Quick answer — Swiss Thara Massage is the Swiss branch of the Thara Massage Institute of Chiang Mai, founded and led by Master Ajahn Suwat, a reference in therapeutic Thai massage for over thirty years. Clement Ramanich, one of his closest students, applies the same method in Switzerland with the same standards: assessment, individualised protocol, results.
Many practices claim "Thai massage". Very few can name their lineage, their master and the institute where their craft was forged. That is the difference between a technique picked up over a few weekends and a transmission received at the source.
A reference institute in Chiang Mai
The Thara Massage Institute is located in Chiang Mai, in the Wat Ket district, in the heart of Northern Thailand — the historical cradle of traditional Thai massage. Its founder, Master Ajahn Suwat, has taught and practised there for more than three decades. A respected pioneer of his discipline, he was honoured at the International Symposium on Local Wisdom and Improving Quality of Life for his contribution to traditional Thai medicine.
The institute is not just a treatment centre: it is a complete place of care and transmission. It offers therapeutic consultations with musculoskeletal assessment, a demanding training curriculum — the Thara Massage Training Program —, online courses and sharp specialisations, from frozen shoulder to post-accident rehabilitation and women's health.
The "En" technique: beyond the muscle
What sets the Thara method apart is its approach known as "En". Where many modern practices focus on the isolated muscle, the Thai tradition works along lines — chains running through the body and connecting tensions to one another. Deep pressure, stretches and precise work along these paths combine to treat the cause of a pain, not just the place where it expresses itself.
In practice, this explains why a shoulder pain is sometimes worked from the forearm or the neck, and why recurring back pain resolves by rebalancing the hips. You will find this logic of muscular and tendinous chains in every one of our articles — and in every session. To understand the method in detail, read What is Thara Massage? Origins and principles.
From Chiang Mai to St-Cergue: a direct transmission
Clement Ramanich did not learn this method from a manual. He became one of Master Ajahn Suwat's closest students, trained at the institute itself, on real cases, following the traditional path: long years alongside the master. This is the craft he brought to Switzerland when founding Swiss Thara Massage.
Being the Swiss branch of the institute carries obligations. The same course of care: assessment of the syndrome before any treatment, a protocol built for your case, progress tracked session after session. The same practice setting: on a floor futon, practitioner and patient clothed, no oil. The same honesty: if your case belongs with another professional, we tell you. The difference from a classic wellness massage is detailed in Therapeutic or relaxation massage: which one do you need?.
What this lineage changes for you
For a client in Geneva, on La Côte or in St-Cergue, this filiation has very concrete consequences. First, a guarantee of seriousness: the technique proved itself over decades before reaching Switzerland, across thousands of cases. Second, continuity: protocols evolve with the institute, and the Swiss practice stays connected to its source — not a frozen copy, a living branch. Third, a standard: the Thara name engages the reputation of an entire school.
It is also an invitation to curiosity. The method you receive at the practice is taught in Chiang Mai to practitioners from around the world. You can explore the institute's universe at tharamassage.com — and find its concrete application, in French and English, forty minutes from Geneva.
FAQ
Does Swiss Thara Massage apply exactly the same method as in Chiang Mai? Yes — same assessment, same protocols, same session setting. The Swiss practice simply adapts to local needs: desk-related pain, sport, stress.
Who is Master Ajahn Suwat? The founder and director of the Thara Massage Institute of Chiang Mai, practitioner and teacher of therapeutic Thai massage for over 30 years, honoured for his contribution to traditional Thai medicine.
Can you train in this method? Yes, the institute offers a training programme and online courses — see our article Training in Thara Massage: the online courses of the Chiang Mai institute.
Where can you receive this massage in Switzerland? At the St-Cergue practice (VD) or at home across Geneva and La Côte, by appointment.