Practical guide
Summer holidays, the Gulf islands' best weeks, and the start of Buddhist Lent.
July works well if your dates are fixed by school holidays, as long as you pick the Gulf coast. Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao have some of their sunniest weeks, and Hua Hin and Pattaya stay fairly dry. The Andaman coast (Phuket, Krabi, Phi Phi) is in the rainy season with rough seas, and Koh Chang has its wettest month of the year. Bangkok and the north get regular afternoon storms. It's low season for prices, apart from the busy Gulf islands, and Buddhist Lent begins mid-month.
Averages for eight weather stations, one for each part of the country. Tap a region in the table to jump to it, or switch to °F and inches.
| Region | High | Low | Rain | Rain days | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangkok | 34°C | 26°C | 190 mm | 14 | – |
| Chiang Mai | 32°C | 24°C | 149 mm | 14 | – |
| Phuket | 32°C | 26°C | 240 mm | 16 | 30°C |
| Koh Samui | 32°C | 25°C | 117 mm | 11 | 30°C |
| Pattaya | 32°C | 26°C | 104 mm | 10 | 30°C |
| Hua Hin | 33°C | 26°C | 90 mm | 10 | – |
| Koh Chang | 31°C | 24°C | 1024 mm | 25 | 30°C |
| Isan | 33°C | 25°C | 178 mm | 12 | – |
Central plains and the capital
Highs of 34°C and lows of 26°C, 190 mm of rain on about 14 days, 4.5 hours of sun a day.
Storms on many afternoons and evenings, dry mornings. A fine month for a city trip built around temples early and malls, food and spas later.
The north: Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Pai
Highs of 32°C and lows of 24°C, 149 mm of rain on about 14 days, 3.7 hours of sun a day.
Rainy and green, with misty mountains and full waterfalls. Trekking trails get muddy.
Andaman coast: Phuket, Krabi, Koh Lanta, Khao Lak
Highs of 32°C and lows of 26°C, 240 mm of rain on about 16 days, sea at 30°C.
Rainy season, with downpours in bursts and rough seas on the west coast. Red flags at Patong, Kata and Karon are common.
Gulf islands: Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao
Highs of 32°C and lows of 25°C, 117 mm of rain on about 11 days, sea at 30°C.
Some of the sunniest weeks of the year on the Gulf islands, which makes Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao the beach answer for summer holidays.
Upper Gulf: Pattaya, Koh Samet, Rayong
Highs of 32°C and lows of 26°C, 104 mm of rain on about 10 days, sea at 30°C.
Showers, but Pattaya stays fairly dry for the rainy season, with the sea sheltered in the Gulf.
Western Gulf: Hua Hin, Cha-am, Pranburi
Highs of 33°C and lows of 26°C, 90 mm of rain on about 10 days, 4.3 hours of sun a day.
Light showers and a lot of dry days. One of the driest beach towns in July.
Eastern seaboard: Koh Chang, Koh Kood, Koh Mak
Highs of 31°C and lows of 24°C, 1024 mm of rain on about 25 days, sea at 30°C.
The wettest month of the year on the Trat coast, and one of the wettest places in Thailand. Leave it for the dry season.
Northeast: Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, Korat, Buriram, Ubon
Highs of 33°C and lows of 25°C, 178 mm of rain on about 12 days, 4.4 hours of sun a day.
Rainy season. Ubon Ratchathani's Candle Festival is the big event of the month.
Source WMO Climatological Standard Normals 1991–2020 (Thai Meteorological Department stations). Averages for 1991–2020, and rain days count days with at least 1 mm. Sea temperatures: Climates to Travel monthly sea-surface averages. Koh Chang uses the Trat station on the facing mainland and Isan uses Khon Kaen.
Arriving in Koh Samui
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For a beach holiday in July, go to the Gulf islands. Koh Samui is the easiest, with direct flights from Bangkok, Koh Phangan is quieter, and Koh Tao is the diving island. Hua Hin is the beach option close to Bangkok.
Both work for a city trip. Storms are short, and the north is at its greenest.
Ubon's procession of giant carved candles marks the start of Buddhist Lent, and it's one of the northeast's biggest festivals.
Two Buddhist holy days fall back to back in mid-July, with a royal holiday at the end of the month.
Asalha Bucha marks the Buddha's first sermon, and Khao Phansa the start of the three-month Buddhist Lent. Both are holidays, and shops, convenience stores and ordinary restaurants stop selling alcohol on both days. Hotels and some licensed venues are exempt.
Held around Khao Phansa, with a parade of huge carved and molded candles through the city. Exact parade days are announced each year.
Moved to avoid the two holy days. Haad Rin, Koh Phangan.
A public holiday, with yellow flags and portraits across the country.
Most of Thailand is in low season, with prices well below the winter peak. The exception is the Gulf islands, which are busy with summer-holiday visitors, so book Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao a few weeks ahead.
Common questions about thailand in july.
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Written by
Mac Kiley
I lived in Bangkok for four years and traveled the country from there. The guides are my own opinions, written the way I'd explain them to a friend planning a trip.
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