Seasons in Thailand Explained
Thailand has three seasons… extremely hot, mildly hot, and rainy. The wet time of the year is colloquially called the rainy season; others may refer to it as the wet season or the monsoon season in Thailand.
While some consider the rain a disruption, others welcome the annual downpours and appreciate the break from the hot weather. It depends on whether you’re riding a motorcycle without a raincoat when it starts!
Unlike much of the rest of the world, north and south of the equatorial regions, which has four dependable seasons, Thailand has just three types of weather. The tropical monsoon sweeps northeast out of the Indian Ocean into the Southeast Asian land mass, driving the weather. Apart from pressure systems that sweep down from China, the tropical monsoon is the overwhelming element of Thailand’s weather.
Hot Season in Thailand
Although it may feel hot all year round in Thailand, the actual Hot Season runs from March through June, with April and May being the hottest months of the year.
Brief Cold Season in Thailand
It's important to note that there is also a striking but abridged cold season in the upper central and northern provinces of Thailand.
During this season, the morning temperatures can hover as low as 8 degrees Celsius. The mountain areas even have ground frost, which Thai people enjoy witnessing.
Rainy Season in Thailand
Thailand’s rainy season is driven by the southwest monsoon sweeping out of the Indian Ocean with moist air bearing in a north-easterly direction across Thailand from the Andaman Sea and sucked into the hole left by rising warm air over the southeast Asian mainland. The monsoon also coincides with Thailand’s location in the southeast Asian tropical rain belt, the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone.
The timing of the Thai rainy season isn’t the same around the country. For example, Chiang Mai does not have the same rainy season as the islands off the Gulf of Thailand.
Koh Samui’s rainy season is months after the islands on the other side of the Malay Peninsula.
Phuket’s wettest months are September and October.
Koh Samui has the most extensive rainfalls and storms two months later.
Songkran Festival- Thai New Year-April 13th-15th
The annual celebration of Songkran, the Thai New Year on April 13, is usually timed to coincide with the end of the hot season and the start of the rainy season.
The festival focuses on water, with traditional activities such as gently washing Buddha images and the hands of the most senior family members.
Songkran in the tourist zones (post-COVID) had somewhat become an all-in water fight, but the symbolism of water remains the focus. In most provinces, the rainy season usually starts a month after Songkran.
Some places can be much wetter than others. Ranong is the wettest province in southern Thailand, with a rainy season stretching from April to November.
The power and vigor of the rains vary extensively; however, the showers typically tend to be short, fierce bursts of rainfall. They could last for a few hours in the middle of the day. However, they could just as effortlessly be over within about 15 minutes in the morning or evening. But torrential rain is always correlated with warm temperatures. That’s why it can be more of a relief than a hassle.
Then again, individuals always need to get around during a rainstorm. Don’t be surprised to see locals knee-deep in the flooded streets. The rainy season does little to stop the locals who are used to carrying on despite the deluges and occasional floods.
Help is never too far away with the omnipresent cheap ‘poncho’ available at every 7-Eleven or Family Mart. Although they are flimsy and come in various unfashionable colors, they’ll keep at least some of your body dry if caught in a downpour.
Another great thing about the rains in Thailand is that they are never icy cold and usually provide a pleasant recess from the heat. The annual rains provide water for the crops and fill up the dams.
FAQ’s
How many Seasons are in Thailand?
Thailand has three official seasons… scorching, mildly hot, and rainy. However, northern Thailand has a colder season between November to January.
When is Thailand’s Rainy Season 2022?
Thailand’s or Southeast Asia’s annual rainy season, or monsoon, differs between the south and the north. In the north, it’s from May to October. The South of Thailand has two seasons -- wet and dry. These seasons do not run simultaneously on the east and west sides of the country. On the west coast (Gulf Coast), the southwest monsoons get rain and often heavy storms from April to October.
However, on the East Coast, more precipitation falls between September and December.
Does Thailand have a Nickname?
Yes, Thailand’s nickname is The Land of Smiles.
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