Research and Intern at Saraphi Thai Traditional Medicine Hospital
Saraphi, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Lauren Whyte
Important Factors of Why People Choose Thai Traditional Medicine
Summary
I worked as an intern at Saraphi District Hospital in the Thai traditional medicine department in Saraphi District Chiang Mai, Thailand. I was at the traditional medicine hospital for a total of 6 weeks with an accumulation of around 200 hours. During that time, I collected data through observations, informal interviews with the staff, a survey distributed to patients, and outside academic research. My research looks into why people in Thailand choose to use Thai traditional medicine as well as perspectives from prior research on traditional medicine. Past research has concluded that many believe that Thai traditional medicine is inferior to western medicine and that it is viewed as western medicine is more effective, however, I believe this is a one-sided view of Thai traditional medicine and reflects the mindset of those who do not use Thai Traditional Medicine. My research shows how Thai traditional medicine is not only a helpful medical resource for Thai people but is also a form of medicine that many Thai people trust and use often.
What is Thai Traditional Medicine
Thai traditional medicine is a growing section of medicine and health care in Thailand. According to the Ministry of Public Health in Thailand, Thai traditional medicine (TTM) is defined as
“comprising the traditional philosophies, bodies of knowledge, and modes of practice to care for the health of Thai people that are congruent with Thai culture and way of life, and based on the principles of Buddhism. Thai traditional medicine uses various forms of practices to complement each other, i.e., medicine, pharmacy, massage, midwifery and maternal and child health care, Buddhist rites, and meditation, as well as other rituals based on the belief in supernatural power or power of the universe. Thai traditional medicine is a holistic and natural approach to health care that is derived from Buddhist beliefs, the observation of and respect for nature, and the wisdom of Thai ancestors.” (Chokevivat, 2005).
In other words, Thai Traditional medicine uses Thai customs and beliefs to form a holistic approach to health care. The idea is to draw from various resources to better understand why Thai traditional medicine is a growing sector in the Thai healthcare system and how it is incorporated into Thai culture and way of life.
Methods
I conducted this research through observations that were done on a daily basis. I formally interviewed one Thai traditional medicine doctor and informally asked questions to the remainder of the staff including interns and practitioners. In total, I interviewed six staff members, three of which were interns. Additionally, I created a short survey for patients to fill out. In total, there were 25 responses to the survey. Of those 25 responses, 52% were female and 48% were male with the majority being above 60 years old and 68% of the participants had done/used some form of Thai traditional medicine in the past.
Findings
Past research has concluded that demographics, attitudes toward Thai traditional medicine, marketing factors, and social factors are the main factors that go into why people choose Thai traditional medicine. I argue that age and beliefs are the main factors.
Based on the results of my research, I argue that age is the most important demographic. The majority of patients using Thai traditional medicine are over the age of 60. Figure 3, shows the age range of the survey participants. Based on my survey 84% of the participants were over 60, 12% were from 31 to 59, 4% were between the ages of 19 to 30, and none were 18 or under. Staff members at Saraphi Hospital said that they thought that the older generation was the main population of patients and there were very few young people because the older generation believes in Thai traditional medicine more than the younger generations. They said that another reason may also be that the older generation has more health problems in general, so they need treatment more than younger generations.
Additionally, specifically in Saraphi, the traditional medicine hospital is only open Monday through Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm, which makes it hard for younger and working generations to come. This time conflict and the theme of younger generations having lower budgets could also be a reason why Thai traditional medicine is usually received by older generations.
However, they also mentioned that while Thai traditional medicine is not perceived as popular among young Thai people, in the last 5 years they have seen more interest from younger generations. More young people are coming to receive Thai traditional medicine and they think that it will continue to grow in popularity in the coming years.
While age/demographic is a factor in why people choose Thai traditional medicine, another large factor is one's personal beliefs and curiosity. When asked why they chose Thai traditional medicine, a common response among patients was that they had confidence in the herbs. They believed that the herbs used in Thai traditional medicine and the treatments they received worked. They said it was effective and they saw a real improvement in their illness and pain. Some mentioned that they saw better results from Thai traditional medicine than they did with modern medicine. One survey respondent said that aches and pains were from Thai traditional medicine. Another mentioned that they had an incurable disease and Thai traditional medicine was the only treatment that gave them relief from their symptoms. In addition to believing that Thai traditional medicine is effective, patients mentioned they felt safer using traditional medical treatments and medications compared to modern medicine. They said they did not feel as though the treatments were dangerous or harmful in any way. When asked, the Thai traditional medicine doctor her thoughts on this, she said that many modern medicines have harmful and severe side effects and can even cause damage to one's kidneys and livers in the long run. She said Thai traditional medicine does not have as many chemical ingredients in the treatments allowing patients to feel safe using the medications and treatments.
Furthermore, patients mentioned using Thai traditional medicine because they did not have any other options. Cancer patients mentioned using Thai traditional medicine because they were reluctant to have surgery and Thai traditional medicine, more specifically cannabis oil, helps with their pain. Others said they were told to try Thai traditional medicine by a friend or another doctor and another reason was that it was free with their insurance.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I agree that reducing the risks and maximizing the benefits of Thai traditional medicine and availability, location, costs, and demographics all go into why people receive traditional medical treatment. However, I do not agree with the conclusion that many Thai traditional medicine users are uncertain of Thai traditional medicine’s effectiveness and quality and believe that Thai traditional medicine is outdated and inconvenient (Senachai 2019). While that may be true for some people, based on my research many patients feel that Thai traditional medicine is better, safer, and more effective than Western medicine. Practitioners and Thai traditional medicine doctors believe that Thai traditional medicine treatments are effective and patients trust that the treatments and medications will help them. Thai traditional medicine has an influential and prominent role in Thai society and history. While many factors go into why a person chooses traditional medicine, age, and beliefs are the two main ones. Additionally, while observing and being a part of Saraphi’s Traditional medicine hospital, differences in online articles versus first-hand knowledge surrounding how Thai traditional medicine is provided can be seen.
References
Chokevivat, Vichai, and Anchalee Chuthaputti. The Use of Traditional Medicine in theThai
Health Care System. Aug. 2005, http://thaihealingalliance.com/wp-content/uploads/Thai_Healthcare.pdf.
Senachai, Prarawan. The role of Thai Traditional Medicine (Thai traditional medicine) in Thailand. 2019
About Me :)
I am an Anthropology Major with a community and global health concentration. I am originally from Winona Minnesota, and after graduation, I will be moving to Virginia! I love going on outdoor adventures and hanging with doggos. At Macalester, I focused on the social side of medicine and disease and I plan to find a career where I can utilize these skills.
Image Credits: Taken Myself