Thailand: climate, activities, national customs
Due to its size, Thailand can be divided into three climatically different periods, the rainy season, the hot and the cooler time.
Rainy season
It lasts from June to October, although it can rain in the southern regions as early as May. The average temperatures during the day fluctuate little and remain relatively constant at 33-37 °C. In northern Thailand, the months of August and September are the rainiest. In the south to south-west it rains most at the beginning and at the end of the rainy season. In the months of August and September there is less rainfall. The average humidity is 80-83%.
The hot season
lasts from March to May. During this time, temperatures can rise to 40 °C. In the southwest of the country it can already rain at this time. During the hot period, the humidity in the southwest drops to around 75% and in the north to 58-61%.
Cooler Period
The cooler period lasts from November to February. The term cool is to be understood relatively here, because even in the cooler time the daily temperatures in the southwest rarely fall below 25 °C and in the north not below 21 °C. In fact, they can even rise to 35 °C. At night, however, temperatures can drop to 15 °C.
Activities
Diving
Thailand offers fantastic diving spots both in the west in the Andaman Sea and in the east on Ko Samui and Ko Tao. The tropical water is pleasantly warm, so that you can dive all year round. We highly recommend diving trips lasting several days on a diving boat.
Snorkeling
As a snorkeler, you can dive into the colorful sea world from many beaches.
Golfing
On the numerous golf courses you can play golf quite cheaply compared to Europe.
Surfing Surfing
is allowed on some beaches. Surfboards can often be borrowed.
Hiking
There are wonderful parks that can be easily explored on foot
Holidays, events and national customs
Public holidays
Date | Holiday |
January 1 | New Year (public holiday) |
January 7 | Children’s day |
New moon day in January/February | Chinese New Years Festival |
Full moon day in February/March | Makha Puja, day commemorating the Buddha’s sermon |
April 6 | Chakri Day, commemoration of the coronation of King Rama I and the founding of the Chakri dynasty (public holiday) |
13-15 April | Songkran, Thai New Year celebrations, also known as the water festival, as people splash water on each other (public holidays) |
1st of May | Labor Day (public holiday) |
5th of May | Coronation day of King Ramas IX. (National holiday) |
Full moon day in May/June | Visakha Puja, Buddha’s birthday (Buddhist holiday) |
Full moon day in July | Asalha Puja to commemorate the first sermon of the Buddha, the following day: Khao Pansa, beginning of the Buddhist Lent (Buddhist holidays) |
12. August | Queen Sirkit’s Birthday, Mother’s Day (public holiday) |
September | Wan Sart Thai (Remembrance Day for the Deceased) (Buddhist ceremony) |
October | Kathin ceremony (donations to Buddhist monasteries) (Buddhist ceremony) |
23rd October | Chulalongkorn Day (anniversary of the death of King Rama V) (public holiday) |
Full moon day in October | End of Buddhist Lent (Buddhist holiday) |
Full moon day in November | Loi Krathong (Festival of Lights) (Buddhist holiday) |
December 5 | King Rama IX’s birthday, Father’s Day (public holiday) |
10th of December | Constitution Day (public holiday) |
25 December | Christmas |
December 31 | New Year’s Eve |
Source: Countryaah – Thailand Holidays
Banks and offices are closed on legal and Buddhist holidays in Thailand. If a mobile public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the first Monday after that is non-working.
Cultural events
- That Phanom FestivalJanuary Pilgrims from Thailand and Laos come together for one week in the That Phanom Temple of the same name.
- Phanom Rung Festival inearly AprilElaborate performances take place in the Phanom Rung ruins.
- Missile Festival inmid-MayThe festival is celebrated in the northeast of the country. In the villages, bamboo rockets are being fired into the air to bring rain for the rice fields.
- Candle FestivalJulyThe festival is mainly celebrated in the north of the country, it marks the beginning of Lent.
- Loi Krathong Tam Pathip FestivalFull Moon Dayin NovemberThe Festival of Lights is celebrated in the north of the country. Small containers are woven from banana leaves, filled with flowers and candles, and floated on the rivers.
- Surin Elephant Festivalthird weekend of November
- Festival at the bridge on the Kwai RiverNovember/DecemberAt night there are performances at the ruins of the bridge, during the day old trains run.
- Full Moon Partyon Koi Pan Ngan Island; this is where young people from all over the world come together.
Sporting events
- International Mekong River Multisport Competitionsmarchin Nakhon Phanom
- Samila Asian Tour and Beach Volleyball CompetitionAprilin Hat Yai, Songkhla
- Pattaya International MarathonJuly
- World Grand Prix Badminton 2006 (Thailand Open)Julyin Bangkok
- Songkhla International MarathonAugustin the Mueang District of Songkhla
- King’s Cup Elephant Polo CompetitionSeptemberin Somdet Phra Suriyothai Military Camp, Prachuap Khiri Khan
- LongOctober boat races infront of Wat Phra That
- Laguna Phuket TriathlonNovemberat Bangtao Beach
- Phuket King’s Cup RegattaDecemberat Kata Beach in Phuket
National customs
Thais treat each other with formal politeness, with age and social position playing a decisive role. They are friendly towards foreigners but at the same time reserved. The proverbial Thai smile can also express negative emotions, e.g. B. Embarrassment or shame. It is unusual to be officially critical. It is also inappropriate to touch or point to people’s heads in public, especially children.
Before entering temples or private houses, shoes are removed. In temples, clothing that covers the shoulders must be worn.
Nude bathing is forbidden and should also be avoided out of respect for the people there!
Especially the nightlife in Bangkok is world famous. Night clubs, sidewalk cafes, classical dance theaters and cinemas are open late into the night.
Thailand: sightseeing
- Abbreviationfinder.org: Presents the way that TH stands for the nation of Thailand as a two-letter acronym.
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Sukhothai Ruins
The ancient city of Sukhothai was the royal seat of the first Kingdom of Siam in the 13th and 14th centuries. Countless temple complexes can be visited that represent the Sukhothai period.
The old ruined city of Sukhothai has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991.
Ayutthaya Ruins
Ayutthaya was the former capital of Siam and the most important metropolis in Southeast Asia in the 18th century. Today Ayutthaya is the capital of Ayuthaya Province. Numerous temples (e.g. Wat Phra Si Sanphet, Wat Ratchaburana) can be visited.
Ayutthaya Historical Park has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981.
Thung Yai-Huai Kha Khaeng
The Thung Yai Naresuan and Thung Yai-Huai Kha Khaeng nature reserves are nature reserves on the western border between Thailand and Burma in the provinces of Kanchanaburi and Tak. The area covers a total area of around 360,000 ha = 3,600 km² and with other nature reserves it forms the “Western Forest Complex”, and it has the largest contiguous protected area on the Asian mainland. Many smaller rivers flow through the mountainous terrain. the Khwae Noi brings its water to the Khao Laem Reservoir, the Mae Klong River feeds the Si-Nakharin Dam, and the two rivers, the Mae Kasart and the Mae Suriat, irrigate a large area of the park. They give the land its fertility and are the habitat for many animals, such as B. leopards, tigers, saddleback tapirs, rhinos, Seraus and Asian elephants and a wide variety of bird species. The UNESCO report lists 120 mammal, 400 bird, 96 reptile, 43 amphibian and 113 freshwater fish species.
The Thung Yai-Huai Kha Khaeng wildlife sanctuary has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991
Archaeological Monuments of Ban Chiang
Ban Chiang is a village in northeastern Thailand. It is located in Nong Han County in Udon Thani Province. Ban Chiang is about 50 km east of the provincial capital Udon Thani on the border with Sakon Nakhon province. Sensational finds from the Bronze Age were made here.
In 1966, archaeologists found evidence that the area had been settled nearly 6,000 years ago and was home to a highly developed culture. The beginnings of Ban Chiang date back to the 2nd millennium BC. Dated. Ceramics with spiral and ribbon ornaments, stylized plants and animals and clay vessels with elegant shapes were found, and tools from the Bronze Age were also found. The archaeological monuments of Ban Chiang have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992
Dong Phayayen – Khao Yai Forest Complex
The Dong Phayayen is an area of 230 km² between the Ta Phraya National Park on the border of Cambodia in the east and the Khao Yai National Park in the west. Much of the area is over 1,000 m high. The Mekong River irrigates the northern part. In the southern part there are beautiful gorges and waterfalls. The forest is inhabited by 800 different animal species. Endangered animal species still have a habitat here. The Dong Phayayen – Khao Yai Forest Complex has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005.
Historic cities
Phanom Rung
a Khmer temple complex made of sandstone at an altitude of over 400 meters in the Buriram province; erected in the 10th to 13th centuries.
Phimai Historical Park
in Phimai City in Nakhon Ratchasima Province; houses one of the most important Khmer temples in Thailand.
Phra Nakhon Khiri Historical Park
in Phetchaburi
Kampheng Phet
The Kampheng Phet ruins were founded around 1360
Lopburi
Lopburi is the capital of the province of the same name in the central region of Thailand. It was an early founding of the Mon people and an important center of the Dvaravati Empire in the 7th century. You can visit various temples (e.g. Prang Sam Yod from the Khmer period and Wat Mahathat) as well as the Narai Ratcha Niwet Palace.
Mueang Sing
Historical Park in Sai Yok District in Kanchanaburi Province. Here are two Khmer temples from the 13th and 14th centuries.
Petchaburi
Petchaburi is an ancient city about 200 km south of Bangkok. About 1,000 years ago it was an important trading city. The Khao Wang Palace above the city is a wonderful vantage point.
Special structures
Baijoke Tower 2
in Bangkok; tallest building in Thailand and fourth tallest hotel building in the world; Height without antenna 304 m and with antenna 328 m; completed in 1998.
Vimanmek Mansion (Heavenly Palace)
the largest teak building in the world, behind the Parliament in Bangkok. It consists of three floors with 81 rooms, halls and vestibules.
Suan Pakkard Palace in Bangkok
Complex of five Thai houses with an important collection of Asian antiques; z. B. “Lacquer Pavilion”, a small wooden pavilion from the time of King Narai of Ayutthaya (1656-1688).
Bangkwang
Central Maximum Security Prison for Men in Bangkok; also known as “Bangkok Hilton” or “Big Tiger”. It is considered to be one of the most uncomfortable prisons in the world.
Elephant school near Lampang the
only real elephant school in Thailand that is not used for tourist purposes. Working elephants are trained here.
Suvarnabhumi International Airport (New Bangkok International Airport, NBIA)
major international airport under construction near Bangkok
Saphan Phut (Memorial Bridge)
the first bridge between Bangkok and Thonburi
River Kwai Bridge
in Kanchanaburi. The bridge is part of a railway connection between Thailand and Burma, which was built with prisoners of war during the Second World War under the Japanese occupation. 100,000 Asian forced laborers and 16,000 prisoners of war were killed while the line was being built, which is why it was named “Death Railway”. The bridge and its history became internationally known through the novel by Pierre Boulle and the film “The Bridge on the River Kwai”, filmed in 1957 by David Lean.
Museums
National Museum in Bangkok
with sculptures, pottery, furniture and musical instruments from Thailand.
Kho Yo Folklore Museum
in southern Thailand near Songkhla; Exhibition of folk art and religious artifacts.
Ramkhamhaeng Museum/Sukothai
World War Museum/Kanchanaburi
theatre
National Theater in Bangkok
on the site of the old Wang Na, the palace of the Second King of Thailand. After a fire, the current building was erected between 1960 and 1965.
Bangkok Thailand Cultural Center
Temples and monasteries
Wat Phra Kaeo, Chapel of the Emerald Buddha
Temple of the King in the Royal Palace in Bangkok; houses the famous Chapel of the Emerald Buddha (Phra Ubosot), the royal pantheon with life-size statues of the former rulers of the Chakri dynasty (Prasart Phra Thepbidorn) and the mausoleum of the royal family (Hor Phra Nak).
Wat Pho (Wat Phra Chetuphon)
in the center of the historic old town of Bangkok; oldest and largest temple in Bangkok with a 46 m long, gilded statue of the reclining Buddha.
Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn)
in Bangkok Yai, 82 m high temple
Wat Benchamabophit Dusitvanaram
Buddhist Temple in Bangkok; also known as the Marble Temple. It is considered one of the most beautiful temples in Thailand and is one of the main attractions of Bangkok.
Wat Suthat
Wat Suthat is one of the largest Buddhist temples in Bangkok with an area of 40 hectares. In the Vihara it houses the largest mural painting in Thailand with 2,562 m².
Wat Suwannaram
Buddhist temple complex in Bangkok on the Thonburi side of the Maenam Chao Phraya; famous for its beautiful wall paintings.
Wat Trimitr
in Bangkok; with a Buddha statue made of several tons of gold
Lak Mueang (Shrine of the City Pillar)
Bangkok “city sanctuary” on the southeast corner of the Sanam Luang field. It houses a column that is considered the cornerstone of Bangkok and was built by Rama I. It has a reputation for granting wishes.
Phra Phathom Chedi (Sacred Chedi of the Beginning)
in Nakhon Pathom; is considered the world’s tallest Buddhist building with a height of 127 m; probably from the 4th century.
Chiang Mai
city in the north of the country with numerous wooden temples
Wat Supattanaram
one of the first Buddhist monasteries in northeast Thailand, located near Ubon Ratchathani; equipped with stylistic elements of Thai, Khmer and also European architecture.
Wat Pah Nanachat (“International Forest Monastery”)
forest monastery of Theravada Buddhism in Isaan, the northeastern region of Thailand. One of the few training monasteries for bhikkhus that also teaches in English. The monastery was founded in 1975 on the initiative of Ajahn Chah.
What Phra That Lampang Luang
What Phra That Lampang Luang is the oldest and one of the most fascinating wooden temples in Thailand. It is located in the province of Lampang in northern Thailand.
Wat Phra Kaeo Don Tao
The Wat Phra Kaeo Don Tao in the province of Lampang in northern Thailand is one of the most important temples in Thailand; it was built in 1680.
Wat Pah Pong
Wat Pah Pong is a Buddhist forest monastery near Ubon Ratchathani in northeastern Thailand. It is in the tradition of Ajahn Chah.
Tiger Temple or Wat Pha Luang Ta Bua
Buddhist Temple in Western Thailand. Its special attraction are various animals such as tigers, which tourists can see once a day.
Wat Chedi Luang
Wat Chedi Luang is one of the three Buddhist temples in the historic city of Chiang Mai next to Wat Ho Tham and Wat Sukmin.
Universities
Thammasat University in Bangkok
in Bangkok; founded in 1934, making it the second oldest university in Thailand. Students from Thammasat University played a leading role in the unrest under military rule in the 1970s. About 450 students were shot on campus at the time.
Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok
named after Rama V. Chulalongkorn; oldest university in Thailand, founded in 1917 by King Rama VI.
Bangkok University
founded in 1962; world famous university
Asian Institute of Technology (AIT)
international college of technology; founded in 1959; Main campus in Pathum Thani
Burapha University
one of the most famous universities in Thailand; in Bangsaen, Chonburi Province; received university degree in 1990
Chiang Mai University
in Chiang Mai; founded in 1964
Kasetsart University
founded in 1943; agricultural university
Prince of Songkla University
first university in southern Thailand; founded in 1967
Mahidol University
is considered one of the most important universities in Thailand; it houses the oldest medical school in the country, the Siriraj Medical School.
Zoological gardens
Bangkok Zoo
Natural beauties
King Rama IX Park
about 80 hectares large park and botanical garden in Bangkok, which opened in 1987 on the occasion of the 60th birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Khao Yai National Park
mainly in Nakhon Ratchasima (Khorat) province and Saraburi, Prachinburi and Nakhon Nayok provinces. It was the first national park in Thailand, founded in 1962. Numerous animals (leopards, gibbons, tigers and hornbills) live here. The jungle is the last intact tropical forest ecosystem in Thailand and is therefore of immense importance for the region.
Khao Sok National
Park This park, founded in 1991, is located near Khao Lak on the south west coast. it covers an area of 739 km². You will find a fascinating animal world with leopards, gibbons, macaques, kingfishers and hornbills. Here is also the up to 80 cm large Rafflesia, which is considered the largest flower in the world.
Ang Thong National Park
this includes about 40 islands in the south of Thailand near Surat Thani
Phu Phan National Park
near Sakon Nakhon; houses the almost 3,000 year old temple ruins Phu Phek
Surin and Similan Islands
beautiful islands in the west of the Andamann Sea with fantastic diving areas. With a bit of luck, whales can be seen in Surin.
Kon Chang
island with marine park
Khao Sam Roi Yot
Marine National Park in the Prachuap Khiri Khan Province of Thailand, it covers an area of around 98km². The park was established in 1966, making it the first marine park in Thailand.
Crocodile farms
Around 1.2 million crocodiles live in around 1,000 farms in Thailand. This means that the country has the most breeding crocodiles in the world. One of the largest farms is the “Sri Ayuthaya Crododile Farm” founded in the early 1980s in The animals are slaughtered and their meat is sold to restaurants. Elegant shoes and bags and now and then jackets and whole suits are made from the skin. The skins of around 4 animals are required to make a handbag. Most of the farms can be visited.
Ayutthaya is the capital of the Thai province of the same name in the central region of Thailand – around 70 km north of Bangkok.