2000-year-old world famous Thai massage could make it to UNESCO heritage list

Thailand's famous 2000-year-old massage, Nuad Thai, could soon make it to the UNESCO heritage list, a tag that the massage form is likely to get this month. The UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage is currently meeting in the Colombian capital, Bogota, and is to announce its decision on December 14.

Nuad Thai is a massage form which has been part of the history of Thailand for over 2,000 years. It became known only in 1962, when the Reclining Buddha School was started. The Reclining Buddha School, inside the Wat Pho temple complex, has trained over 2,00,000 massage specialists over the years, who now practice in 145 countries, an Agence France-Presse report said.

The Nuad Thai is an intensive massage form that includes deep stretching and twisting the body with the help of thumbs, elbows, knees and feet. The massage targets the various acupuncture points in the body and improves blood circulation. It also aims to cure muscle pain.

Preeda Tangtrongchitr, director of the Reclining Buddha School, told AFP that a Thai massage training has helped many people battle the lack of jobs in Thailand, "For many people who are disabled or in debt, this job is an opportunity because it requires no material, only their hands and knowledge."

Thai massage is famous all over the world now, with specialists practicing in cities from London to New Delhi.

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