City With Coolest Weather In Thailand

[tc101]

What major city has the coolest weather in Thailand? By "Major City" I mean a place where I will meet other english speaking retires, get high speed internet, be able to buy books in English, and join a health club where I can exercise.

[mumbojumbo]

Chiangrai

[mittheimp]

Not Ayutthaya, unless you like living in a sauna!

[udon]

Not Ayutthaya, unless you like living in a sauna!

Agreed.

[soap]

second chaingrai

if you like the cold weather ,its very cold this morning

just getting the tailend of a storm somewhere.

you can get everything else you ask for here as well

[tc101]

second chaingrai

if you like the cold weather ,its very cold this morning

just getting the tailend of a storm somewhere.

you can get everything else you ask for here as well

Thanks for the info. I guess I'll be coming there first. I am going to check out Thailand for retirement. Everything I read about it sounds good except the hot weather. I see there is a Chaingrai forum here, so I will go there to learn more.

[Gary A]

I think you'll find that Loei has the dubious distinction of being the coldest place in Thailand. Unfortunately you won't find many farangs or farang activities here. We don't even have a super store.

What major city has the coolest weather in Thailand? By "Major City" I mean a place where I will meet other english speaking retires, get high speed internet, be able to buy books in English, and join a health club where I can exercise.

Edited May 15, 2006 by Gary A

[tc101]

What about Chaing Mai? Is it just as hot as Bangkok, or cooler?

[Ulysses G.]

Chiang Rai is really more of a town than a city and the weather in Chiang Mai is simular; cool in cool season, but hot in hot season.

There is LOTS more to do, see and eat in Chiang Mai with lots of book stores and good health clubs, but you can cross the street in Chiang Rai without waiting half an hour and there is much less pollution.

Edited May 15, 2006 by Ulysses G.

[svenivan]

I think you'll find that Loei has the dubious distinction of being the coldest place in Thailand. Unfortunately you won't find many farangs or farang activities here. We don't even have a super store.

That sounds good to me!! But do you have any golfcourses in the region?

I think I passed Loei a couple of years ago going from Udon to Chiang Rai. It seemed to be nice, beautiful mountains etc.

[jackr]

I'm sure you could get all your looking for in Chiang Rai but it's hardly a major city. Chiang Mai knocks it on its ass and has super weather from November to March - gets down to as low as 12 or 13 degrees some nights mid-Decemberish.

Edited May 15, 2006 by jackr

[BKKstan]

Nong Khai has great weather,right on the Mekong river,small town atmosphere,plenty of retired expats,golf,fitness center,better air than most,good markets,farang friendlier police and natives.no in your face nightlife,easy access, transportation wise.IMHO,the best retirement area in Thailand!

[The Coder]

I have lived and travelled to many destinations throughout Thailand over the years. Here's the real scoop: Thailand is hot in every season and everywhere. Take it with a grain of salt when someone says a certain city or region has cool weather. For instance, right now it is the cold season. Today's high in Bangkok is 91 and Chiang Rai is 90. Is that cool weather? Is it that much different? Of course not. In any given day of any season in any city throughout Thailand it will typically be HOT. You might find 2% of days in the year have a chill in the air, and the other 98% are sweltering heat and humidity (the humidity is the killer). And as you move to smaller cities, opportunities to spend time in air conditioned spaces goes down. In my opinion Bangkok is the coolest city in Thailand because you go from your AC residence to your AC transport to your AC destination making it one of the few places you can stay reasonably cool every day.

Some people dont' mind the heat, some acclimate, and some suffer year round. I'm kind of in that last group. Seriously, when it gets down to 85 degrees (and quite humid) you will see Thai's complain they are cold and don jackets, meanwhile I'm still sweating.

And by the way, Nong Khai will be 91 today. Great weather? Doh!

Edited May 15, 2006 by The Coder

[chuchok]

I have lived and travelled to many destinations throughout Thailand over the years. Here's the real scoop: Thailand is hot in every season and everywhere. Take it with a grain of salt when someone says a certain city or region has cool weather. For instance, right now it is the cold season. Today's high in Bangkok is 91 and Chiang Rai is 90. Is that cool weather? Is it that much different? Of course not. In any given day of any season in any city throughout Thailand it will typically be HOT. You might find 2% of days in the year have a chill in the air, and the other 98% are sweltering heat and humidity (the humidity is the killer). And as you move to smaller cities, opportunities to spend time in air conditioned spaces goes down. In my opinion Bangkok is the coolest city in Thailand because you go from your AC residence to your AC transport to your AC destination making it one of the few places you can stay reasonably cool every day. Some people dont' mind the heat, some acclimate, and some suffer year round. I'm kind of in that last group. Seriously, when it gets down to 85 degrees (and quite humid) you will see Thai's complain they are cold and don jackets, meanwhile I'm still sweating.

It is not the cold season in CM now.It's the rainy season.(wet stuff comes down! )November to March is the cool season, and it is quite cool with a very low humidity.

[svenivan]

For instance, right now it is the cold season. Today's high in Bangkok is 91 and Chiang Rai is 90.

Today it is 19 C in Chiang Rai! (Do not belive in weatherreports!!)

We have our cold season from mid Oct to end of February (I don't know abour Bangkok, never had any cold weather there) and now it is the end of the Hot Season here in CR.

If I had stayed in BKK I probably been living in A/C but never needed it here in CR. A fan is good enough.

[tigerbeer]

I have lived and travelled to many destinations throughout Thailand over the years. Here's the real scoop: Thailand is hot in every season and everywhere. Take it with a grain of salt when someone says a certain city or region has cool weather. For instance, right now it is the cold season. Today's high in Bangkok is 91 and Chiang Rai is 90. Is that cool weather? Is it that much different? Of course not. In any given day of any season in any city throughout Thailand it will typically be HOT. You might find 2% of days in the year have a chill in the air, and the other 98% are sweltering heat and humidity (the humidity is the killer). And as you move to smaller cities, opportunities to spend time in air conditioned spaces goes down. In my opinion Bangkok is the coolest city in Thailand because you go from your AC residence to your AC transport to your AC destination making it one of the few places you can stay reasonably cool every day. Some people dont' mind the heat, some acclimate, and some suffer year round. I'm kind of in that last group. Seriously, when it gets down to 85 degrees (and quite humid) you will see Thai's complain they are cold and don jackets, meanwhile I'm still sweating.

It is not the cold season in CM now.It's the rainy season.(wet stuff comes down! )November to March is the cool season, and it is quite cool with a very low humidity.

right on chuchok. especially today and normally when it rains, temperatures do drop significantly. its 10.15 in the morning and the weather widget on my desktop says its 22degrees. beats running in and out of AC rooms, transportation and office. its wonderful today in the city of Chiang Mai!

[The Coder]

November to March is the cool season (in CM), and it is quite cool with a very low humidity.

Oops, time flies. But let's put some numbers to it rather than a feeling. The *average* high temperature Nov-March in Chiang Mai is 87 degrees F. Quite cool? You be the judge. Some say yes, I'd say not.

[farangconnection]

I have lived and travelled to many destinations throughout Thailand over the years. Here's the real scoop: Thailand is hot in every season and everywhere. Take it with a grain of salt when someone says a certain city or region has cool weather. For instance, right now it is the cold season.

What a load of rubbish...........right now is theend of the really hot season before the rains start. Here in Surin it has been up to 45. Compare that with Jan 2nd this year, when the temp dropped to around 8 degrees in the evening. I had to bring blankets down to the people watching Chelsea-Arsenal on TV. The coldest in Surin this Jan was around 6 degrees early morning, and some times it did not go over 13 in the day.

More than a few people reckon our little town is the hottest,coldest, wettest & windiest place in Thailand. After all this area is on a plateau and we do seem to get the extemes of all weather conitions

[chuchok]

November to March is the cool season (in CM), and it is quite cool with a very low humidity.

Oops, time flies. But let's put some numbers to it rather than a feeling. The *average* high temperature Nov-March in Chiang Mai is 87 degrees F. Quite cool? You be the judge. Some say yes, I'd say not.

The world has moved on and most of us here deal in Celcius.It's quite easy to get your head around.At NTP, water boils at 100C and freezes at 0.0C

You listed the average 'High' for CM as 31C, what was your average 'low'

[Ulysses G.]

I have lived and travelled to many destinations throughout Thailand over the years. Here's the real scoop: Thailand is hot in every season and everywhere. Take it with a grain of salt when someone says a certain city or region has cool weather. For instance, right now it is the cold season. Today's high in Bangkok is 91 and Chiang Rai is 90. Is that cool weather? Is it that much different? Of course not. In any given day of any season in any city throughout Thailand it will typically be HOT. You might find 2% of days in the year have a chill in the air, and the other 98% are sweltering heat and humidity (the humidity is the killer). And as you move to smaller cities, opportunities to spend time in air conditioned spaces goes down. In my opinion Bangkok is the coolest city in Thailand because you go from your AC residence to your AC transport to your AC destination making it one of the few places you can stay reasonably cool every day. Some people dont' mind the heat, some acclimate, and some suffer year round. I'm kind of in that last group. Seriously, when it gets down to 85 degrees (and quite humid) you will see Thai's complain they are cold and don jackets, meanwhile I'm still sweating.

It is not the cold season in CM now.It's the rainy season.(wet stuff comes down! )November to March is the cool season, and it is quite cool with a very low humidity.

It is supposed to be hot season, but it keeps raining so it is not so hot, however, days that there is no rain are sweltering!

[lampard10]

By the way, we was in Mukdahan last week, and that was hot. It wasn't a humid heat like home in Surin, but a dry intense heat. It was the same over the water in Savannakhet. (but then I suppose it would be) I prefer it to the horrible heat we have here.

[Patex]

tc101,

Thailand has 3 seasons: The hot season, the hotter season and the hottest season . Don't believe the mountainfolks here who want you to stay in the north, as a retired, older person you need stable weather conditions without a strong variation of temperature!

These conditions are available in the Chonburi- area (Pattaya...), oceanside.

Pattaya would also cover your other personal needs/wishes and the seedy parts of the place are easily to avoid.

Patex

[Ulysses G.]

Don't believe the mountainfolks here who want you to stay in the north, as a retired, older person you need stable weather conditions without a strong variation of temperature!

I don't care where he stays, however, to a newly arrived Westerner, Pattaya is ALWAYS hot, where in the North, one gets 4 months of cool weather every year. However, long trousers and a light jacket at night are about the coolest it ever gets.

Perfect in my book!

[Patex]

And what about the remaining 8 months U.G.??

[KhunMarco]

And what about the remaining 8 months U.G.??

In chiang Mai:

It's hot but it's a bit less humid than BKK for example. Or at least that's my body"perception".

Than usually there's a little breeze which helps. The big difference is the drop of temperature at night and when it rains, 5-10 C° is quite common.

This year thanks to a few showers the hot season was not so bad compared to last year.

I usually wake up very early in the morning and the temperature is very comfortable till 9-10 am.

After 6-7 pm again the temperature is not bad.

Defenately better than bkk

[Patex]

In chiang Mai:

It's hot but it's a bit less humid than BKK for example. Or at least that's my body"perception"...

KhunMarco,

Is this you on your avatar, in your every day -clothing ?

Nevertheless, thank you for your observations

[mark45y]

I live in Chiang Mai and just got back from a holiday in Pattaya and Bangkok. Pattaya was three showers a day and three changes of clothes. Bangkok was two showers and two changes of clothes. Chiang Mai is normally one shower and one change of clothes. It is a dryer heat.

Mornings and nights are very comfortable. I came from Southern Florida and did not find much of a problem adapting.

Don’t get me wrong I really like Pattaya and Bangkok but the humidity kills me if I stay for a long period of time.

When I was much younger I lived in Bangkok without AC. I tried it last year to see if I could adapt again. Something has apparently happened to my body in 30 years because I made it for a month and thought I was going to die. Maybe if I had stayed in the no AC apartment for two or three months I could have made it but I was killing me this time.

The only thing that bothers me about the weather in Chiang Mai is the burning season. It is a killer for air quality. I am even thinking of re locating for three months a year during that period of time.

[Sing_Sling]

I'd second, or third or whatever Chiang Mai - it must be he 'coolest' bigger city.

Having said that, it also gets bloody hot!

I'll be in Loei next week - see what it's like . . . .

[ProfessorFart]

Everywhere gets hot especially at this time of the year. Certainly the North and Northeast get the coolest weather during the Nov-Feb period but if you're coming over from a Europen Winter even to Chiang Mai you're going to find it hot! Trust me!

Its a bit of a daft question anyway really. Weather is not a fixed pattern entity. Its pure chaos.

[daleyboy]

Thailands seasons are certainly less defined compared to western Europe for instance. We have very obvious seasons, of Winter,autum,spring and summer. Where Thailand is only hot, hot and wet or dry and really hot. I also believe if you give it a few months you will aclimatise(sp) at least thats what i have found when i have stayed for extended periods,gradually cut down on the ac and then move over to the fan.

Shame the wife cant do the same in the uk. To her its alwas cold