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**mortgrhhh** · 12-06-2011, 03:09 PM

Hi there.. I need help in this topic, I'm currently doing research on Thai health.. Well, I as a foreign health care provider(nursing student), how do I approach thai health culture.

Is there any specific rules or ways that have set in Thais mind in order to get well from illness? Erm, are there any alternative medicine practise in Thailand? For example, traditional methods or HEREBs? Who will they refer to? Like in Malaysia, Malays refer to their 'bomoh' for treatment.

How about elderly? They prefer to be treated in hospital?

Are Thais believe in spiritual healing or something call 'miracle'?

Besides that how many race are there? Are their view on health related the same?

By the way, how do I get reference for this topic.. I have tried to google search for it but most of the informations are not related to what I want.
I need referencing for my assignment too.
Any comments or suggestion would be much appreciated!
I am looking forwards to replies from you guys..
Thank you!

As some of the other posts have noted, most Thais are fairly firm believers in modern medicine. But like many Westerners, they have some ambivalences about modern medicine and a certain attachment to traditional medicines. I think a lot of Thais also believe that making merit or praying to spirits will help cure illness (in a similar way to the way some Westerners believe in the power of prayer).

Friends who live near the jungle are always picking this or that plant, explaining to me that it is "yaa" (medicine). I was once given a particularly disgusting glass of lao, which had had various sticks and leaves steeping in it, all "yaa". It didn't make me feel better, because I wasn't feeling sick in the first place. However, I'd put my money on a proportion of these herbs having some medicinal efficacy.

One thing you also notice in Thailand (and possibly other Asian countries) is how often people sniff at menthol inhalers. Not just when they have colds but whenever they are feeling sick. There might be a discourse about facilitating breath surrounding that practice.

12-06-2011, 03:09 PM	#15
mortgrhhh Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 320 Senior Member	Hi there.. I need help in this topic, I'm currently doing research on Thai health.. Well, I as a foreign health care provider(nursing student), how do I approach thai health culture. Is there any specific rules or ways that have set in Thais mind in order to get well from illness? Erm, are there any alternative medicine practise in Thailand? For example, traditional methods or HEREBs? Who will they refer to? Like in Malaysia, Malays refer to their 'bomoh' for treatment. How about elderly? They prefer to be treated in hospital? Are Thais believe in spiritual healing or something call 'miracle'? Besides that how many race are there? Are their view on health related the same? By the way, how do I get reference for this topic.. I have tried to google search for it but most of the informations are not related to what I want. I need referencing for my assignment too. Any comments or suggestion would be much appreciated! I am looking forwards to replies from you guys.. Thank you! As some of the other posts have noted, most Thais are fairly firm believers in modern medicine. But like many Westerners, they have some ambivalences about modern medicine and a certain attachment to traditional medicines. I think a lot of Thais also believe that making merit or praying to spirits will help cure illness (in a similar way to the way some Westerners believe in the power of prayer). Friends who live near the jungle are always picking this or that plant, explaining to me that it is "yaa" (medicine). I was once given a particularly disgusting glass of lao, which had had various sticks and leaves steeping in it, all "yaa". It didn't make me feel better, because I wasn't feeling sick in the first place. However, I'd put my money on a proportion of these herbs having some medicinal efficacy. One thing you also notice in Thailand (and possibly other Asian countries) is how often people sniff at menthol inhalers. Not just when they have colds but whenever they are feeling sick. There might be a discourse about facilitating breath surrounding that practice.
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