Thailand - weather in December

In December, a winter month, the climate in Thailand is generally hot and sunny in the center-north, while in the south it is hot and very rainy on the north-eastern coast of peninsular Thailand, hot and moderately rainy on the south-western coast. However, December in Thailand is, albeit slightly, the coolest (or least hot) month of the year.

Daytime temperatures are high everywhere, however, they range from 28/30 °C (82/86 °F) in the north, to 32 °C (90 °F) in the hottest areas, which are the capital, Bangkok, and the south-western coast of peninsular Thailand (see Phuket, Krabi, Phi Phi Islands).
Nights, however, are quite cool in the inland areas of the north, especially in the northernmost cities (see Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai), where they can sometimes even be cold. Sometimes, nights can be cool even in Bangkok.

The rains are very rare or completely absent in the center-north. In fact, we are in the period of the northeast monsoon, which brings good weather almost everywhere. On the other hand, the rains are decidedly abundant, at monsoon level and with possible flooding, on the aforementioned northeast coast of peninsular Thailand (see Koh Samui, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhla), which is hit hard by the winds that have been charged with humidity after passing over the Gulf of Thailand.
On the south-west coast of the same peninsular Thailand (see Phuket, Krabi, Phi Phi Islands), overlooking the Andaman Sea, the rains are only moderate, because this area is not directly hit by the winds that come from the sea.

In December, especially in the first 20 days of the month, Thailand can still be affected by a typhoon from the Pacific or a cyclone formed in the Indian Ocean, although these are less likely than in previous months, and the country is generally not affected as directly and intensely as other countries in Southeast Asia.

The sea in Thailand is always pleasantly warm for swimming, even in winter.

During the month, the length of the days gradually decreases until December 21, the winter solstice, which is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. However, in Thailand there is not a great difference in the length of the days between winter and summer (a couple of hours in the north, less than an hour in the south). In December, the average day in Thailand is just over 11 hours long in the north and 11.5 hours in the south.

The following tables show the climate averages in the month of December in Thailand in a selection of locations.

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Monthly climate averages - December

(from north to south)























See also: Thailand, the weather in November - January
The climate of Thailand