AT Bangkok’s reclining Buddha temple, Krairath Chantrasri said he is a proud custodian of a 2,000-year-old skill – the body-folding, sharp-elbowed techniques of Thai massage, which this week may be added to Unesco’s prestigious heritage list.
From upscale Bangkok spas and Phuket beachfronts to modest street-side shophouses, “nuad” Thai – or Thai massage – is ubiquitous across the kingdom, where an hour of the back-straightening discipline can cost as little as US$5 (RM20).