It’s official – it’s the wet season

PHUKET: The Southern Meteorological Center (West Coast), located opposite Phuket International Airport, today issued a release suggesting hotels and the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Phuket office inform tourists that it is now the rainy season. The release follows widespread heavy showers resulting in 35mm of rainfall being recorded on the island today. Vichit Phuangsombat, director of the center, told the Gazette, “This weather should continue for the next couple of days, then skies should be clear throughout the following week.” He added that the current southwesterly winds of 40-50 kilometers an hour will abate, though a weather warning issued by the office yesterday said that shipping should proceed with caution. “Pictures taken by satellite show that the heavy rain will not continue, and the winds will ease,” K. Vichit said. He also gave a warning to people wanting to go diving or swimming, “There are large waves of up to three meters, which may be dangerous for some people and for small boats. So don’t go far from shore because the further you go, the bigger the waves will be.”