Thai Medicine

Many questions are often asked about Thai medicine: How is it different from modern medicine? What are its strengths? How is it learned and taught?

At the outset, it is necessary to define Thai medicine. According to Practice of the Art of Healing Act, Thai medicine is examination, diagnosis, cure or prevention of disease by means of Thai traditional medicine. The process of learning and teaching Thai medicine includes both theory and practice sessions. Theory sessions deal with diagnosis based on Thai traditional medicine with reference to scriptures, such as the Takkasila Scripture, the Chantasat Scripture and the Pathomjinda Scripture. Further, the causes of a disease, its symptoms and its pathology are compared as between Thai traditional medicine and modern medicine. Finally, treatment, the formulation of Thai medicinal recipes, the prescribing of Thai medicine and referral are discussed in these sessions. Practice sessions emphasize practical considerations. Students undertake field work by seeing patients in the community. They also learn from Thai traditional doctors working in villages and study and observe how doctors practicing modern medicine give diagnoses in hospitals. They also observe children’s behavior and development at nurseries. Last but not least, they undertake internships at different hospitals all over the country.

Graduates are expected to be able to apply what they have learned of Thai traditional medicine to the fullest extent and treat patients effectively based on the principles and objectives of Thai traditional medicine.

Strength Thai traditional medicine is a source of national pride which has been used to treat patients for centuries. Even though these days, many Thai people prefer modern medicine, Thai traditional medicine is still useful and appropriate for the social and economic conditions existing in Thailand.

How is it different from modern medicine? The explanatory model is different. Modern medicine explains diseases as far as possible based on science. Modern medicine has its origins in germ theory which sought to explain many abnormalities in the body as resulting from micro-organisms. When treating patients, doctors in modern medicine focus on abnormality in the body, such as abnormal or infected organs and cells or the presence of abnormal chemicals, to diagnose what illness patients have or what is not normal in the body. Afterwards, they prescribe medicine or repair organs by, for example, stitching a wound, incising a cyst, prescribing medication to kill germs or stop the production of chemicals in the body and to repair abnormal cells. They sometimes forget that some medicines cause excruciating pain. At times physical pain or illness is relieved or treated, but what remains is mental pain and distress.

Students of Thai traditional medicine have to study and gain basic knowledge about the cause of illness, pathophysiology and the approach to treatment adopted by modern medicine. Thai traditional medicine also takes into account the relationship between elements of the body, season, the patient’s age and behavior, and the time and place, viewing them as integrally interconnected. Thai traditional medicine, therefore, diagnoses and treats disorders based on an approach which places emphasis on the patient and their circumstances, for example, their families, communities and environment. The services given focus on individual patients combined with the physical, biological, psychological and social environment.