By Suzanne Nam
Thailand Travel Expert, about.com
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Thailand has a tropical climate with a distinct monsoon season, which
means that whatever time of year you visit, it’s going to be warm and
humid and might be wet. There are three seasons in Thailand --
cool season between November and February, hot season between March and
May and rainy (monsoon) season between June and October. Heat,
humidity, and rainfall vary significantly depending on where you’re
traveling and what time of year you come.
The North
Chiang Mai
and the rest of the northern region of Thailand enjoy cooler, milder
weather throughout the year. During the cool season, average highs are
in the low 80s (Fahrenheit) but average lows will dip down into the 60s
and even lower up in the mountains, making it the only region in
Thailand where you’ll ever need a sweater outside!
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Hot season
temperatures can easily hit the mid-90s or higher during the day. The
weather won’t cool off much at night, either, although higher elevations
in some areas make it more bearable than in the rest of the country.
The rainy season
sees less rain than other parts of the country, but monsoon storms can
still be dramatic and intense, especially during September, the rainiest
month of the year.
Bangkok and Central Thailand
Bangkok's
three seasons all share one thing in common – heat. In fact, the
coldest temperature ever recorded in Bangkok was 50 degrees, and that
was back in 1951. Cool season temperatures are generally in the 70s and
80s so it’s no surprise it’s such a popular time to visit.
During
the hot season, expect highs in the 80s and 90s, with some days in the
100s. If you’re visiting Bangkok during the hot season, make sure to
plan around the weather. The heat makes it difficult to walk around
outside for too long.
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For most of the rainy season, temperatures
cool off by a few degrees and storms only last an hour or two before
passing, making it a good time visit if you want to avoid crowds and
don’t mind getting a little wet.
The South
The weather in
Southern Thailand follows a slightly different pattern than the rest of
the country. There’s really no cool season, as temperatures only vary by
about 10 degrees between the hottest and coldest months of the year.
Rainy
season happens at a different time depending on whether you’re on the
west side of the peninsula or the east side. If you’re on the west,
where Phuket and other Andaman Coast destinations are, the rainy season
starts a little earlier, in April, and lasts through October. If you’re
on the east, where Koh Samui and the other Gulf Coast destinations are,
most of the rainfall happens between October and January.
