thailand in summer - how bad is the weather?

[clkt]

I know the monsoon season is May - Oct, but can anyone tell me what exactly that means? A drizzle once a week, or pouring rain every other day? If I go there in June or Aug, will I be soaking wet and miserable every day? Thanks in advance.

[Bazooka Joe]

Pouring rain every afternoon pretty much, anywhere from 20 minutes to 4 hours. It's really not a big deal which you get used to quickly, and a perfect excuse to have a beer in the afternoon.

Once you learn to get over it, you realize that being wet in 30 degrees plus weather isn't that big a deal. If you're only going to be there a short period of time (like a week or two) you may not get over it.

[pablonutribar]

There's lots of rain, but as previous poster stated, it usually comes in a daily shower (or showers). Not really that bad, but BKK can get ugly if it rains too much.

[malaca]

Different regions of Thailand have different weather.
The andaman sea (Phuket) has a different season from the gulf of Thailand (Ko Samui). In Bangkok it might not be the best time to walk around, but you can head to one of its mega-shopping centres (e.g. the "world trade center")

But 'rainy season' just means there's rain between 2h and 4h pm. And you might want to avoid malaria areas (Ko Tao, Ko Chang). And road travel to Cambodia (Angkor) might be difficult.

[Mother of Three]

Was in Thailand last summer (August) and it did not rain much.

Overall, weather was much like a sauna. Hot and humid - which meant very sticky - not like dry heat here in Canada. We went with a tour group from Hong Kong and were on and off an air-conditioned coach - but the kids hated it (the weather) anyways. Just bring wet towelettes with you or buy them at the local stores, it will help to relieve some of that yucky feeling.

Great shopping - so cheap - and very nice people.

Getting through customs is quite an experience (they have to take everyone's picture and we waited for almost an hour and was told by the tour guide that this is an improvement).

[beetfarm]

I was in Thailand in mid-June last summer for a week in Pattaya and Bangkok and it rained just once. But it was really "sticky" hot as the poster above me mentioned. On one of the days (and I don't sweat a lot) we were touring outside for most of the day, and my pits were soaking in sweat.

Luckily the tour bus had AC.

[heymikey]

Sometimes, you can get lucky. When I was there, it was early June and I don't remember it raining even for a day. But it was hot during the afternoons.