Temperatures in upper Thailand have started to cool down, with morning fog now forming in many areas of Nong Khai and Lampang provinces. As bothersome as fog might be to motorists, it also brings an influx of tourists who are eager to experience the sea of fog on mountaintops.
Temperatures have dropped in Nong Khai, especially on highlands in Ban Muang sub-district within Sangkhom district. There are many viewpoints for the sea of fog in Ban Muang. One of these spots is Phu Nong, which provides a view of the sea of fog above a stretch of the Mekong River that divides Thailand and Laos. The temperatures in this area now reach lows of 18-19 degrees Celsius in the mornings. The high humidity at present gives rise to morning fog on mountains almost every day, and this continues to attract tourists to the sub-district. The number of visitors has promptly been rising, with many camping sites and accommodations in the district now fully booked on the weekends and holidays until New Year’s.
In Lampang province, the morning fog was also prevalent in the city area, in Mae Mo district, and in Mae Tha district. Thick fog meant drivers had a hard time navigating some roads. This was true for Highway no. 11 connecting Lampang and Den Chai, and Highway no. 1348 that leads to Mae Mo Power Plant. Visibility was just 50 meters in some places and worsened to 20-30 meters in others. Road users had to exercise great caution in these conditions.
The Meteorological Department attributes the prevalent fog to the transitioning from the rainy season into the cold season. It expects northern Thailand to encounter this state of weather for the rest of the week.