Everything you need to know about the monsoon season in Thailand

The rainy season in Thailand is driven by the monsoon, bringing heavy rains and occasional floods. The overall country experiences varying durations and intensities of rain. Travelers are advised to prepare for wet season diseases and consider health insurance.

Unlike the rest of the world, Thailand has three main seasons: hot, not-so-hot, and monsoon–commonly known as the wet or green season. While most people enjoy the rain and see it as a good break from the sunny days, heavy rain sometimes disrupts daily activities.

Thailand has three types of weather driven by an annual monsoon that sweeps across Thailand from the northeast Indian Ocean into the Southeast Asian land mass. Apart from pressure systems that sweep down from China, Thailand’s weather is mainly characterized by the tropical monsoon

Let’s take a closer look at the wet season in Thailand in this Pacific Prime Thailand article.

What causes the wet season in Thailand?

Monsoons in Thailand begin after Songkran, or Thai new year in April. Generally, caused by the southwest monsoon sweeping out of the Indian Ocean with moist air heading in a north-easterly direction across Thailand from the Andaman Sea, rising warm air over the southeast Asian land. 

Note that some places can experience more rainfall than others. For example, the southern province Ranong is the  province with the most annual rainfall stretching from April to November.

What to expect during the wet season?

The intensity of the monsoon season varies from one location to another in Thailand. Rainfall can last from fifteen minutes to a few hours during the day. However, in most cases, the rain could be over within 15 minutes in the morning or evening.

Related reading: https://www.pacificprime.co.th/blog/wet-season-illness-in-thailand/

Expect floods

Floods are widespread during this season in Thailand. If you plan to go to Thailand during this time, get ready to wade through the floodwater.

Even though the Thai government spent millions of baht to improve drainage and prevent flooding, it seems to be no different since different locations experience different rainfall levels.

Let’s take a closer look at what to expect during the monsoon season in various parts of Thailand:

Bangkok and Central Provinces 

In the capital city of Thailand, the rainy season starts in June or early July and reaches its peak in September. The rain begins  with notable overnight dumps before increasing to more regular  rains almost daily in July and August.

Chiang Mai and Northern Thailand 

The northern part of Thailand attracts tons of tourists annually, and the raining period in this region lasts longer than Bangkok. It usually starts in May and continues until November, with July and August being the wettest months. 

So, if you plan to visit Chiang Mai during these months, make sure to plan for indoor activities too!

Northeast Thailand and East Thailand

This part of Thailand apparently has the shortest rainy period stretching from May to October, but 80% usually falls in August and September. But, some islands like Koh Chang and those off the coast of Trat province can be very wet during this season, which is usually around May to October.

Koh Samui and the Gulf Islands

The breathtaking landscapes of Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao in the gulf of Thailand attract tourists all year round. However, these islands have their own seasonal weather patterns. The monsoon season does not hit the Gulf Islands until later in the year. 

The rains generally arrive from October to December with peaks in November.

Prepare for the wet season borne diseases with a comprehensive health insurance plan

With the wet season comes the wet season diseases such as common flu, jaundice, fevers, and etc. Comprehensive health insurance can help with treatment costs, so you don’t have to worry about anything else but getting better. 

Pacific Prime Thailand can help you find the right travel or individual health insurance plan that meets your requirements and budget!

Get in touch with our team of experts at Pacific Prime for a FREE quote today!

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Lakshmi Chirumamilla

Lakshmi is an experienced writer with a passion for insurance trends and economics. She has been writing professionally for the past 6 years. Lakshmi has worked on numerous in-depth reports analyzing various insurance trends and providing valuable insights for readers.

Since joining Pacific Prime, Lakshmi has gained a comprehensive understanding of different kinds of health insurance and their importance in people's lives. Her expertise in this area has allowed her to produce informative and engaging content that helps individuals make informed decisions regarding their health insurance.

Lakshmi's clear, concise, and engaging writing style makes complex insurance concepts accessible to readers of all levels and also adheres to Pacific Prime’s motto: - “Simplifying Insurance.”

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