July is the month the green season stops being cheap. Northern-hemisphere school holidays lift prices on the Gulf islands and in Bangkok, the Andaman coast stays wet and discounted, and the Thai calendar delivers its most atmospheric religious festival: Asarnha Bucha and Khao Phansa, the start of Buddhist Lent, expected around 18 and 19 July 2027, with a nationwide ban on alcohol sales.
The two coasts in July
- The Gulf islands – Samui, Phangan, Koh Tao – are still in their dry season, which runs roughly January to August. July is one of the better months there, and it is also when European and Australian families arrive, so it is no longer the bargain that June was.
- The Andaman coast – Phuket, Krabi, Koh Lanta – is in the southwest monsoon. About 185 mm of rain, most days affected, rough seas and frequent red flags. It is cheap, green and half-empty.
- The north is in its rainy season but the driest part of the day is most of it: Chiang Mai sees around 150 mm across fourteen days at about 31°C, and the landscape is at its most beautiful.
- Bangkok is about 32°C with roughly 190 mm across fourteen days, delivered mainly as late-afternoon downpours.
Asarnha Bucha and Khao Phansa
Two consecutive days in July mark the start of Vassa, the three-month Buddhist rains retreat. Asarnha Bucha commemorates the Buddha’s first sermon, and Khao Phansa the following day begins the period in which monks remain in their monasteries. Both are public holidays; the expected 2027 dates are around 18 and 19 July, but the lunar dates are confirmed by the Thai Cabinet, so check the official list.
What you will see: candlelit wian tian processions circling temple halls three times on Asarnha Bucha evening, and candle offerings to monasteries on Khao Phansa. Ubon Ratchathani’s Candle Festival is the spectacular version, with enormous carved beeswax sculptures paraded through the city – one of the best festivals in Thailand and almost entirely domestic.
Alcohol sales are banned nationwide on both days, with exemptions for hotels, international airport terminals, licensed entertainment venues and designated tourist areas. Shops and supermarkets will not sell it. Many Thais also give up alcohol for the whole of Buddhist Lent.
What is closed
Similan and Surin remain shut until 14 October – a fixed annual closure by Thailand’s Department of National Parks. Several other Andaman marine parks apply seasonal restrictions across the same window. Koh Tao and the Gulf dive sites operate normally.
Prices and crowds
July is the green season with a summer-holiday premium layered on top. The Gulf islands, Bangkok and Chiang Mai all firm up from late June through August; the Andaman coast stays cheap because the weather does not improve.
The strategic read: if you want value, the Andaman side in July is heavily discounted and you are accepting rain. If you want weather, the Gulf is right but you are paying summer-holiday rates. See how much a trip to Thailand costs.
Practical notes
- Red flags on Andaman beaches are lethal. Monsoon rip currents kill tourists every year; lifeguard cover is not continuous. If the flag is red, do not swim.
- Plan mornings. The rain is usually late afternoon on both coasts.
- Dengue rises with the rains. Use repellent morning and evening; see is Thailand safe for travel.
- Book for the holiday dates. Asarnha Bucha and Khao Phansa are domestic travel days; trains and buses fill.
The July 2027 calendar
- Around 18 July – Asarnha Bucha expected; candlelit temple processions; national alcohol sales ban.
- Around 19 July – Khao Phansa, the start of Buddhist Lent; alcohol ban continues.
- Mid-July – the Candle Festival in Ubon Ratchathani.
- All month – Similan and Surin closed; Gulf islands dry; Andaman under monsoon.
- Through July – summer-holiday pricing on the Gulf, in Bangkok and in Chiang Mai.
Read alongside
- Thailand in June – the same weather without the holiday premium.
- Thailand in August – wetter in the north, busier everywhere.
- Best time to visit Thailand – all twelve months compared.
- Koh Samui vs Phuket – the July decision.
- Best islands in Thailand – which coast, and when.
- How much a trip to Thailand costs – green-season numbers.
- What to pack for Thailand – the wet-season list.
Frequently asked
Is July a good time to visit Thailand?
Yes on the Gulf coast, which is still in its dry season, and yes in the north if you accept afternoon rain. The Andaman coast is in full monsoon. The catch is that July carries summer-holiday pricing on the good side of the country.
What is Khao Phansa?
The start of Buddhist Lent, the day after Asarnha Bucha, when monks begin a three-month retreat in their monasteries. Both are public holidays with a nationwide ban on alcohol sales; expected around 18 and 19 July in 2027, with the lunar dates confirmed by the Thai Cabinet.
Can you buy alcohol during Buddhist holidays in Thailand?
Not from shops or supermarkets. The national ban applies on five Buddhist holy days a year, with exemptions for hotels, international airport terminals, licensed entertainment venues and designated tourist areas.
Phuket or Koh Samui in July?
Koh Samui, on weather. The Gulf islands stay dry from January to August while the Andaman coast sits in the southwest monsoon from May to October. Phuket is cheaper for exactly that reason.
Are the Similan Islands open in July?
No. They are closed from 16 May to 14 October under a fixed annual closure by the Department of National Parks.
How much does it rain in Thailand in July?
Bangkok gets around 190 mm across fourteen days, Phuket about 185 mm on most days, Chiang Mai around 150 mm. On both coasts the pattern is heavy late-afternoon rain rather than all-day drizzle.
Is the Candle Festival worth travelling for?
If you are already in Thailand in mid-July, yes. Ubon Ratchathani parades enormous carved beeswax sculptures for Khao Phansa and the event is almost entirely domestic, which is most of its appeal.
Is July expensive in Thailand?
On the Gulf, in Bangkok and in Chiang Mai, more than June, because of northern-hemisphere school holidays. On the Andaman coast it stays cheap, because the monsoon does not take a holiday.
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Written by
John Morrison is the founder and lead travel writer at Packzup. Over the past decade he has explored destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania — always self-funded, never on a press trip.
