.

And that’s what it all comes down to. Not the cheapest massage, but real relief.