About the Massage Instructor
The founder and the teacher of The Fine Art of Thai Massage, Therdchai Chumphoopong,
Internationally known as MAC, he began formal training at 17 at the Foundation of Dr Shivago Komarpaj Massage Hospital (Chiang Mai Old Medicine Hospital),
where he was trained for 3 years and worked as a teacher assistant and therapist.
He then became a monk for 6 months in a temple in Chiang Mai and helped beside his retreat by performing massages and traditional herbal saunas.
He went on to the
ITM School - International Training Massage School, where he taught for 5 years.
He opened his first school in 1999. He is an official Nuad Thai Instructor and Specialist of The Union of Thai Traditional Medicine Society.
MAC has a long experience as a teacher and as a masseur. He has also been invited to teach in Bali and Italy.
Despite his years of experience and expertise, MAC chooses to stay simple and most of all natural. He is health and environmentally conscious and adopts joyful living.
Besides Thai, MAC speaks English fluently and quite a bit of Italian.
The Chumphoopong Family in 1999, MAC is 28 and starting to teach. His parents on the left
Born into Traditional Thai Massage
MAC was born into Traditional Thai Massage, as was his late mother, Pensri, called MUM by all, and his younger brother Chatchawan, known as MOS. Pensri grew up assisting her parents in their village, treating illness with herbal steam remedies and massage. She also studied at Wat Po in Bangkok and worked as a Therapist and helped teach at the Old Medicine Hospital in Chiang Mai. She was taught the most original and traditional form of Thai massage from the monks of Wat Po. Her mother herself had already taught her the knowledge of herbal remedies and bodywork, working as a midwife. This precious family knowledge has been passed on from generation to generation.
"I hope you will enjoy learning as much as I enjoy teaching!"
MAC’ PARENTS
Born and raised in Lamphun, during his early life Mac’s father Gee used to collect and sell medicinal herbs to the inhabitants of the neighboring villages. In his teenage years he became a Muay Thai boxer. At the age of 20 he quit Mui Thai to become a truck driver.
Mac‘s mother Pensri was born in Chiang Mai. At the age of 14 she was sent to Bangkok to study Thai massage. She was able to spend a year at Wat Po thanks to a cousin who was ordained a monk there. When she returned to Chiang Mai she spent years treating people in their homes, often taking Mac with her on weekends. Later she started working at the Old Medicine Hospital, where she quickly became one of the most experienced and most respected therapists, earning the names Yai Lai (“Grandmother”) and Mae Ui (“Great great grandmother”, referred to her experienced and traditional massage techniques).
MOS
MOS was trained by both MUM and MAC, his older brother, since childhood and studied at the Old Medicine Hospital in Chiang Mai. In late 2010 he completed the course of the Thai Traditional Medicine Society and became a formal Nuadthai Instructor and Specialist in August 2011. He currently lives in France and performs massage, and he teaches upon request in the north of France (Lille - please refer to "where to find us" page for details).
