NUAD_BO_RARN_-_northertn_Thai_massage

Ancient Massage of Thailand

Setthakorn came to the United States at the request of Dr. Richard Gold. an IPSE board member who met the Thai attorney turned massage instructor on a visit to Thailand two years ago. Much impressed with his first visit. Gold returned to Thailand to film a video of the unique massage technique and then invited Chongkol to bring his expertise to the West, where Thai massage is virtually unknown. Gold also likens Thai massage to yoga. commenting that. "It is designed to deepen the yoga stretches of asana. It's very. very active. but you get into a meditative state .. .It's a yoga that works as a massage."

Gold plans to apply the Western influence of anatomy to the Thai massage teachings in order to make it more comprehensible to Western students.

Chongkol began teaching at the Old Medicine Hospital in Chiang Mai. Thailand. in 1985. He began with one student every couple of months. but soon saw a sharp escalation of business in the six years since. Chongkol has taught more than 1.500 students from 42 countries. Many of them Western tourists who stumbled upon Chiang Mai and decided to extend their visits in order to learn Thai massage. Others came to Thailand speCifically to learn the technique after hearing about Chongkol, who is profiCient in English and one of only a few certified instructors in Thailand.

Setthakorn will be teaching at IPSE through June. and will then return to Thai-

land.

="~-=ITM. Chiang Mai. Thailand

206

Nuad Bo-Rarn Thai Massage ( Northern Style)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

	CHONGKOL SETTHAKORN AKA 'JOHN. had
	established ITM-International Training Massage School
	in 1992 with his intention to popularize ancient Thai
	massage to the western world. Since then, ITM has been
	increasing its reputation worldwide in its teaching style
	using an easy-to-follow instruction and demonstration,
	and its professional yet friendly atmosphere.
	Chongkol started his career in Thai massage
	as the head teacher at the Old Medicine Hospital in
	Chiang Mai, Thailand in 1985. In 1991 Chongkol went to USA as a visiting instruc-
	tor at the International Professional School of Bodywork (IPSB) in San Diego , Cali-
	fornia for 6 months to teach NUAD BO-RARN THAI MASSAGE.
	Along with his full teaching schedule. he studied Level I (120 HRS) Massage Tech-
	nician Training. Level II (150 HRS) Professional Massage Training and several electives of
	Western and Oriental Massage such as Therapeutic Massage For Acute and Chronic
	Problems (36 HRS). Tui Na Internship Chinese Massage (90 HRS), Jin Shin Acutouch
	(Japanese Method of Healing Art) (30 HRS), Tai Chi and the IPSB Movement Form to
	enhance his expertise in Thai Massage.
	After returning to Thailand and establishing ITM, he along with Arthur Lambert
	authored "Nuad Bo-Ram, the Traditional Massage of Thailand", published in 1992. Hav-
	ing increased experience and knowledge in Thai massage, Chongkol authored "Nuad Bo-
	Ram, Ancient Massage of Thailand" in 2001.
	With his interest in different kinds of bodywork, he learned Tai Ji Qi Gong and
	adapt its techniques for the flowing of the movements in Thai massage. He has been a
	volunteer instructor in Tai Ji Qi Gong (Chi Kung) and Tai Chi Chuan (long-form Yang
	style) for the community in Chiang Mai city.
	In September 2000, Chongkol was invited as a visiting instructor to demonstrate
	and teach Nuad Bo-Ram Thai massage at the European & 17th cidesco congress of Aes-
	thetics and Health in Athens, Greece.
	Chongkol and his family went to Geneva, Switzerland in June 2003 to offer a
	special Thai massage course, which many people around Switzerland attended.
I	ITM. International Training Massage School	207

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