Wanlop Tanakieti, M.D.
LMHI Thailand - National Vice-President
807, 809 Silom Road, Silom
Bangrak, Bangkok 10500 Thailand
Tel : +66 2 2364470 , Mobile : +66 94 9866215
Affiliated LMHI Member Organization (Institutional Member) :
Homoeopathic Association of Thailand
History of Homeopathy in Thailand :
Homeopathy was first introduced into the Kingdom of Thailand (then , Siam) in 1851 by an American missionary doctor, named Dr.Dan Beach Bradley. His close relationship with the elites made way for Homeopathy to gain the trust from members of the royal family. From historical records, the first Thai homeopath is a prince. His name is : His Royal Highness Krom Luang Wongsa Dhiraj Snid, a half brother of King Rama III and founder of the House of Snidvongs. He is the 49th son of King Rama II. The records, however, not only reveal that he was capable of administering homeopathic medicine, but also predicates the influence of Dr. Bradley had on him. Dr. Bradley’s acknowledgement of his own conversion to homeopathy could be found in his 1849 journal.
During the Reign of King Rama V (1868-1873) Siam was transforming itself into a modern nation-state. As the new Western medicine was introduced, e.g. vaccination against smallpox, treatment of cholera, changes in obstetrics and post-partum care, as well as in surgery, the Siamese elites quickly accept the “modern” medical system and the Thai traditional Medicine, including Homeopathy that they had learned from the foreign missionary doctors had faded away with the wind of change.
During the past 20 years, Thai Traditional Medicine and other CAM had made a comeback, but only Thai Traditional Medicine was legally recognized.
Current Situation of Homeopathy in Thailand
The legalization of homeopathy in Thailand is still in status quo with no foreseeable progress in the near future. There are currently 91 graduated homeopaths in Thailand. The Thai FDA still hasn’t recognized homeopathic remedies and graduated homeopaths can only practice complementarily under their own existing professional licenses.
On education, we’ve planned to provide a two-year postgraduate Homeopathy Course with the co-operation of the Vlaamse Studievereniging voor Unitaire Homeopathische Geneeskunde (Flanders Association for Unicist Homeopathic Medicine) of Belgium, Homoeopathic Association of Thailand, and Institute of Complementary and Alternative Medicine of the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, in order to be able to continue our teaching and learning activities to keep homeopathy alive in Thailand. Since the government’s decision not to legalize homeopathy had made quite an impact on the number of the candidates of our new homeopathic course enrollment and that is still a problem, but we are trying to find more prospects in the meantime. We hope to be able to open our new course soon.
