Of course, it rains in almost all places around the world, some areas receive more rainfall than others. So, if you are coming to Thailand, you may want to know whether you should be worried about frequent rainfall that may disrupt your itinerary. This leads us to ask this important question – how often does it rain in Thailand.
Well, Thailand is not really known for lots of rainfalls as the country is a tropical location with more sunshine than rainfall. According to Asia Highlights, you can experience lots of downpours in Thailand during the rainy season. Nonetheless, in most locations in this country, it does not rain often in the Land of Smiles.
The majority of the days in Thailand are sunny and warm. As noted by Inthailand.travel, rain can fall during the rainy season and is usually intense and short. In many cases, the rain will fall for about one or two hours during the day. This usually happens in the afternoon or evening and may take place a couple of days during a week during the rainy season.
How much rain can you expect in Thailand?
In general, rain differs from one area to another in Thailand. According to Sidmartinbio.org, the southern areas of Thailand receive more rainfall than the other parts of the country. In Southern Thailand, the rainfall can be about 2,400 millimeters per year. In the Northern parts, the rainfall is measured to be around 1,400 millimeters annually. Notably, the central region also gets similar rainfall as the northern area.
When does it rain in Thailand?
Of course, like other places around the globe, there are some periods/months when you can expect rain to fall a lot. Thailand is not different as the country has some particular months that are regarded as the rainy season. During the season, you can look forward to experiencing lots of rainfall in this Southeast Asian country.
As stated by Thaiest.com, different regions in Thailand encounter the rainy season at varying periods. Most locations in the country will deal with the rainy season from around May to October. In such locations, the heaviest rainfall comes in September and October; thus, these two months are considered the wettest months. Locations that fall into this projected trend include areas in South West (such as Similan, Krab, and Phuket), Center Thailand (Bangkok), and North of Thailand (such as Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai).
However, in Koh Phangan, Koh Samui, Koh Tao, and other locations on the east coast of Southern Thailand, the rainy season often continues until the start of December. In these areas, November receives the most rainfall; hence, it is the wettest month.
However, the trend may differ a bit in some years. So, you must keep this fact in mind.
Can rain affect your travels to Thailand?
Well, there is no straightforward answer to this question. This is because the intensity of the rain will affect an itinerary. However, it is important to understand that rain does not fall all day in Thailand. Therefore, even if it is raining when you want to go out, you can reschedule and go out later. In fact, rain usually falls for a few hours; hence, it will hardly be long enough to stop you from doing other things during the day.
In addition, rain falls mostly in the morning and evening; thus, you can use the other periods of the day to move from one attraction to another in Thailand. However, the rainy season offers some advantages over the other seasons. Since it is an off-peak season, you will likely enjoy cheaper accommodation, flights, and so on. Therefore, if you are thinking about traveling to Thailand during the rainy season, the rain will probably not affect your enjoyment and experience in the country.
Trips for visiting Thailand during the rainy season
As stated earlier, it doesn’t rain too often in Thailand. But this doesn’t mean that rain cannot have some impact on your travel plans. Therefore, as you are planning to visit the country, you should learn some vital tips for dealing with rain in Thailand. According to Asia Highlights, these tips can assist you.
- Be flexible
When going to Thailand during the rainy season, you need to be flexible. If there is heavy rainfall, unexpected thunderstorm, etc., your flights, ferries, and so on may be delayed or canceled for the day. Also, it may be difficult for you to visit hilly areas with landslides and mudslides during or immediately after rainfall. Therefore, you need to plan for the unexpected but unavoidable events that may affect your itinerary. You may want to add two or more days to your plan to accommodate any weather challenges.
In addition, you should always plan. Don’t wait until the last minute before determining how your day will go. Similarly, plan to enjoy some indoor activities in the country.
- Pay attention to the weather news and reports
Weather reports and news can assist you to know what to expect during the day. They will assist you to understand the areas you should visit and where you must avoid them. Therefore, you should not hesitate to get daily weather reports and news before you start planning your itinerary for a particular day.
- Get lots of waterproof and quick-drying items
Even if you are trying to avoid rain, you may be caught up in the middle of it in a few cases. Therefore, you must get several waterproof and quick-drying items. Firstly, you should have a durable travel umbrella that can withstand the rainfall in Thailand. Secondly, invest in high-quality waterproof bags for carrying your belongings.
Also, water-resistance cellphone case, watch, etc. can come in handy to help you when it is raining in the Land of Smiles. You will also need non-slip shoes, quick-drying fabrics, lightweight clothes, and lots more.
Conclusion
Without a doubt, Thailand receives its fair share of rainfall every year, but it doesn’t rain often in the country. Nevertheless, you should know when you are likely to encounter lots of rainfall and how you can deal with it when in Thailand.
