A strong cold front from China is presently occupying both northern Thailand and the south. This means that the new year holiday temperatures in the north and northeast regions are expected to fall by 2 – 4 degrees Celsius, and by 1 – 3 degrees in the rest of the country. Temperatures in the south will remain as they are.
Cool weather in the north and northeast is seen as the most favourable factor to attract families, groups of friends and couples, to celebrate the new year holiday season free from perspiration.
Eastern provinces are packed with man-made attractions like the appropriately named Temple of Truth in Pattaya, and other activities for tourists of every age.
In the northern region, temperatures are expected to drop to minimums of 14– 18 degrees Celsius, with scattered showers predicted in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son, Nan and Phayao provinces. Mountainous areas will be much cooler with minimum temperatures around 10 degrees Celsius.
In Bangkok and its suburbs, temperatures will also fall with an expected minimum of 19 degrees Celsius.
In central and eastern provinces, strong winds are expected, with new year holiday temperatures falling as low as 17 degrees Celsius.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) expects domestic tourism to generate 3 million trips during the new year holiday, drawing in 11 billion baht (US$300 million), with the northern region posting occupancy as high as 78%.
Countdown celebrations in 12 provinces are poised to stimulate 4.2 billion baht (US$120 million) for local economies. As a holiday gift to the public, Thailand’s Fine Arts Department is opening all national museums and historical sites in the kingdom for free between December 30, 2022, to January 2, 2023.
Jon Whitman is a seasoned journalist and author who has been living and working in Asia for more than two decades. Born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland, Jon has been at the forefront of some of the most important stories coming out of China in the past decade. After a long and successful career in East sia, Jon is now semi-retired and living in the Outer Hebrides. He continues to write and is an avid traveller and photographer, documenting his experiences across the world.
