Thailand Weather in April

April is arguably the hottest month in Thailand, with extremely strong UV radiation. Fortunately, rainfall is minimal. While this is not the best time to visit, Thailand’s most distinctive festival - Songkran, the Thai New Year, is celebrated in this month.

Temperature

It is unbearably scorching nationwide in Thailand in April, yet the type of heat varies greatly by region.

Northern Thailand is characterized by a typical dry-heat climate due to mountainous plateaus terrain. In Chiang Mai, for example, daytime highs in April usually reach 38 - 40 degrees Celsius (100 - 104 degrees Fahrenheit) and can soar to 45℃ (113℉) in extreme cases, making it feel like in a furnace. Even with humidity as low as 54% and no sticky feeling, the intense heat alone is enough to keep you indoors - your clothes will be drenched in sweat in less than 10 minutes outside. It’s therefore best to rest in hotels during the midday, or cool off in fully air-conditioned malls like One Nimman. Thankfully, nighttime lows drop to 22 - 26℃ (72 - 79℉), bringing cool, pleasant relief - ideal for exploring night markets and sampling local street food.

One Nimman in Chiang Mai

Central Thailand has a hot, humid climate, influenced by both heat and moisture from the Gulf of Thailand. In Bangkok, for instance, daytime highs reach 36 - 38℃ (97 - 100℉), and paired with humidity as high as 70%, turning the entire outdoors into a giant sauna. Even in the tree shade, you will feel like being wrapped in a warm, damp blanket that never lets up. Worse still, iconic landmarks like the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew lack air conditioning, making daytime exploration challenging. Nighttime lows drop to 26 - 30℃ (79 - 86℉), easing the heat slightly. Even so, spending long hours outside will still leave you drained and uncomfortable, so keep a portable fan handy for continuous cooling.

Grand Palace in Bangkok

Southern Thailand shares a similar overall climate with Central Thailand in April, but fortunately, stronger convection and brisker sea breezes here mitigate the stifling mugginess. Particularly, a short dip in the ocean will make you feel noticeably cooler.

Precipitation

Average precipitation: 70 mm from 7 rainy days

Rainfall is generally low across Thailand in April, with only minor regional differences.

In northern and central Thailand, April experiences the least rainfall throughout the year. Taking Chiang Mai and Bangkok as examples, April sees only 6 rainy days and 4 rainy days respectively, with total rainfall at just 54 mm and 65 mm. The rain mostly comes as scattered afternoon showers, with each lasting no more than one hour. This means the sky will clear up by the time you finish a drink at a roadside shop, hardly disrupting your outdoor plans.

In southern Thailand, April falls at the end of the dry season, receiving more rain than the north and central regions. Phuket, for example, sees 138 mm of rainfall and 11 rainy days in April, with occasional short, heavy sea-borne storms. Yet these rains pass quickly and often leave rainbows behind. Once the sky clears, the sunset over the beach looks especially bright and pure.

Daylight / Sunshine Duration

In April, sunrise in Thailand is at 5:53 - 6:11 and sunset at 18:30 - 18:34, with about 12.5 hours of daylight. Although daylight lasts more than half the day, extreme heat greatly limits time for sightseeing. It is generally suitable to go out only before 10:00 a.m. and after 4:00 p.m. As a result, it is difficult to visit many places in one day. You’d better also visit Grand Palace in the morning, as it closes at around 3:30 p.m..

In addition, Thailand has 8 hours of sunshine each day in April. Although the weather looks fine, it comes with extreme UV radiation above level 11. Without proper sun protection, your skin will soon become red and painful, and may even peel. This is especially true when you play in the water by the seaside like in Phuket. Besides direct sunlight, the water reflects UV rays from all directions, making sunburn very easy to happen.