The Origins
Thaimassage Vacanza was founded in 2011 by Patrick Tanner with the idea of offering Thai massage courses to those interested who couldn’t travel to Thailand.
In 2000, Patrick had just completed his Shiatsu training when he traveled to Thailand out of curiosity to learn this therapy.
In a Lahu mountain village in northern Thailand, Patrick completed his first Thaimassage course with Asokanda and immediately fell in love with this dynamic and profound form of therapy. Several months later, during a Shiatsu course in a small mountain village in northern India, he met Krishnataki, with whom he has since formed a deep friendship. Krishnataki also completed his first Thaimassage course with Asokananda in 1998 and then studied with various senior masters in Chiang Mai for several months. When Krishnataki led his first Thaimassage courses in Greece in 2001, Patrick was one of the students. He experienced Krishnataki’s skill in teaching Thaimassage in a simple, understandable manner and in forming the group into a cohesive unit, elevating the participants’ energies to higher vibrations. They returned home lightly, joyfully, with singing hearts, and centered within themselves. Since then, the two have conducted many courses and have been privileged to witness this magic each time.
In 2011, Patrick conducted the first Thaimassage retreat in Switzerland with Krishnataki, in a remote alpine hut in the Urner Mountains. After overwhelming feedback from the participants, they have been offering retreats regularly in the Swiss Alps to a growing Thaimassage fan community.
In order to offer participants a recognized training program with a diploma so they can also practice Thaimassage professionally, Patrick decided to offer a recognized 303-hour training course. This started in 2022, and the first participants successfully completed it in 2023.
Thaimassage Vacanza’s Objective
The goal of Thaimassage Vacanza is to pass on the art of Thaimassage. During his travels through Asia, Patrick met inspiring teachers and therapists. His aim is to provide these talented individuals with a platform in picturesque Switzerland to share their knowledge with those interested who may not have the opportunity to travel to Asia. Our principle is to offer high-quality training at affordable costs.
Thaimassage Style and Senior Masters
Thaimassage Vacanza teaches the northern style of Thaimassage from the two senior masters Chayuth Priyasith (deceased 2004) and Piched Boonthumme (deceased 2023). These two masters taught Asokananda (deceased 2005), who, in turn, was the teacher of Krishnataki and Patrick. Asokananda traveled to Asia in the 1970s, was ordained as a Buddhist monk for a time, and came into contact with Thaimassage in Chiang Mai, which successfully treated his physical ailments. As there was no training available for Westerners at the time, he spent months with Chayuth and Piched learning and documenting the procedures and therapeutic treatments. Asokananda wrote and published the first book on Thaimassage in Western language, “The Art of Traditional Thai Massage,” in 1990.
Afterward, Asokananda founded the first Thaimassage school for Westerners, “The Sunshine Network,” and began teaching two-week Thaimassage courses for travelers in a remote mountain village. Krishnataki, Patrick, and Till were fortunate enough to be personally taught by Asokananda. His courses were so popular that classes often had over 50 participants. Unfortunately, Asokananda passed away in 2006 after a brief, severe illness. His longtime assistants took over to keep the school running and began teaching the courses, which are still being conducted today.
Today, the popularity of Thaimassage is immense. There are countless Thaimassage schools worldwide that teach this art with varying quality, and Thaimassage practices can be found almost everywhere, often offering a painful Thaimassage experience.
Asokananda, as a Buddhist monk, placed great emphasis on the Dhamma, the teachings of the Buddha, in his courses. The application and integration of Metta, the Pali and Thai word for loving-kindness, during Thaimassage were essential to him for sustainable healing. Therefore, the Thaimassage sessions at the Sunshine Network and Thaimassage Vacanza are not painful, unlike most traditional Thai massages, where pressure and stretching often go beyond the pain threshold. When applied painlessly, the massage system can regulate the nervous and fascial systems better, and the relaxing, healing effect is more sustainable and profound.
Asokananda called the combination of Dhamma and Thaimassage Thai-Yoga Massage.
Krishnataki
Krishnataki was one of Asokananda’s most senior students, assisted in many courses with him, and founded the Sunshine House on the island of Evia in Greece in 2001, where he regularly holds Thaimassage retreats and has taught over 100 courses and well over 1000 participants in Thaimassage.
Patrick
Patrick is a massage therapist, Shiatsu and Thaimassage practitioner, as well as an osteopath, BSc. He has deepened his knowledge in bodywork over the past twenty-five years through studies and practice in Europe, Asia, and Australia. He lives and works in his own practice in Itingen, a small village out of Basel, Switzerland.