Promoting Nuad Thai - Intangible Cultural Heritage

Founded in Switzerland in 2021, the World Association of Nuad Thai and Spa aims to promote the UNESCO recognised Nuad Thai massage around the globe. The organisation represents the Nuad Thai massage and spa community in 11 countries and counting.

We bring together people from all walks of life who share a passion for massage and Thai culture. We host and sponsor massage championships, aided by tireless volunteers who are excited to bring this wonderful part of Thai cultural heritage across the world.

According to the meeting of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), " Nuad Thai / Thai massage" has been officially certified as an intangible cultural heritage of the world.

This was a remarkable moment in history and adds a precious value to Thai Massage; a proud moment for all Thai people. "Nuad Thai" (Thai massage) is a wisdom that has been initiated at the family and community level. It has been, and still is, continually developing into a science of health care that uses hands and/or body parts to adjust the power and structure of the body without medical therapy. It reflects the creative ability of human beings.

Thai massage has gained wide popularity both nationally and internationally in more than 145 countries, employing more than 500,000 personnel in the field and generating a large amount of economic value.

The department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine has prepared a strategic plan (phase 1), 2020-2022, to promote and develop Thai massage, with the goal of increasing its standards on the community and international level, in order to create a foundation of Thai massage identity across the world.

Origins of the World Association of Nuad Thai and Spa

Thai Spa Association Switzerland, spa therapists and entrepreneurs from Asia, Europe and America have recognized the importance of being certified to register "Nuad Thai" (Thai massage) as a cultural heritage of the world.

We all came together in order to discuss the future of Nuad Thai in a meeting on February 2nd, 2020 at Placid Hotel Design & Lifestyle in Zurich, Switzerland.

In that gathering the participants set up strategies, exchanged ideas, begin setting up cooperation structures in order to support and promote Nuad Thai massage across the globe.

34 participants from various countries around the world attended the meeting. All the members of the meeting agreed on the main goal, which was to promote public relations and elevate the standards of Thai massage and spa.

This resulted in the founding of an organization where every interested party can attend - the Thai Massage and Spa Association of Europe was created at the end of the meeting.

In July 2021, the association announced that it would become the World Association of Nuad Thai and Spa (WANTS), which is to be the center for coordination, cooperation and further operations of Thai Massage and Spa, not only in Europe, but all over the world.

Massage therapists from multiple countries have come and continue to come together, under the umbrella of WANTS, to exchange support and promote the culture of Nuad Thai Massage as well as Thai culture in general.

Principals and Reasons related to the founding of the World Association of Nuad Thai and Spa