Wat Pho Traditional Massage School - where and how?

[Lorry]

A foreign friend (Asian, don't know, whether this is important) wants to learn massage at Wat Pho.

I know a Thai  who did this 15 years ago. She says,  there are many copycats, make sure to get the official certificate.  But she wasn't very specific, and she doesn't live in Thailand anymore.

I see watpho.com (looks official) and watpomassage.com (= Watpo & Chetawan, looks very commercial, branches in other places). Both seem to be related???

 

Can anybody guide me?

My friend speaks fluent Thai and lives legally in Thailand, but finds it difficult to navigate Thai society (Laotian).

[Peter Crow]

Go to Wat Pho and ask. Should be fine, unless there are copies of that temple around Bangkok. 

 

Now, I had a massage there, I was my second authentic "Thai Massage", then I decided that I never have another, without full anaesthesia. 

[KhunLA]

19 minutes ago, Lorry said:

A foreign friend (Asian, don't know, whether this is important) wants to learn massage at Wat Pho.

I know a Thai  who did this 15 years ago. She says,  there are many copycats, make sure to get the official certificate.  But she wasn't very specific, and she doesn't live in Thailand anymore.

I see watpho.com (looks official) and watpomassage.com (= Watpo & Chetawan, looks very commercial, branches in other places). Both seem to be related???

 

Can anybody guide me?

My friend speaks fluent Thai and lives legally in Thailand, but finds it difficult to navigate Thai society (Laotian).

Wat Pho is the real deal, and certification is accepted in USA, by insurance companies for healthcare, possibly if going top level certification (?)

 

Friend of mine (Yank) came over specifically for certification, 2X, and that is his profession.   Was even Mohamed Ali's personal massage therapist. 

[norsurin]

On 7/24/2025 at 6:57 AM, KhunLA said:

Wat Pho is the real deal, and certification is accepted in USA, by insurance companies for healthcare, possibly if going top level certification (?)

 

Friend of mine (Yank) came over specifically for certification, 2X, and that is his profession.   Was even Mohamed Ali's personal massage therapist. 

Rigth.The education takes a month.I had plan last year and i went there and talked with them.They speak English well.

[khunPer]

On 7/24/2025 at 6:38 AM, Lorry said:

A foreign friend (Asian, don't know, whether this is important) wants to learn massage at Wat Pho.

I know a Thai  who did this 15 years ago. She says,  there are many copycats, make sure to get the official certificate.  But she wasn't very specific, and she doesn't live in Thailand anymore.

I see watpho.com (looks official) and watpomassage.com (= Watpo & Chetawan, looks very commercial, branches in other places). Both seem to be related???

 

Can anybody guide me?

My friend speaks fluent Thai and lives legally in Thailand, but finds it difficult to navigate Thai society (Laotian).

Same-same, but different...
Watpho.com says: For course information, please visit: http://www.watpomassage.com...

 

[Lorry]

6 hours ago, khunPer said:

Watpho.com says: For course information, please visit: http://www.watpomassage.com...

I noticed this,  and to me it looks like Wat Pho has outsourced/privatized the massage school to make some money from foreigners?

[khunPer]

13 hours ago, Lorry said:

I noticed this,  and to me it looks like Wat Pho has outsourced/privatized the massage school to make some money from foreigners?

Not to my knowledge. I paid for a Thai – an aunt to my girlfriend – for a Wat Pho massage course. The school is not in the temple, but in a number of branches in other locations. We – my Thai girlfriend and I – started in the office in the Wat Pho temple and was sent to another nearby location in Bangkok, where a school branch was.

 

The website is both in Thai language and English, so it's also aimed at Thais.

[Lorry]

4 hours ago, khunPer said:

Not to my knowledge. I paid for a Thai – an aunt to my girlfriend – for a Wat Pho massage course. The school is not in the temple, but in a number of branches in other locations. We – my Thai girlfriend and I – started in the office in the Wat Pho temple and was sent to another nearby location in Bangkok, where a school branch was.

 

The website is both in Thai language and English, so it's also aimed at Thais.

Thx, thats helpful to know

[Lorry]

Over the phone,  they quoted

Thai Massage 15-16000

 Oil Massage 17-18000