Thai Massage Hits New Heights In Phuket - Bangkok To See Climax

Online, August 19, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Phuket, Thailand: More than five hundred Thai massage therapists descended on Kata Beach in Phuket, Thailand today for an un-official attempt at setting a new world record for simultaneous massage.

Although the official figure is yet to be confirmed, it is thought a total of five hundred and eighty four pairs took part. The current official Guinness World Record is two hundred and thirty two, set on 30TH March 2010, at an event organised by the Tourism Board of Victoria in Australia.

The un-official Phuket world record attempt is part of a wider campaign by the Tourism Authority of Thailand to raise the profile of Thai Massage throughout the world. Promotional activities kicked off in the northern city of Chiang Mai on 3rd June 2011 and similar events were also held in Surat Thani and Ubon Ratchathani in southern Thailand.

The campaign will reach its climax with an official attempt on the Guinness World Record in Bangkok on 17th November 2011. Already, eight hundred and forty pairs are expected to take part.

The father of Thai massage and medicine is said to be Doctor Shivago Komarpaj (Jivaka Kumar Bhacca) from northern India, who lived over 2,500 years ago.

Komarpaj was a student of the Buddah and the personal doctor of the first Buddhist monks.

Thai massage, also known as Nuadd Bo-Rarn, is a combination of influences from India, China and traditional Thai medicine.

Modern Thai massage is derived from traditional healing techniques used across the different provinces of Thailand. There are many variations which differ according to the region.

Today, many Buddhist temples continue to practise the art of Thai massage to treat the sick as an alternative to Western medicine.

Currently there are two hundred and twenty certified institutes which provide massage training throughout Thailand. Since 2004 over 500,000 Thai's have taken a certified massage training course.