Thailand's health ministry says it will train women to do breast exercises as an alternative to resorting to ill-fitting bras.

The ministry plans to launch a troupe of dancers on Valentine's Day who will show women how to improve their bust lines.

The announcement follows a study commissioned by the ministry which suggested that many foreign-designed bras are not appropriate for Thai women and could be leading to deformities.

"Many villagers already have experience in making designer bras while working as sub-contractors for foreign firms," said Dr Pennapha Subcharoen of the ministry's Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine Development.

"If tailor-made bras became popular, it would create more jobs in the provinces," she told Thailand's the Nation newspaper.

Media messages

Thai women were made to feel inadequate by images of well-endowed women in the media, Dr Pennapha said.

"Many women are not aware that wearing an appropriate size of bra and regularly taking bosom-firming dance can make their wish come true," Reuters news agency quoted her as saying.

"So we are training 12 pairs of instructors to teach women how to take care of their breasts."

The dance lessons will begin at state-run sports centres on 14 February.