Basics of Traditional Thai Medicine

Abstract
The traditional Thai medicine is divided into three branches from historical times until today. The therapies for the mind through spiritual healing, the energy therapy through Thai massage, the body therapy through diets and herbal medicine.

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The traditional Thai medicine is based on the principles of Buddhism and a knowledge transferred orally, partially also written down manually, from one generation to the next.[1] Until recently traditional Thai medicine was practised only by men,[2] but by Buddhists and Muslims alike.[3]

The traditional Thai medicine is divided into three branches from historical times until today:[4]

The therapies for the mind, the spiritual healing, which often includes the family, friends and the whole social network of the patient.
The energy therapy which is done by Thai massage which is not considered a body therapy but a restoration of the free flow of energy.
The body therapy which consists of diets and herbal medicine.

The traditional Thai medicine holds that the body is basically build from four elements, which are earth, water, wind and fire.[5] If these inner elements are balanced the person is healthy.[6] Sicknesses result from disequilibrium of the elements.[7] The body is divided into 42 components which may cause sicknesses. Twenty of these components belong to the element earth, twelve to the element water; six belong to air and four to fire.[8]

For every human there is an individual constellation of the elements being calculated form the date of the conception. So every person has an element, Tard-chao-ruan, which is dominant for it.[9] Beside the four elements already mentioned often a fifth one is mentioned that can be described as wind in empty cavities of the body.[10]

This raises the question from where the Thais got this unique system. Earth, fire and water are known not only to the Thais but also to Chinese, Indians and Greeks.[11] But the traditional Thai medicine developed its own system and today is an independent medical system.[12]

Cf. Chokevivat / Chuthaputti (2005), p. 1
Cf. Brun (2003), p. 125; Brun / Schumacher (1994), p. 4
Cf. Golomb (1988), p. 762
Cf. Salguero (2003), p. 10f
Cf. Salguero (2003), p. 15
Cf. Chokevivat / Chuthaputti (2005), p. 2
Cf. Golomb (1988), p. 766
Cf. Mulholland (1979), p. 90
Cf. Chokevivat / Chuthaputti (2005), p. 2
Cf. Brun / Schumacher (1994), p. 4
Cf. Mulholland (1979), p. 89
Cf. Mulholland (1979), p. 90

Bibliography

Brun, V. (2003): Traditional Thai Medicine. In: Selin, H. / Shapiro, H. (Eds.): Medicine Across Cultures. History and Practice of Medicine in Non-Western Cultures. Boston / London 2003. P. 115-132.

Brun, V. / Schumacher, T. (1994): Traditional Herbal Medicine in Northern Thailand. Bangkok 1994.

Chokevivat, V. / Chuthaputti, A. (2005): The Role of Thai Traditional Medicine in Health Promotion. Working Paper. 6GCHP Bangkok Thailand 2005 7-11 August 2005 Bangkok, Thailand.

Golomb, L. (1988): The Interplay of Traditional Therapies in South Thailand. In: Soc. Sci. Med. 8/1988. P. 761-768.

Mulholland, J. (1979): Thai Traditional Medicine: Ancient Thought and Practice in a Thai Context. In: Journal of the Siam Society 2/1979. P. 80-115.

Salguero, C. P. (2003): A Thai Herbal. Traditional Recipes for Health and Harmony. Forres 2003.

Basics of Traditional Thai Medicine

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