Equinox to heat up Bangkok on Thursday

Equinox to heat up Bangkok on Thursday

A woman uses an umbrella to shelter from the blazing sun at Ratchaprasong intersection on Saturday. (Photo by Patipat Janthong)
A woman uses an umbrella to shelter from the blazing sun at Ratchaprasong intersection on Saturday. (Photo by Patipat Janthong)

People in Bangkok could face a scorcher of a day on Thursday, with the sun directly over head around noon.

The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand said on Monday the summer equinox in Bangkok will occur at 12.16pm on Thursday. With the sun immediately overhead, people standing outside will cast very little shadow.

Potentially, with the sun's rays striking directly down, it could also be the hottest day of the year in the capital city, the institute said.

However, temperatures also depend on other factors, including clouds and rain, institute deputy director Sarun Posayachinda said, so it might not be all that bad.

The Meteorological Department forecasts a maximum temperature in Bangkok from Wednesday to Saturday of 39°C, about 2°C above average.

The hottest days in Bangkok so far were last Friday and Saturday, when the mercury rose to 38°C, according to accuweather.com, which tracks temperatures around the globe.

People in Betong district in Yala were the first to see the sun directly above them on this pass northwards, at 12.19pm on April 5 . Residents of Mae Sai district in Chiang Rai will be the last, at 12.17pm on May 19.

Mae Sai is the northernmost district and Betong is the southernmost in the country.

The next equinox in Bangkok, as the sun heads south again, will be at 12.24pm on Aug 16.

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