Thailand Infos

Thailand in March: weather, best places and festivals

In March the country splits. In the north, in the centre and on the coast from Pattaya to Hua Hin, 9 of 20 places stay dry, while the Andaman Sea and the east get wetter: Khao Lak is at 115 millimetres, Koh Lipe at 122, Krabi at 98, Phuket at 74, Koh Lanta at 60. These are monthly totals; they say nothing about how the rain is spread over the days.

Then there is the heat: Kanchanaburi and Pai average 37 degrees, Ayutthaya 36. In Chiang Mai, Pai and Chiang Rai there is often smoke from field fires in the air in March. If you want to escape the heat, head to the Gulf: Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao have 31 degrees and 81 millimetres.

All 20 destinations in March

Sorted by rain, driest first. The figures are monthly averages from 1981 to 2010; the temperature is the average daily high.

dry 9 places

Under 60 millimetres of rain a month.

Misty green Pai valley at sunrise with gentle mountains and a small bamboo bridge over rice fieldsPai17 mm37 °C, 18 °C at nightMountain valley in the north-westGolden chedi of a temple on a wooded hill, surrounded by mist, rice terraces and mountains in northern Thailand, seen from aboveChiang Mai18 mm35 °C, 20 °C at nightTemples and mountains in the northThree restored bell-shaped chedis of Wat Phra Si Sanphet in Ayutthaya in warm morning light, with lawn and old brick walls in frontAyutthaya19 mm36 °C, 24 °C at nightOld royal capital on the riverWhite Temple Wat Rong Khun with sparkling mirror decorations in calm morning light, a pond with a reflection in front and green hills behind in northern ThailandChiang Rai28 mm34 °C, 17 °C at nightWhite Temple and the Golden TriangleThe steel Bridge on the River Kwai with its curved arches over the calm river in warm evening light, green trees on the bank and mountains in the backgroundKanchanaburi29 mm37 °C, 24 °C at nightBridge on the River Kwai and waterfallsWat Arun on the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok at sunset, with a longtail boat on the water in frontBangkok42 mm34 °C, 26 °C at nightTemples, the river and street food stallsSandstone Khmer temple Phanom Rung in warm afternoon light, with green rice fields in front in northeastern ThailandIsan42 mm35 °C, 23 °C at nightKhmer temples and the MekongPattaya beach promenade in the evening with palm trees, a curved bay and high-rises in the backgroundPattaya53 mm32 °C, 25 °C at nightBeach city close to BangkokCurved sandy beach of Hua Hin in warm evening light, with a green hill and a golden temple at the end of the bay and fishing boats in the waterHua Hin54 mm32 °C, 25 °C at nightQuiet seaside resort on the Gulf

changeable 11 places

60 to 150 millimetres, expect showers.

Long, almost empty sandy beach on the west coast of Koh Lanta in evening light, casuarinas and palms on the shore, a longtail boat in calm waterKoh Lanta60 mm34 °C, 25 °C at nightQuiet island off KrabiWhite sandy beach on Phuket with longtail boats in the turquoise water of the Andaman Sea, green hills behindPhuket74 mm34 °C, 25 °C at nightBeaches, old town and islandsHalf-moon bay with white sand and coconut palms on Koh Phangan, green hills behind, a longtail boat in the shallow turquoise waterKoh Phangan81 mm31 °C, 26 °C at nightQuiet bays, loud full moon nightsWhite sand beach with leaning coconut palms and turquoise sea, with a golden Buddha statue on a headland in the background on Koh SamuiKoh Samui81 mm31 °C, 26 °C at nightPalm island in the GulfThree small green islands joined by a white sandbar, surrounded by clear turquoise water at Koh TaoKoh Tao81 mm31 °C, 26 °C at nightSmall island for diversTwo longtail boats in a turquoise bay with a white sandy beach, limestone cliffs and coral near Krabi and the Phi Phi IslandsKrabi & Phi Phi98 mm34 °C, 23 °C at nightLimestone cliffs and islandsWide, quiet sandy beach at Khao Lak in the morning light, lined with casuarina trees and coconut palms, wooded hills behind, calm Andaman SeaKhao Lak115 mm34 °C, 23 °C at nightLong beaches north of PhuketFloating bamboo raft houses on the emerald-green Cheow Lan Lake, with steep limestone cliffs behind in the morning hazeKhao Sok115 mm34 °C, 23 °C at nightRainforest and Cheow Lan LakeQuiet bay on Koh Chang with pale sandy beach, palms and turquoise water, steep, densely wooded mountains with clouds behind, a longtail boat in the shallow waterKoh Chang115 mm32 °C, 24 °C at nightGreen mountain island in the eastQuiet beach on Koh Kood with leaning coconut palms and a wooden jetty reaching into calm turquoise waterKoh Kood115 mm32 °C, 24 °C at nightQuiet island without a 7-ElevenClear turquoise shallow water and a white sandy beach on Koh Lipe, with longtail boats with colourful ribbons in front and a small island in the backgroundKoh Lipe122 mm35 °C, 24 °C at nightSmall island in the far south

For places without a weather station of their own, the figures of the nearest station apply: Ayutthaya (Suphan Buri station), Khao Lak and Khao Sok (Takua Pa station), Koh Chang and Koh Kood (Trat station), Koh Lipe (Satun station), Koh Phangan and Koh Tao (Koh Samui station) and Pai (Mae Hong Son station). More places and every month in detail are on the weather page.

Festivals and public holidays in March

There are no fixed dates in the calendar for March.

All dates of the year are in the festival calendar.

Frequently asked questions: Thailand in March

Where is it dry in Thailand in March?

9 of 20 places stay under 60 millimetres of rain in March: Pai, Chiang Mai, Ayutthaya, Chiang Rai, Kanchanaburi, Bangkok, Isan, Pattaya and Hua Hin. It is changeable, meaning between 60 and 150 millimetres, in Koh Lanta, Phuket, Koh Phangan, Koh Samui, Koh Tao, Krabi & Phi Phi, Khao Lak, Khao Sok, Koh Chang, Koh Kood and Koh Lipe.

How warm is it in Thailand in March?

By day the average ranges from 31 degrees in Koh Tao to 37 degrees in Pai. The coolest nights are in Chiang Rai, at an average of 17 degrees.

Is March too hot for Thailand?

Inland, often yes: Kanchanaburi and Pai reach an average of 37 degrees, Ayutthaya 36. By the sea it is more bearable, with 31 degrees on Koh Samui and 32 in Pattaya.

How the seasons are spread over the year is covered in the guide Best time to visit Thailand. All twelve months at a glance: the best time to visit overview. Also useful: the costs per day and the visa calculator.

Sources

  1. Thai Meteorological Department (TMD), climate averages 1981 to 2010, rounded
  2. The Nation: Bank of Thailand sets 18 bank holidays for 2027 (28 August 2026)
  3. Bank of Thailand: financial institutions’ holidays 2026
  4. Bank of Thailand Notification 37/2569: holidays 2027 (via tnews, 26 August 2026)
  5. Sanook: holidays 2027 (7 September 2026)
  6. myhora: Loy Krathong dates
  7. Full Moon Party Thailand: dates
  8. Straits Times: alcohol sales ban on Buddhist holidays
  9. The Nation: exemptions from the alcohol ban
  10. Surin Elephant Festival