Do any of you move around the country throughout the year? If so, where, when, and why?

honestly i do the opposite of most people. i go to kanchanaburi during the smog months, the air's way cleaner and you got the river life. then when the rain starts i head to the southern islands like koh lanta, monsoon season means way fewer tourists and everything's half price. been doing it for 3 years now, feels like cheating the system

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i do a different kind of rotation tbh. instead of chasing perfect weather i follow the fruit seasons. march to may i'm in chanthaburi for durian season, you can get fresh-picked ones for like 80 baht at the orchards near makham. then june to august i bounce between mae hong son and pai when the lychees and longans come in, the air's good and the mornings are actually chilly enough for a hoodie. september i usually crash with friends in nakhon si thammarat for the rambutan and mangosteen harvest, way cheaper than the tourist islands and the local markets are unreal

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yeah i know a few people who do the seasonal shuffle. a lot of folks head up to chiang mai around december to feb for the cool weather, but then you have to dodge the burning season up there from march. so it's like you trade bangkok smog for northern smoke.

i've been doing a slow loop myself. spend the hot season april-may down on koh chang or koh samet, the gulf islands get a bit of breeze. then when the rains hit the south around june, i head up to isaan for a few months. khon kaen and udon thani have that dry heat that's actually pretty manageable, and the food is unreal. cheap rooms too, like 300-400 baht a night for something decent.

a friend of mine swears by hua hin for the smog months. it's close enough to come back for visa stuff and the air is way better than bkk. prices jump a bit during high season but it's still way cheaper than staying in the city and buying n95 masks every week

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Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but I've always found their som tam a bit tame on the pla ra. If you want the real funky version, try the shophouse spots along Soi Udomsuk 26, near the night market end. They pound it fresh with fermented fish that'll clear your sinuses, and it's like 60 baht. Different style from the On Nut places, more Lao-leaning.

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for som tam specifically i'd say the Isaan spots in Chatuchak are underrated, weekdays only though since the weekend crowd ruins the vibe. there's a stall near gate 2 that does tam pa with fermented bamboo shoots, super sour and funky, not something you see much in On Nut. if you're already heading north for Or Tor Kor anyway its worth the detour.

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honestly the som tam at Krua Dok Mai Kao is good but what got me hooked is their nam prik pla raa dip with the raw veggies, that funk hits way harder than the papaya does. think most people sleep on it cuz they just order the som tam and gai yang. also pro tip, go before noon on weekdays, after that teh pla ra gets milder cuz they batch it for the lunch rush

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