Thailand Weather

The weather in Thailand is tropical. It can be rainy, warm, a cloudy southwest monsoon from mid-May to begin September. The dry cool northeast monsoon is from November to mid-March. The southern isthmus is always hot and humid.

The cool (not so hot) season is from October/November through to March and is the prime tourist season. Southern Thailand has two weather seasons: high season and low season. High season begins in November and features higher percentage occupancy in hotels and higher prices. The weather is generally clear and sunny. The coolest weather is in late December through early January. Peak high season is the Christmas-New Year period, it's crowded and expensive.

Low season features wind predominantly from the southwest. Storms which originate in Antarctica, pass by Sumatra on the way to Phuket. There are periods of one or two weeks during which it rains at least a little on most days. Conditions often change by the hour.

Chiang Mai Weather
Average temperature and average rainfall:
Hot Season: March - June 21 - 34oC 69mm
Rainy Season: July - September 23 - 31oC 218mm
Cool Season: October - February 16 - 30oC 30mm

Bangkok Weather
Average temperature and average rainfall:
Hot Season: March - May 25 - 34oC 97mm
Rainy Season: June - October 24 - 32oC 101mm
Cool Season: November - February 21 - 32oC 25mm

Phuket
Average temperature and average rainfall:
Hot and Dry Season: November - May 25 - 31oC 125mm
Rainy Season: June - October 26 - 30oC 315mm

Surat Thani / Pattaya East Coast Weather
Average temperature and average rainfall:
Hot and Dry Season: January - April 21 - 32oC 40mm
Rainy Season: May - December 24 - 31oC 200mm