Thai Traditional Pharmacy and Herbal Medicine in Thailand

Thai Traditional Pharmacy and Herbal Medicine in Thailand
The Traditional Thai Pharmacy practice in Thailand comprises of the use of medicinal materials or components derived from plants, animals or minerals, which are used as traditional medicines. Furthermore, it involves the art of compounding those ingredients into various dosage forms of Traditional Thai Medicine recipes.

In Thailand, complete and thorough Thai Pharmacy training is nowadays usually offered at colleges and universities as a bachelor undergraduate program. Most of the time it’s part of a complete 4-year Thai Traditional Medicine program, but it’s also offered as a separate study (which then usually takes 2 years). There are also some private institutes that offer the study.

Usually these study programs are only accessible for those who master the Thai Language, or even only for Thai citizens, but there are some programs open for foreigners.

Study Curriculum

Students learn about the benefits and forms of herbal medicine, and the methods and techniques of preparing quality drugs.

Main subject areas are:

Materia Medica: Students study plants, animals and elements that can be used in the treatment of disorders.
Medicinal Characteristics: Students study both modern and Thai Traditional Pharmacy. They gain knowledge of the major substances found in each herb and also acquire laboratory skills.
Combining Materia Medica: Students study how to combine herbal medicines to acquire skills in using herbal medicine to treat patients.
Traditional Pharmaceutics: Students study how to select material in order to prepare and produce different herbal medicines according to Thai traditional medicine methods and recipes.

Furthermore, student gain knowledge about the use of herbs in basic health services, about traditional household remedies, traditional drugs in the national list of essential medicines, and the laws relating to the production and distribution of traditional medicines.

Practice and experience is an important part of the study: students have to gain practical experience of the use of herbs and medicines and different strategies are applied to promote practical knowledge, such as for instance forest trekking with Thai traditional doctors to recognize and collect plants and herbs, engagement with institutes or companies that produce herbal medicines, internships at community hospitals in different regions of Thailand, and funding of research projects relating to the development of knowledge and use of herbs.

Colleges & Universities

Below you’ll find an overview of colleges and universities in Thailand that offer Thai Traditional Pharmacy education. The majority of institutes mentioned, also offer a complete Traditional Thai Medicine study.

Abhaibhubejhr College of Traditional Medicine Prachinburi
The Abhaibhubejhr College of Traditional Medicine Prachinburi offers a Thai Traditional Medicine College program: Thai Pharmacy, Thai medical practice [More info...]

Burapha University
The Faculty of Abhaibhubejhr of Thai Traditional Medicine was established in 2005. The faculty is run in cooperation with the Abhaibhubejhr Hospital s [More info...]

Chulalongkorn University | College of Public Health Sciences
Offers, among other programs, research-based Master of Science programs in Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicines. [More info...]

College of Muay Thai Study and Traditional Thai Medicine
The college is part of the Muban Chombueng Rajbhat University. The Muay Thai Study and Thai Traditional Medicine College is the first in Thailand to o [More info...]

Mae Fah Luang | School of Health Sciences
The School of Health Sciences is part of the Mae Fah Luang University in Chiang Rai and runs a Bachelor and Master program of Traditional Thai Medicin [More info...]

Mahasarakham University | Faculty of Medicine
The Faculty of Medicine of the University located in Maha Sarakham offers a bachelor program in Applied Traditional Thai Medicine. [More info...]

Mahidol University | Siriraj Hospital
The Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital Mahidol University runs a Center of Applied Thai Traditional Medicine (and a 4-year Bachelor program) and is [More info...]

Naresuan University | Faculty of Public Health
The Faculty of Public Health from the Naresuan University in Phitsanulok offers an undergraduate Bachelor college program of Applied Thai Traditional [More info...]

Phayao University
The Faculty of Medicine of the Phayao University has a branch of Applied Traditional Thai medicine. The School of Architecture and Fine Arts of the un [More info...]

Prince of Songkla University
The Faculty of Traditional Thai Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hatyai Campus offers a Bachelor and Master of Thai Traditional Medicine progra [More info...]

Rajamangala University Srivijaya
The University runs a Thai Traditional Medicine College runs a Bachelor and Master program in Thai Traditional Medicine. Fields of study are Thai Medi [More info...]

Rajamangala University Thanyaburi
The University has a Thai Traditional Medicine College with a 4-year Bachelor of Applied Thai Traditional Medicine Program (B.ATM.) including Thai Mas [More info...]

Rangsit University | College of Oriental Medicine
The Rangsit University runs a Bachelor and Master Program of Oriental Medicine, including that of Traditional Thai Medicine. [More info...]

Sirindhorn College of Public Health
The Sirindhorn College of Public Health in Chonburi offers a college program of Applied Thai Traditional Medicine. The college has a Thai Traditional [More info...]

Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University
The university offers a Bachelor, Master, and PhD program in Applied Thai Traditional Medicine. [More info...]

Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University
The university offers a Bachelor and Master program of Thai Traditional Medicine or Applied Traditional Thai Medicine. Programs are part of the Facult [More info...]

Thaksin University
The Faculty of Health and Sports Science, Thaksin University (Songkhla and Phatthalung Campus) offers a Bachelor program of Traditional Thai medicine. [More info...]

Yala Sirindhorn College of Public Health
The Sirindhorn College of Public Health in Yala offers a Thai Traditional Medicine Course and Bachelor of Thai Traditional Medicine Program. Program c [More info...]