In all the gyms I've tried (three so far in Sydney, Australia) partner pad-holding has always had a prominent place in Muay Thai classes.
Unfortunately I've found that holding pads for roundhouse kicks is my least favourite part of training. I'm a smaller man (162cm, 53-54kg) so there's a significant size disparity with most partners. Even with smaller ones I think that because of the pads the hits aren't localised to, say, the legs, arms, or body. Instead what I think happens is that the impact is spread across the whole body and is transmitted to the head and neck. Sometimes I'll get slight headaches. It's got me a bit worried about brain injuries.
I do see some benefits to it: it helps my fight vision and understanding of how techniques work but I feel like if I'm going to take light hits I'd rather do it in sparring or if I'm going to take hard hits then I'd rather do it in a fight.
Is partners holding pads a thing in Thailand as well? If not, what do they have instead and can I do that?
Is this just a "learn to hold pads correctly and strengthen your neck" issue? There's not been a lot of instruction on that and there are conflicting opinions on the Internet on whether to meet the kick with the pads or resist it. I'm a bit of a hypochondriac as well so it's hard to gauge if I'm overreacting.
I don't think it's a "toughen up" issue. Arm, body, shin pain, whatever is fine. But the head stuff is scary.