Thailand showcases Thai massage and wellness at first national expo

Thailand is seeking to turn Thai massage, traditional medicine and wellness services into major drivers of its health economy, launching the country’s first national event dedicated to the sector.

Public Health Minister Pattana Promphat opened the National NUAD THAI & Wellness Expo 2026 on Friday at Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, joined by representatives from government and private agencies, professional organisations, domestic and international networks, businesses and the public.

Pattana said Thai massage, Thai herbs, traditional Thai medicine and wellness services represented both valuable intellectual heritage and national assets that could be developed into economic opportunities and strengthen Thailand’s international competitiveness.

The Public Health Ministry is advancing its Health for Wealth policy by promoting the full range of medical and health industries, including herbal products and Thai health services, in international markets.

Thailand also aims to become a Medical and Wellness Hub, building on its traditional knowledge, skilled practitioners and longstanding expertise while combining Thai wisdom with modern standards, innovation and technology.

The policy is intended to support investment and expand health and wellness tourism.

“The cooperation of every sector in organising this event marks an important starting point for building a strong Thai wellness ecosystem,” Pattana said.

“It is also an opportunity to demonstrate Thailand’s readiness to elevate Thai massage and Thai wellness from cultural foundations to global confidence, from traditional knowledge to new economic value, and from Thai intellectual capital to opportunities for the country on the international stage.”

Expo targets healthcare, tourism and creative economy

The National NUAD THAI & Wellness Expo 2026 is being held from August 20-22 under the theme “Honouring Thai wisdom, building a new economy and advancing globally”.

The event aims to establish Thai massage and wellness as important mechanisms for developing the healthcare system, the creative economy and health tourism, while helping Thailand become an international health hub.

Its first objective is to promote the value of Thai massage as internationally recognised Thai wisdom and an important element of the country’s cultural heritage.

The event also seeks to raise the quality and credibility of Thai massage and wellness services so that they can compete internationally.

Another objective is to create connections among knowledge, academic research, innovation, investment, product development, services and health-business networks, supporting the creation of greater economic value.

The organisers also aim to strengthen Thailand’s image as a country with significant cultural and health assets that can contribute sustainably to the future of the global wellness economy.

More than 100 practitioners offer free massage

One of the main attractions is a free massage zone with more than 70 beds and over 100 practitioners from across the country.

Visitors can experience four distinctive regional approaches to Thai massage.

The northern Pho-Lanna style features tok sen, a traditional technique involving rhythmic tapping along the body’s energy lines.

The central Pho-Thotsawayo approach combines pressure-point massage along principal energy lines with ruesi dat ton, or traditional Thai stretching exercises.

The northeastern Pho-On Son style presents the knowledge of traditional Isan healers, integrating local herbs and regional healing practices.

The southern Pho-Thaksina approach focuses on therapeutic massage and traditional oil massage.

Other services include treatments by expert practitioners, sports massage, neck and shoulder massage, and herbal applications for the knees.

Virtual reality presents Thai massage heritage

A VR Dome uses virtual-reality technology to present the history, knowledge and cultural heritage of Thai massage in a modern and accessible format.

The expo also features Thai herbal products and innovations, including aromatic massage oils, a lipstick that changes colour according to an individual’s dominant traditional element and the award-winning Makhwaen Mueang Li innovation, which is intended to relieve pain and nourish the skin.

Visitors can also use the Pen Diag application to analyse their dominant element according to traditional Thai medicine.

Workshops and business matching support global expansion

Health workshops include making herbal aromatic balms in stick form, practising ruesi dat ton to relieve muscle tension and participating in meditation therapy.

Experts from around the country are also leading academic discussions on traditional Thai medicine and Thai massage.

The expo includes business-matching sessions connecting entrepreneurs with investors and domestic and international wellness-business networks.

The sessions are intended to create new commercial opportunities and help Thai wellness products and services expand into global markets.

Organisers expect more than 50,000 visitors to attend the three-day event.