Trends in temperature in Thailand from 1964 to 2013

Surface air temperature is one of the most important climate factors. Globally, minimum temperatures are increasing at a faster rate than maximum ones. In this study, Thailand’s trends in daily maximum surface air temperature (Tmax), minimum surface air temperature (Tmin), and the diurnal temperature range (DTR) from 1964 to 2013 were observed and interpolated. The results were compared with other studies and demonstrate that the trends in Tmax and Tmin are increasing, whereas the DTR is most often decreasing due to the increase of Tmin at a faster rate than that of Tmax. As surface air temperature changes can be seen as indicators of climate change, the findings indicate that Easter, Central and West Thailand appear to be the most impacted areas of Thailand over the past 50 years (1964-2013) regarding rapid surface air temperature changes. To further understand the changes in Thailand’s climate, trends in precipitation intensities should be evaluated.