The minister was confident that Unesco would approve the inclusion of Nuad Thai, as Thailand had high hopes for this proposal and had presented extensive information and details about traditional Thai massage and why it belongs on the list.

To support the campaign for inclusion on the list, and to help conserve this intangible heritage, Nuad Thai services at domestic and international shops will need to be standardised, Vira said.

Related agencies have discussed and agreed to impose a requirement that all Nuad Thai shops in Thailand and other countries obtain a certificate from the Thai Public Health Ministry&rsquo;s Department of Health Service Support to operate their business, he added.

Application for cultural recognition of Thai massage sent to Unesco

Thailand has already submitted its application for "Nuad Thai" traditional massage to be added to Unesco’s World Cultural Heritage list and the result should be out by November this year, said Culture Minister Vira Rojpojchanarat on Tuesday.