Chakariya Thai Medical Clinic focuses on healing with herbal medicine and therapeutic massage by the advanced science of Thai Traditional Medicine and Oriental Medicine, especially emphasizes on the application of Thai Traditional Medicine in treatments. Products refined from Thai herbal essence such as anti-aging cosmetic, anti-aging tea and coffee, are also available for each of distinguished guests.

In addition, Chakariya Thai Medical Clinic participates in all kinds of activities relating to Traditional Thai Medicine, spreading and training know hows, such as Thai Massage Therapy with Ten Main Energy Lines, Herbal Therapy, Reflexology Massage for Health, and Facial Massage with Ten Main Energy Lines, etc.m bones, Hemorrhoids, including herbal tonics for enriching blood, nourishing liver and kidney, enhancing brain and benefiting joints, for your better quality of life without suffering from diseases. For any questions, please don’t be hesitate to consult Chakariya Thai Medical Clinic

The Use of Traditional Medicine in the Thai Health Care System

Vichai Chokevivat, M.D., M.P.H.
Anchalee Chuthaputti, Ph.D.
Pavana Khumtrakul, M.P.A.
Tom Ballard, Dr.
Department for Development of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine
Ministry of Public Health, Thailand

The advancement of modern medicine in the western world during the early 20th century has led to the decline of the practice of traditional medicine in many countries in the world, including Thailand, where modern medicine becomes the mainstream healthcare system, and Thai Traditional Medicine (TTM) becomes a branch of nonconventional or alternative medicine. Eventually, it was well recognized that modern medicine was probably not the answer to the good health of Thai people since a large amount of the country’s healthcare expense was spent more on the treatment of diseases with high-priced sophisticated equipment and imported new drugs than on the prevention of diseases and health promotion. In addition, despite all the advancement of medical technologies and the pharmaceutical industry, they cannot successfully cure several chronic lifestyle-related diseases, which are major health problems of today’s world, i.e. diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and various types of cancer.

In order for the country’s healthcare system to become more self-reliance and cost-effective, Thai government then looked back at the country’s heritage of wisdom of health care and acknowledged the role that TTM, herbal medicines and medicinal plants can play on the health of Thai people for the treatment of common minor diseases, disease prevention and health promotion. The revival of the TTM began around 1978 after the issue of the Alma-Ata Declaration. As WHO urged its member countries to include medicinal plants in their primary health care (PHC) program, Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health responded to the WHO’s call by including such policy to promote the use of medicinal plants in the PHC since the 4th Health Development Plan (1977-1981). The government policy on the promotion of the use medicinal plants and Thai traditional medicine in the country’s health care system has continued until today as stated in the 5th to 9th or the present National Economic and Social Development Plans (2002-2006).

The “Collaborating Center for the Development of Thai Traditional Medicine and Pharmacy” was later established under the Office of the Permanent Secretary of Public Health in 1989 during the 6th Health Development Plan as a coordinating organization to develop TTM. This center was later upgraded to the division level in 1993 as the “Institute of Thai Traditional Medicine” (ITTM) under the Department of Medical Services in 1993. Through the years the institute has organized several activities to develop TTM in various aspects. Hence, in October 2002 as a result of the Bureaucratic Reform Act, the “Department for Development of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine ” (DTAM) was established as a new department under the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), comprising of the Institute of Thai Traditional Medicine, Division of Alternative Medicine, and the Office of the Secretary. This clearly showed the intention and commitment of the Thai government to promote Thai Traditional Medicine and herbal medicine s as another means of healthcare for Thai people.

This paper will summarize the current situation of Thai Traditional Medicine in the health care system of Thailand regarding the policy, administration, practice, products, research, and education.