The easiest way to describe the kind of weather you can expect to find in Thailand is that it is tropical and humid. The majority of the country remains this way for most of the year, and to westerners this may seem like a far cry from our conventional four season pattern. The area north of Bangkok has a climate consisting of three seasons, and this is the most you will find in the entire country, since the rest of Thailand has only two seasons every year.

Northern Thailand

The seasons here are pretty clearly defined, and the weather from between November – May is mostly dry. The first half of this period is significantly cooler than the latter. This is because the northeast monsoon sends cooling breezes during the first half.
The other northern season is from May to November and is dominated by the southwest monsoon, during which time rainfall in the north is at its heaviest.

Southern Thailand

This region in actually has only two season – wet and dry, and do not run at the same time on both east and west sides o the peninsular. The west coast has the southwest monsoon, which brings rain and invariably heavy storms from April through to October, whilst the east coast has most of its rain between September and December.

From March to May is the hot season, and this is when it pays to stay somewhere which has air-conditioning, Sightseeing should be scheduled for morning or late afternoon, since midday is way to hot for most. Make sure you drink plenty of water, as dehydration is a real risk factor during this season. The best way of cooling off is by joining in with the Songkran festivities in mid-April. The world famous Thai Water Festival is a fantastic experience for the young at heart.

The rainy season runs through June-October, but there are many regional variations which can occur as early as May. Many people are put off by this, but during this time the best deals can be found. This makes it the best time for those on a very tight budget. Accommodation can be cut during this time by up to 50%, and this money can be used to full advantage at the many events and markets in most regions.