PRESS RELEASE:
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has announced that Thailand will officially enter the rainy season on May 15. The announcement, made today (May 13), followed the department’s assessment that current weather patterns now meet the official criteria, including widespread rainfall across the upper regions, southwesterly winds at lower levels, and easterly winds at higher altitudes.
According to TMD forecasts, rainfall this season is expected to be about five percent higher than the long-term average, especially from now until July. From August to October, rain levels are likely to return to near-average amounts, although areas along the eastern coast of southern Thailand may receive around ten percent less than usual.
The TMD has also warned of a possible dry spell from June to mid-July in parts of the North, Northeast, and Central Plains. Farmers in drought-prone, non-irrigated areas are advised to plan water use carefully during this period.
The department expects one or two tropical storms to affect Thailand between August and October, raising the risk of flash floods, landslides, and river overflows, particularly in the northern and northeastern regions.
While several areas have already seen heavy rain in recent weeks, the TMD clarified that these were caused by southeasterly winds and did not meet the official wind shift requirements for declaring the rainy season. The agency added that the El Niño–La Niña cycle remains neutral and is not expected to significantly impact rainfall distribution this year.
The preceding is a press release from the Thai Government PR Department.
