What to pack for Thailand in December: Bangkok and Phuket

In December, Thailand is in its dry, high season: Bangkok runs from about 23 to 32 °C (73 to 90 °F) with almost no rain, and Phuket from 25 to 32 °C (77 to 90 °F), with a calm sea. Pack light, breathable clothes, long trousers or a long skirt for the temples, a hat, and reef-safe sunscreen.

The story

December in Bangkok, and the morning is the best part of the day. At seven it’s about 23 °C, the air is drier than you expected, and the monks are walking their morning rounds while the street stalls light their charcoal. This is what Thais call the cool season. By two in the afternoon it doesn’t feel cool at all: it’s 32 °C, and the sun bounces off the pavement.

You take the BTS Skytrain to Saphan Taksin, then the river boat up the Chao Phraya to Tha Chang pier. At the gate of the Grand Palace, the guards send a couple in shorts to the side. You’re in light long trousers and a thin shirt that covers your shoulders, so you walk straight in. At the next temple you leave your sandals at the door, and you’re glad they slip off without laces.

The afternoons are for staying in the shade, or in the malls and the Skytrain, where the air conditioning is strong enough that you reach for the light long-sleeved shirt in your bag. In the evening the heat eases, and you eat at a night market in the same clothes you wore to the temple.

Then you fly south to Phuket. On the Andaman coast, December is the start of the good months: the monsoon is over, the sea is flat and clear, and the boats leave every morning. You join a day trip to the Phi Phi Islands. The guide asks everyone to check their sunscreen: Thailand’s marine national parks ban the kinds that harm coral. Yours is mineral, so you’re fine. You also have a rash guard, because two hours of snorkeling in this sun burns the back of anyone who forgot.

Thailand in December is dry, sunny and hot by the afternoon, with mornings around 23 °C in Bangkok and a calm sea in Phuket. Pack light, breathable clothes, something that covers your shoulders and knees for the temples, a hat, and reef-safe sunscreen.

What to pack for Thailand in December

Pack for heat, temples and the sea, and leave the rain gear for another season.

Clothes

Light, breathable tops in linen or quick-dry fabric: the afternoons reach 32 °C.
Light long trousers or a long skirt, and a thin shirt that covers your shoulders: temples, and the Grand Palace above all, ask for covered shoulders and knees.
A light long-sleeved layer for the air conditioning in malls, the Skytrain, buses and planes.
Shorts and dresses for the beach towns, and a sarong for the walk from the beach.
Swimwear, two if you can, since they don’t always dry overnight.

Shoes

Sandals that slip on and off: you take your shoes off at every temple door.
Light walking shoes or sneakers for long days in the city.
Water shoes, if you plan to snorkel or walk over coral and rocks.

For the sun and the sea

Reef-safe sunscreen, without oxybenzone, octinoxate, 4-MBC or butylparaben: they’re banned in Thailand’s marine national parks, where most island trips go.
A wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses.
A rash guard or a long-sleeved swim shirt for snorkeling.
A small dry bag and a waterproof phone pouch for the boats.

For health

Insect repellent for the evenings: there are fewer mosquitoes in the dry season, but they don’t disappear.
Oral rehydration salts and something for an upset stomach.
A refillable water bottle: the heat makes you drink more than you think.

Documents, money and tech

Passport, and a copy.
The confirmation email of your digital arrival card (see Good to know).
Cash in baht for street food, markets and longtail boats; cards work in malls and hotels.
A plug adapter if needed, and a power bank for long boat days.
An eSIM for Thailand, for maps and ride apps from the moment you land.

Good to know

Weather: December is the dry season in both stops. By the Thai Meteorological Department’s 1991–2020 averages for its Bangkok Metropolis and Phuket stations:

Stop	Temperature	Rain in December	What changes in the bag
Bangkok	23–32 °C (73–90 °F)	12 mm (0.5 in), about 2 rainy days	Temple clothes, a layer for the air conditioning
Phuket	25–32 °C (77–90 °F)	82 mm (3 in), about 10 rainy days	Reef-safe sunscreen, a rash guard, a dry bag

The Andaman coast by month: Phuket gets 178 mm (7 in) of rain in November and 50 mm (2 in) in January, by the same averages, so the sea calms down through December. A short shower is still possible; it rarely lasts.
Temples: cover shoulders and knees and take off your shoes. The Grand Palace checks clothes at the gate.
Getting around Bangkok: the BTS Skytrain and the MRT avoid the traffic, and the Chao Phraya river boats stop near the Grand Palace and Wat Arun.
Plugs: Thailand’s sockets take types A, B, C and O, at 220 V. Most two-pin plugs fit; check the voltage of anything that isn’t a charger.
Money: Thai baht (THB).
Entry: fill in Thailand’s digital arrival card in the three days before you land; it’s free, and only that official site takes it. Thailand changed its visa exemptions on September 15, 2026, with shorter stays and a new list of passports, so check whether yours needs a visa and the new rules (checked October 6, 2026).
Coming in the summer instead? What to pack for Thailand in the rainy season. Stopping in Dubai on the way? What to pack for Dubai in December.

Questions

Is December a good time to visit Thailand?

Yes, it’s the dry, high season. Bangkok runs from about 23 to 32 °C (73 to 90 °F) with almost no rain, and the sea around Phuket is calm and clear.

What should I wear in Thailand in December?

Light, breathable clothes for afternoons around 32 °C, and long trousers or a long skirt with a shirt that covers your shoulders for the temples. Add a light long-sleeved layer for the air conditioning.

Does it rain in Phuket in December?

A little: Phuket gets about 82 mm (3 in) in December, on about 10 days, usually in short showers. November is much wetter, and January drier.

Do I need reef-safe sunscreen in Thailand?

Yes, for the marine national parks, where most island trips go. Sunscreens with oxybenzone, octinoxate, 4-MBC or butylparaben are banned there.

What do I need to enter Thailand?

Your passport and Thailand’s digital arrival card, filled in online in the three days before you land. Thailand changed its visa exemptions on September 15, 2026, so check whether your passport needs a visa.