Page 56 - Proceedings of The Fifth Meeting of Indigenous Medicine in the Mekong Basin

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Thailand’s Indigenous Medicine: An overview

Mrs. Saowanee Kulsomboon
Director
Bureau of Thai Indigenous Medicine
Department for Development of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine
Ministry of Public Health

Content
1. Introduction: Thai Indigenous Medicine Wisdom
2. Development of Folk Medicine: Current situation
3. Future Direction
4. Conclusion and Suggestions

1. Introduction: Thai Indigenous Medicine Wisdom

Health wisdom in Thai indigenous medicine has been developed and used in
many aspects with folk healers having an important role in using their knowledge and
skills to respond with health of people in the community as well as find the cures for
common community health issues. Traditional indigenous medicine varies in
different areas and among different ethnic groups. The knowledge that has been
developed and passed on for a long period of time has resulted in various local
health wisdoms such as Lanna Indigenous Medicine, Esarn Indigenous Medicine,
Southern Indigenous Medicine, Muslim Indigenous Medicine, and indigenous
medicine of other ethnic groups, for example, Hmong, Yao/Mien, Lisu, Akha, Karen,
Lua, Khmu, Tai Yai, Tai Lu, Tai Dam, Tai Esarn, Phu Thai, Khmer, and Sakai.
Indigenous medicine consists of health care for both physical and mental illnesses
with various treatments such as a massage for paresis/paralysis treatment by
healers’ foot having stepped on hot iron in Central Thai folk healer, Ma Muad
practice in Thai-Khmer ethnic group, or abdominal massage for pregnant women by
Muslim midwives.
Currently, there are 50,591 registered folk healers, according to the data from
the Central Registration Office, Department for Development of Thai Traditional and
Alternative Medicine (DTAM) under the Ministry of Public Health. These healers are
categorized according to their specialties into six groups: ritual, herbalist, healers/
massage physical therapist/massager, midwives, bone setters, and others. Among
them, 16,000 have had more than 20 years of experience in community health
practice.
The DTAM is a government agency responsible for the support and protection
of Thai traditional medicine and herbal wisdom. According to The Protection and
Promotion of Thai Traditional Medicine Wisdom Act B.E. 2542 (1999), the
department is tasked with
- Carrying out operations to protect and promote education and training,
conducting research and developing Thai traditional medicine wisdom and herbs,