Thailand will officially enter the rainy season next week, the Meteorological Department has announced today. The rain will also bring some respite from the heat and drought.
While man-made fires are the main reason for spring haze in northern and northeastern parts of the country, the very hot weather has also contributed to the poor air quality in the region causing some serious forest fires.
Increased rainfall is expected in the northern, northeastern, central, eastern and southern regions from today, May 12, until Thursday, May 16. The southern parts of the country will face heavy rain in some areas with moderate winds and waves averaging two metres in the Andaman Sea till the end of the next week. Swimming is already prohibited with red flags on in many Phuket beaches that face the Andaman Sea.
While rainy season is definitely a wet period for Thailand it is by no means the reason to postpone your trip to the Land of Smiles. Islands in the lower part of the Gulf – Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao – enter their best season that lasts till mid autumn. The Eastern Seaboard with Pattaya, Koh Chang and Koh Samet being the main beach destinations is generally drier and boasts good weather in summer. Rainy days are not so scorchingly hot and are a good choice for city sightseeing – think Bangkok, Ayutthaya or Sukhothai. Kanchanaburi will become increasingly more beautiful with more rain coming down – head to River Kwai or explore further afield reaching Sangkhlaburi.
Rainy Season in Thailand Starts Next Week
News in Asia
This year, Thailand has suffered two months of extraodinary hot weather with temperatures reaching 40 degrees Centigrade and over in several northern and northeastern provinces of the country. But the heat is almost over now.