Best Time To Travel To: Thailand
Thailand lies between 6 ° and 20 ° north. In the extreme south and towards the center, Thailand is influenced by the equatorial climate and rather under the influence of the tropical monsoons. The north is hilly and mountainous, but the east and the center of the country are comparatively flat.
The main rainy season in Thailand is usually between May and November. Then Thailand is under the influence of the southwest monsoon from the Indian Ocean. It brings hot, humid air and lots of clouds. Theoretically, it is conceivable that the rainy season extends into December. From late November to April, however, most of the country is usually much drier. Now the country is under the influence of the northeast monsoon, which brings dry air from China. Only on the Isthmus of the Kra does rain fall significantly, as the winds here tend to come from the Pacific or the Gulf of Thailand.
The center with Bangkok and the south of Thailand
In terms of temperature, the parts of the country near the equator, i.e. the center and south of Thailand, are relatively stable and subject to relatively minor fluctuations. There are no striking differences over the year. The climate in Bangkok, for example, is pretty consistent all year round. Here, too, the proximity to the equator still has an effect. Usually you have very warm temperatures between 32 to 34 ° C here. For Bangkok, too, the main rainy phase is between April and November, but here, too, it rarely rains very long, i.e. rarely for many days (exceptions confirm the rule as always - see longer rainy period in October 2011). The south of Thailand, on the other hand, has been very susceptible to storms between November and January in recent years.
The north and northeast of Thailand
In the north, however, the northeast monsoon is noticeable with falling temperatures and the temperature differences can be clearly felt here. In the north and northeast it can always be a bit cooler than in the south or central Thailand. Overall, you notice the greater distance to the equator, because the temperature differences are much more pronounced than in other regions of Thailand. Here, too, the winter from November to March is comparatively dry. The temperatures are then somewhere between 24 ° to 30 ° C. However, it can e.g. can be cooler at night, temperatures well below 10 ° C are possible. Especially in the far north and at higher altitudes it can always be quite cool, here even minus degrees are possible. In the north, too, the temperatures then rise significantly until March and April. April and the beginning of May can even get extremely hot, temperatures of over 40 ° C are often reported here. The rainy season begins in May, but you can feel it most strongly in the north between August and October. Basically, however, it rains a little less in the north than in the south of the country.
The climate table of Chiang Mai may represent the north, while Bangkok represents the southern center of Thailand.
Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao in detail
When is the best time to travel to Thailand?
The hottest months in Thailand are usually March, April and May. The fewest hours of sunshine can usually be enjoyed from June to October. The course of the year can be roughly divided into three, most viewers assume three seasons: one cool, one hot and one wet.
The cool season runs from late November to February. It's drier, but cooler - especially in the north.
In most parts of the country, the hot season is from March to May. Now it is sometimes unbearably hot and humid. Above all, the capital Bangkok is like a greenhouse with plenty of smog and the north or northeast is heavily covered with smoke (especially due to the slash and burn!).
The wet season goes from May to October, especially September and October are very humid.
As in many other countries, the optimal travel time for Thailand is difficult to determine across the board. As is so often the case, everything depends on the region and ultimately also on personal preferences. In general, the main travel time and thus the best travel time for Thailand is seen in the cool and dry phase from December to February. It is then relatively dry and at the same time a bit cooler. However, this primarily refers to the north, in relation to the south it must be mentioned that in recent years there have been repeated extreme rainfalls and storms (often between November and January). The months of March to May can get extremely hot all over Thailand and can then be quite stressful for the circulation. This is especially true when it also rains and you often feel like in the Greenhouse occurs. During this phase it is still relatively dry, but it can also rain heavily (as observed in the south at the end of March 2011). June through August can be options for traveling into the country. In September and October and in some places even in November, you have to reckon with heavier rainfall in many parts of the country. For example, October 2011 was extremely rainy in much of the country.
