Thailand Meteorological Department (TMD)

Overview

The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) is the Thai government agency responsible for weather forecasting, climate monitoring, and meteorological data services. It operates under the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society and provides a wide range of data products and services to the public, government, and private sector.

History and Founding

Thailand's first meteorological service was established in 1923 as the Meteorological and Statistics Section within the Royal Irrigation Department. In 1936, the section was transferred to the Hydrographic Department of the Royal Thai Navy, and in 1942 it was elevated to a full department. The Department joined the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 1949. It was transferred to the Office of the Prime Minister in 1962, then to the Ministry of Transport and Communications in 1972, and subsequently to the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology in 2002. Since 2016, TMD has operated under the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society. A new TMD headquarters in Bangkok was officially opened in June 1992 by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.

Services and Data Offerings

TMD provides daily weather forecasts, 7-day forecasts, seasonal forecasts, and warnings for all provinces and municipalities in Thailand. Its data services include access to historical climate data, radar imagery, satellite imagery, upper-air data, and earthquake surveillance information. The TMD Climate Center maintains long-term climate records, and the Meteorological Geospatial unit offers GIS-based hazard mapping products. Specialized divisions cover aeronautical meteorology, marine meteorology, hydrometerology, and agrometerology. TMD maintains four regional meteorological centers across Thailand's northern, northeastern, and southern regions.

Relevance to Research

TMD's historical climate and weather data archives are essential resources for journalists, researchers, and policymakers covering natural disasters, climate change, and environmental affairs in Thailand and Southeast Asia. The department's public data portal provides access to past weather records searchable by region and date.

Access and Usage

TMD's data and services are primarily available online at tmd.go.th/en. The department's headquarters is located in Bangkok. Historical climate data, forecasts, and specialized data products are accessible to the public through the website.