Weather
Extreme heat in Thailand – Felt temperature at 52 degrees
April marks the end of the dry season in Thailand and is generally the hottest month of the year. photo
© Carola Frentzen/dpa
There has been great heat in Thailand for weeks. But now authorities are warning against staying outdoors. In Bangkok the temperature feels like it is around 52 degrees.
A severe heat wave has been affecting large areas for weeks Thailand firmly under control. The local environmental agency issued a warning specifically for the capital Bangkok and asked people not to spend time outdoors if possible.
The mercury columns showed values of almost 40 degrees. However, the heat index, which describes the perceived temperature given the measured humidity and other factors, was over 52 degrees and was “extremely dangerous,” the authority said on Facebook.
April marks the end of the dry season in Thailand and is generally the hottest month of the year. However, the country has been sweating at unusually high temperatures for weeks – even at night the values hardly fall below 30 degrees. According to experts, such extreme weather is particularly dangerous for chronically ill people, seniors and overweight people. If the heat index is 42 to 51.9 degrees, outdoor activities could lead to cramps and exhaustion, the Ministry of Health warned weeks ago.
If the heat index exceeds 52 degrees, there is a high risk of suffering heat stroke. This causes the body’s entire temperature regulation to break down. Between 2019 and 2023, 131 deaths from heat stroke were recorded in Thailand, according to the ministry – more than 26 per year.
Environment Agency warning on Facebook report Bangkok Post