Spas in Thailand have been growing rapidly due to its remarkable high qualities and professional standards.  Spa business managements are improving and developing standardized  spa systems accredited by the Royal Thai Government. 
 
The Ministry of Public Health strictly concentrates in stressing out the regulations of the spa standardized businesses, spa therapists, and spa managers.  Spa managers at this time have to pass the spa manager standard test and must be registered from the Medical Registration Division, Ministry of Public Health which are  the major organizations assigned to  upgrade Thai spas  to meet the spa international standard services.  
 
With the exceptional skills of Thai people in applying alternative treatments for health security, it has been acknowledged by many customers anywhere around the world. There are many kinds of spa services which are very popular for customer such as Thai Traditional Massage, Aromatherapy, Ayurveda, reflexology, and others. 
 
In the destination spas or resort spas, the king’s court massage are more popular than unofficial massage.  Moreover, day spas and hotel and resort spas are the highly growing.  Most hotels undergo expansions and renovations to establish  better ambiance and upgrade the quality of their spa services since it’s been an outstanding service arena.

The survey of the market survey database of the tourist behaviors project of The Tourism Authority of Thailand has mentioned the overall prospective of spa businesses in Thailand which are all clustered in the health businesses. 
 
The Royal Thai Government currently promotes and supports the project  parallel to The National Economic and Social Development Planning by setting the goal of achieving Thailand to be the wellness capital of Asia at the end of 2008. The approximate number of spa proprietors for the health treatments in Thailand is 971 from 363 in the Bangkok metropolitan area, 219 spas in the southern, 68  in the northern, 58  in the eastern, 51  in the central, and 32  in the north eastern of Thailand. 
 
They generate income from the spa services in the amount of 6,754 million Baht (information by The Ministry of Public Health).  From the wxcessive growth of the registration of the spa proprietors in Thailand, the projection of the value of spa services become an interesting issue. 
 
Moreover, spa businesses do  not only generate income directly to the people foundation of Thailand but also through exporting goods and services from Thai spas.
 
 
 
 
The above database showed that during high travel seasons, there is an increasing number of both Thai and foreign customers buying and using spa services anywhere around Thailand.  Average of  customers using spa services daily is approximately 14,482 customers and 19,946 customers during weekends and holidays. Thai customers range at 50.01 percent and foreigner customer at 49.99 percent.

On the other hand at the off-peek period travel season, amount of customers are dropping to 9,539 per day.  Average of spa customers during weekends and holidays are about 13,756 persons, by which 51.24 percent are foreigners and  48.82 percent are Thais respectively.  However, the spa customers during weekday decreases to 7,740 persons per day by which 51.18 percent are foreigners and  48.82 percent are Thais.
 
Most foreign customers are Asian such as Japanese, Korean, Singaporean, Hong Kong, and Taiwanese followed by Europeans and Americans respectively.
 
 
 
 There are many beautiful natural tourism resources and mineral springs such as Pha tung hot spring fountain, Chieng Rai Province and San Kham Peang mineral spring, Chieng Mai.
 
 The various types of services and spa providers in Thailand.
 
 Spas in Thailand are very unique and famous of Thai Traditional Massage.
 
 Friendly and generous attitude of Thai people.
 
 The tremendously increasing of spa users in Thailand in the year of 2005 which include all proposals of using spa services 4,614,966 persons per year, and can be described in each type of spas: day spas in the amount of 3,176,373 clients, Hotel and Resort spas 1,316,630, Destination spas 9,230 persons and Medical Spas 112,368 persons per year (Tourism Authority of Thailand)
 
 The spas proprietors in Thailand bring herbs to develop and modify spa products suitable to spa services.  Spa products such as oil extracting from sun flower, coconut, sesame, lemon grass, bergamot, cloves, and ginger, including cosmetic products and skin treatments.
 
 Private sectors of spa owner found the Federation of Thai spas which the members are from related business such as Thai Spa Association, Thai Lanna Spa Association, Phuket Spa Association, Samui Spa Association, Krabi Spa Club, Pangha Spa Club, and Ranong Spa Club.
 
 The cooperation from Royal Thai Government and private sectors in order to upgrade Thai spa to international competitiveness i.e. Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Education, Thailand Institutes of Science and technological Research, Tourism Authority of Thailand and The Federation of Thai Spa All sectors go hand in hand to succeed and achieve the goal to increasing spa services among Thai and foreign tourists as it brings together the development in both economic, social and other competitiveness into a world class spa.

 

 
 
Spa comes from Latin “Sanus Per Aquam” which means taking care of health by using water to release and make good health.  The well known meaning of the spa as treatment and cure the overall health, the natural methodologies are used mainly from water and other alternative medicines through five senses i.e. sight, taste, smell, sound, and touch which balance the health, mental, and sprit.  Spa deals on treatments to protect good health rather than curing ailments. It serves as shield or counter attack against upcoming disorders.

Thailand is  recognized as  the first country who created the regulation for the health spa businesses as it introduces the meaning of  the Statue of the place for health and beauty treatment of the service act, B.E. 2509 (C.E.1966) (updating in 4th edition B.E. 2547(C.E. 2004)) by the Ministry of Public Health which indicates “Spa businesses for health treatment are the organization that provides health care and treatment that contain major services of water treatment and some of sub services such as the health steaming, exercise, food nutritious and food control, yoga, and meditation including the use of  herbs and other health treatment products or alternative medical care.
 
 
 

 Destination spa is the medium to long term stay spa for continuous treatment activities which has the consolation for healing, exercise, massage, food nutrition and all other activities.
 
 Hotel and Resort Spa is the spa running in hotel and resort with the major services of exercise, massage, steaming and sauna, and food nutrition mostly for hotel guests.
 
 Day Spa is the spa decorated from house, commercial building, mall, or space in terminal area in the airport servicing in very short time about 1-5 hours.
 
 Medical Spa is emphasizing on healing which provide by medical doctors or alternative medical doctors
 
 Club Spa mainly provides exercise to stronger body and services of massage, steaming and sauna, hot and cool Jacuzzis, including yoga or other exercise which will not provide place to stay in spa  
 
 Mineral Spring Spa is the hot spring fountain or mineral spring in order to release and healing rather than medial choice which in Thailand have the great opportunity to create and develop many mineral springs to tourist attraction in the future.
 
 Cruise Ship Spa is located in the cruise which mainly provides exercise, food nutrition, beauty treatment, or other activities for mental care which the prospect will be more and more excepted.