The cold season in Thailand may arrive in the middle of this month, about two weeks later than usual, and it may only last about a month.

 

Somkuan Tonjan, head of the Central Weather Forecast Sub-division of the Meteorological Department, said today that the department has not yet declared the official arrival of the cold season because the cold front from China is not strong enough to push the temperature below 24oC.

 

He said that, normally, the cold season starts in the middle of October and lasts through to the following February. In some years, such as in 1983 and 1999, the cold season arrived in the middle of November.

 

Caption: File photo : Doi Inthanon National Park is covered with frost in winter.//Photo by National Park Department

 

Full story: Thai PBS 2023-11-03

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

 

OK then I hope to finally turn off my air conditioners.

Around these parts we usually get about 2 weeks of cooler weather before it turns around and starts rising again.

 

That's been my experience over the last 15 or so years anyway

Have they warned all Scandinavian expats to 'stay warm' again?

drop of temperature with 2 or 3 degrees??? That will be really cold season and that for a whole month.... Maybe the same as the rain  that is faling every day and no floodings..The weather is unpredictable...

I like cool season better than rainy season.  Not a lover of snow and ice and cold weather below 0C as well.

There are two seasons in Thailand... "HOT" and "HOTTER"... there is no cold season.

Well we certainly hope you guys are wrong, and you guys are wrong quite often. Meteorology and baseball are the only two professions where you get paid a lot of money to be wrong more than 70% of the time. 

Forecasts are accurate up to about five to ten days in advance, even with the best computer models available. After that, it’s more or less guesswork, and that’s what he’s doing, guessing. 

I was thinking that only yesterday, mid afternoon wondering why I felt so hot, and early evening, out to eat, why is it still warm? It is November..... dare I think ahead to next year's hot season?

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The cold season in Thailand may arrive in the middle of this month, about two weeks later than usual, and it may only last about a month

Last month it lasted 3 days in my neck of the woods.

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

the department has not yet declared the official arrival of the cold season because the cold front from China is not strong enough to push the temperature below 24oC

If it gets like this I'll worry

Strange weather patterns the last couple years. 

For expats, “cool” for Thailand is dang warm compared to back home. 2021/2 set a record up north for the longest cool season on record. Lots of local expats poo poo-d the news, as it did not have the week or two of real chill weather that the north usually gets. That is when the Thais gang rush to Doi Inthanon for the fog & ice pictures.  However, the Thais were indeed correct.  21/22  Thailand  was cooler at nights for three months straight. Last year 22/23 was a repeat, only longer, four and a half months. Great for AC bills, a real bummer if you do morning swims. Ouch.  The local installed a rooftop of solar panels last year to heat the pool as they had lost a lot of money the previous cool season. Only effective by the afternoons though. 

Warmer this year? Given the Thai Weather forecasts, I will believe it when it actually happens. 

17 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

He said that, normally, the cold season starts in the middle of October and lasts through to the following February.

 

Over the last 30+ years, I can't remember the cool season ever starting in mid-October, at least in Bangkok.

A month... GREAT!  I remember in 1997, we had only about 1 cool day in Bangkok, which happened to be Christmas day.  Seriously, that was the only day I remember the girls in the office and my driver wearing a down jacket.

10 hours ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

There are two seasons in Thailand... "HOT" and "HOTTER"... there is no cold season.

 

No, no, it depends where you live. Down in the south we get 4 seasons:

• January - March = Hot & Dry
• April - June = Very Hot & Dry
• July - September = Hot & Wet
• October - December = Hot & Very Wet

19 hours ago, khunjeff said:

 

Over the last 30+ years, I can't remember the cool season ever starting in mid-October, at least in Bangkok.

Always used to first notice it riding home on the bike after Loy Kratong!

On 11/3/2023 at 5:11 PM, snoop1130 said:

The cold season in Thailand may arrive in the middle of this month, about two weeks later than usual, and it may only last about a month.

There again it might not!

16 hours ago, Stocky said:

 

No, no, it depends where you live. Down in the south we get 4 seasons:

• January - March = Hot & Dry
• April - June = Very Hot & Dry
• July - September = Hot & Wet
• October - December = Hot & Very Wet

Want some cool weather? Head up around Chiang Rai in Dec/Jan.  Better take a jacket.

3 hours ago, jacko45k said:

23 hours ago, khunjeff said:

Over the last 30+ years, I can't remember the cool season ever starting in mid-October, at least in Bangkok.

Always used to first notice it riding home on the bike after Loy Kratong!

 

The Bangkok flood of 11  busted over the river banks in Nakorn  Sawan  9 - 12 of October. That is when it let loose, blocked HWY & rail links. No rain to be seen as that was the same exact time the cool season hit. Big blue skies, few clouds, low humidity and big giant puddles of water stretching from NS to north Bangkok.  I would get dumb e mails from country of origin; 'It's not raining, looks beautiful, why is it flooding?! What is wrong over there.' Garf.

3 hours ago, pomchop said:

Want some cool weather? Head up around Chiang Rai in Dec/Jan.  Better take a jacket.

No thanks, I'm happy with the climate in Hat Yai

Every one of these long range forecasts seem to be more ridiculous than the last 🤔