Proper perception towards Thai massage to be promoted

BANGKOK, December 4 (TNA) - Parties concerned are promoting people's proper perception towards the traditional Thai massage as a therapeutic, not a sexual, service, as some 60 new Thai massage therapists received certificates on Tuesday, after completing a training course on the English language for the massage service. The four-day training was under the Department for the Development of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine (DTAM)’s policy on promoting the proper public understanding on the traditional Thai massage as pure therapeutics internationally. The training was part of a series of seven training courses opened for only 60 masseuses each, with participating therapists having been trained on the spoken English to facilitate their traditional massage service worldwide, to deal with pervertible clients and to prevent themselves from any sexual vibe. DTAM Director General Dr. Somchai Nijpanich said, meanwhile, that Thailand's therapeutic massage therapists are expected to earn the country's substantial revenue, particularly when the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN implements its trade and service liberalization under the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by 2015. An official survey, recently conducted among 215 Thai massage therapists, found that the formation of the AEC would somewhat motivate a large number of Thai massage therapists to further improve their skills and professionalism for better job opportunities and a more rewarding career in the regional Single Market. (TNA)