Thailand’s Weather : A Brief Guide

While Thailand is a large country and there are different areas which experience different weather at certain times of year, it would be correct to say that Thailand is a humid and tropical country for the majority of the year. In the north of the country, with Bangkok being regarded as the middle point, there are three seasons and in the southern half of Thailand, there are two main seasons.

In the north of Thailand, the weather is mainly dry between November and May but this period can be broken down into November to February being quite cool with March to May being the warmest and driest time of year. The period from May to November is the monsoon season in the north of Thailand, and this is the time of year when the rainfall is at its highest in this area.

In the southern half of Thailand, things are simpler, with only two seasons to think about, the dry season and the wet season. However, it is important to note that these seasons occur at different times on the west and eastern parts of the country. In the west half of Thailand, the rainy season occurs from April, running through to October, and on the east coast, the majority of rain falls from September through to December.

The northern and central regions of Thailand receive around 1,400 millimetres over the course of a year while the southern part of the country receives around 2,400 millimetres in a year.

Many believe it is best to visit Thailand between November and February
If you are looking to visit Thailand, many people believe that the best time to do so is between November and February, because the northeast monsoon provides cool and dry air that helps to provide some break and respite from the heat. In the cool season, the temperature in Bangkok can vary between 18 and 32 degrees but in the north and northeast of the country; the temperature can fall to around 8 to 12 degrees in the morning while reaching 20 degrees at the warmest point in the day. The nights are extremely chilly at times and if you are at a high temperature, you may find that the temperature drops below freezing point.

Watch out for humidity
The hot and dry season runs from March to June, and in Bangkok, the temperature can reach over 40 degrees and the humidity level can reach 75%. The warmest month of the year is April and you should look to avoid visiting Bangkok at this time unless you plan on spending a lot of time taking evasive action from the heat.

There is also the fact that between July and October, the majority of rain falls in Thailand and many parts of the country are at risk of flooding. The humidity during this period stands at close to 90% and in Bangkok, the temperature is close to 30 degrees although it should be noted that the city is very wet in this period. The monsoon season concludes when the direction of the changes, allowing the country to benefit from the dry weather that comes in from the northeast of the country.

The fact that the key weather seasons in Thailand are so well defined should help you to plan ahead when arranging a visit to Thailand.