Thailand: what the weather has in store for the 2026 New Year's celebrations

Between the drop in temperatures in the north and heavy rains in the south, the weather is expected to be contrasting in Thailand for the New Year celebrations.

These official forecasts from the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) will help you choose the best destination to celebrate the arrival of 2026.

See also: Thailand: the best places to celebrate New Year 2026

Northern Thailand will experience a cooling down and strong winds from December 26 to 28, before a slight rise in temperatures from December 29 to January 1.

The south will be hit by heavy rain and high waves in the gulf.

See: Southern Thailand on maximum alert: risk of flooding

The department has published its weather forecast for New Year, from December 26, 2025 to January 1, 2026.

The TMD has warned that the cold wave in northern Thailand is expected to subside before the New Year countdown, while the south will face periods of heavy rain and rough seas.

Weather forecast from December 26 to 28, 2025

Tourist in Doi Inthanon National Park in Chiang Mai Province. Photo: Pattaya Mail

Northern Thailand will experience a drop in temperatures and stronger winds.

The northeast and north are expected to be cool to cold, with temperatures dropping by 2 to 4 °C in the northern and central regions.

In the northeast, the east, in Bangkok and surrounding areas, temperatures are expected to drop by 1 to 3 °C, as a fairly strong high-pressure system, or a cold air mass from China, will spread over northern Thailand and the South China Sea.

The south will experience heavy to very heavy rainfall in some areas, due to a relatively strong northeast monsoon covering the Gulf of Thailand, the south and the Andaman Sea.

Maritime conditions are expected to be rough at times:

• Lower Gulf of Thailand: waves 2 to 3 meters, exceeding 3 meters in case of storm
• Upper Gulf of Thailand: waves around 2 meters, exceeding 2 meters in case of storm

Weather forecast from December 29, 2025 to January 1, 2026

New Year 2026 in Pattaya.

Temperatures in northern Thailand are expected to rise slightly, but the weather will remain cool to cold, with a light morning fog, as the high-pressure system weakens.

Northwesterly winds at altitude will continue to blow.

In the south, precipitation is expected to decrease, but heavy rain could still occur in some places due to the weakening of the northeast monsoon.

Waves are expected to subside slightly:

• Lower Gulf of Thailand: waves around 2 meters, exceeding 2 meters in case of a storm
• Upper Gulf of Thailand: 1 to 2 meters, around 2 meters in case of storm

See also:

Weather in Thailand: Climate, Seasons and forecasts for 7 days

Source: The Nation Thailand