Meteorological Department warns Thais scorching summer on the way
Thailand’s weather forecasters say that summer has officially arrived and soaring temperatures are on their way. The national Meteorological Department released a statement yesterday saying the hotter weather conditions over the past few days had marked the end of the cooler winter season and the onset of summer.
The statement noted that average daytime temperatures had increased while the northeast monsoon had transitioned to southeast winds. Wanchai Sakudomchai is the departmental director and he says temperatures will rise gradually during March and the early weeks of April, but are expected to reach highs of 43°C towards the end of April.
Summer in Thailand generally runs from late February to June when the rainy season usually starts. Temperatures last April were continually above 40°C. Statistics show the month was the hottest in the country for 65 years. Summer also signals the end of the peak tourism season for popular Thai holiday isles such as Phuket, Koh Samui and Koh Phangan.
12GO ASIA says there are some real bargains to be had on accommodation during the low season. Apart from over the Songkran Festival period, intercity transportation services are also rarely fully booked and flights operated by low cost carriers tend to be cheaper.
Municipal authorities in Cambodia’s Kompong Thom Province say the recent UNESCO designation of a temple complex has led to a surge in visitor numbers. UNESCO added the province’s temples of Sambor Prei Kuk to the World Heritage Site list on 8 July.
Thailand’s one and only drum making village is preparing to stage an annual festival dedicated to showcasing the percussion instrument. The Ang Thong International Drum Festival will take place between the 26 and 30 July at locations in the province’s Ekkarat Sub-district.
Transport authorities in Hanoi say numerous tourists have taken advantage of the city’s new transportation option for sightseeing. The bright red double-decker bus looks as though it could have been plucked from the streets of London and even has the same open upper deck as the sightseeing buses there.
