Ya dom (ยาดม) is a Thai nasal inhaler. “Ya” means medicine and “dom” means to smell. It is considered a traditional medicine of Thailand. The Thai use it to cure nasal congestions, relieves stress, and to feel relaxed, especially in tropical Thailand where people need constant freshness to combat heat. Some people like to take a sniff of ya dom at work when they encounter mental blocks, to clear their mind.

In the Thai society, aromatherapy became popular during the reign of King Rama II (1809-1824) according to a composition called Nirat Phukhao Thong (นิราศภูเขาทอง) by Sunthorn Phu, in which the King’s favor of fragrance is mentioned. It is nowadays still popular in Thailand and considered one of the characteristic cultural artefacts of the country.