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Thailand Climate Guide

Thailand Rainy Season: Where You Can Get Sun All Year Round

The most effective way to avoid Thailand's rainy season is to treat it as three distinct climate zones. The sweet spot for digital nomads is generally December to March. Use the Gulf islands as a wet-season escape, then switch back to the Andaman coast and North once monsoon and burning season cool off.

Dec-Feb
Best nationwide
300-450mm
Peak monsoon rain
Feb-Apr
Chiang Mai smoke
200+Mbps
Median broadband

Key Takeaways for Digital Nomads

🌤️
Best time for most nomads
Dec-Feb is the safest bet across Thailand. Andaman coast (Phuket/Krabi) beautiful Dec-Mar, Gulf islands good Jan-Sep.
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Risk factors by zone
Andaman: May-Oct monsoon (300+mm). Gulf: Oct-Dec mini-monsoon (400+mm Nov). North: Feb-Apr burning season.
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Productivity verdict
Median fixed broadband 200+ Mbps, mobile 40-80 Mbps. Cities and big islands fast enough for calls.
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Arbitrage opportunity
Phuket/Krabi rents drop 20-40% in wet season. Gulf May-Sept: cheaper with better weather than Andaman.
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Three climate zones
Andaman (Phuket/Krabi), Gulf (Samui/Phangan), North+Central (Chiang Mai/Bangkok) - each has different patterns.
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NomadWeather tool
Compare Phuket vs Samui vs Chiang Mai vs Bangkok for any month before booking.

Understanding Thailand's Three Climate Zones

Thailand isn't "one rainy season". For nomads, there are three distinct weather stories:

Andaman Coast

Phuket, Krabi, Koh Lanta

  • • Classic southwest monsoon
  • • Dry: Dec-Mar
  • • Wet: May-Oct

Gulf Islands

Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao

  • • Flipped pattern from Andaman
  • • Best: Jan-Sep
  • • Wet: Oct-Dec

North + Central

Chiang Mai, Bangkok

  • • Hot: Mar-May
  • • Wet: May-Oct
  • • Smoke: Feb-Apr (North)

Andaman Coast: Phuket / Krabi / Koh Lanta

Month-by-month rainfall data for Phuket

Jan
💧 30-50mm
Mostly dry, breezy, good for beach + work.
Feb
💧 30-60mm
Peak season, hot but consistent sunshine.
Mar
💧 70-110mm
Heat rising, more afternoon storms. Still good.
Apr
💧 130-180mm
Steam-room humidity, storms intensify.
May
💧 240-320mm
Monsoon starts. Heavy showers, rough seas.
Jun
💧 220-300mm
Regular downpours. Ferry cancellations possible.
Jul
💧 260-340mm
Ocean often messy. Not great for island-hopping.
Aug
💧 250-330mm
Similar to July: lush, but wet.
Sep
💧 350-450mm
Wettest month. Flooding risk.
Oct
💧 280-380mm
Still stormy, then easing late month.
Nov
💧 160-240mm
Return to good weather.
Dec
💧 60-100mm
Very comfortable. High season prices.

Gulf Islands: Koh Samui / Koh Phangan

Samui's pattern differs from Phuket - mid-year is drier, late-year is very wet

Jan
💧 100-160mm
Some showers, but plenty of sun. Popular.
Feb
💧 30-60mm
One of the best months: sunny, low rain.
Mar
💧 40-70mm
Hot, mostly dry. Great for long stays.
Apr
💧 70-110mm
Hot season, some thunderstorms.
May
💧 150-220mm
Warm, humid, not too crazy.
Jun
💧 100-160mm
Mixed sun and showers. Decent value.
Jul
💧 130-190mm
Popular mid-year base; short, strong showers.
Aug
💧 120-180mm
Much like July. Often better than Andaman.
Sep
💧 130-190mm
Wet days increase, but still workable.
Oct
💧 230-320mm
Mini-monsoon kicks in. Stormy, rough seas.
Nov
💧 350-500mm
Historically wettest. Flooding very possible.
Dec
💧 220-350mm
Can be very wet. Big swings year to year.

North + Central: Bangkok / Chiang Mai

Bangkok has classic hot/rainy/cool pattern. Chiang Mai adds burning season complexity.

Jan
💧 15-35mm
Dry, warm, great city month.
Feb
💧 10-30mm
Hotter, still mostly dry.
Mar
💧 40-80mm
Very hot, some storms.
Apr
💧 90-150mm
Hottest month, Songkran water fights.
May
💧 180-260mm
Monsoon onset, frequent storms.
Jun
💧 190-270mm
Cloudy, humid, frequent showers.
Jul
💧 170-250mm
Similar to June.
Aug
💧 180-270mm
Wet but manageable.
Sep
💧 280-400mm
Wettest month, big downpours.
Oct
💧 180-280mm
Still wet, easing late month.
Nov
💧 35-70mm
Much drier, nicer temps.
Dec
💧 15-35mm
Coolest, driest. Great month.

Chiang Mai Burning Season Warning

Feb-Apr: PM2.5 can reach unhealthy levels, especially in March. Air quality begins to worsen in February. First rains in May clean the air. If you care about air quality, avoid Chiang Mai and the northern highlands during this period.

Don't Trust Any One Blog Post — Including This One

Thailand's climate is changing, and extreme events like Samui's 571mm December 2024 deluge are becoming more frequent. Use NomadWeather to compare Phuket vs Samui vs Chiang Mai vs Bangkok for any given month before booking.

NomadWeather Comparison Map Nomad Destinations Dashboard →

Final Verdict

  • Thailand remains among the best year-round bases on earth for digital nomads — as long as you respect its three climate zones.
  • Pull it off and you get: blue-sky workdays, cheap off-season rents, 200+ Mbps fiber.
  • Get it wrong and you get: moldy sneakers, flooded scooters, and AQI readings that irritate the eye.

Use NomadWeather's Comparison Map before you book that monthly Airbnb — stop rolling the dice on weather.

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