Film production in Chiang Mai
Between June and December, usable daylight in Chiang Mai moves by 2h 14min — from 13h 15min down to 11h 01min. An exterior day in December is a different day from one in June. This page carries sunrise, sunset and golden-hour times for all twelve months.
Light and shooting hours
On 15 June, the sun in Chiang Mai rises at 05:48 and sets at 19:03; the evening golden hour starts at 18:31 and runs for 32 minutes. By December that shifts to 06:50–17:50, with a 32-minute golden-hour window from 17:18.
In practice, a spread of 2h 14min means a schedule that works here in summer does not work in winter at the same location — with the same setup count, the hours simply are not there.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Golden hour (evening, from) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 07:00 | 18:07 | 11h 07min | 17:36 |
| February | 06:53 | 18:25 | 11h 32min | 17:55 |
| March | 06:34 | 18:34 | 12h 01min | 18:05 |
| April | 06:08 | 18:42 | 12h 34min | 18:12 |
| May | 05:51 | 18:52 | 13h 01min | 18:21 |
| June | 05:48 | 19:03 | 13h 15min | 18:31 |
| July | 05:56 | 19:05 | 13h 10min | 18:34 |
| August | 06:06 | 18:53 | 12h 47min | 18:23 |
| September | 06:13 | 18:28 | 12h 16min | 17:59 |
| October | 06:18 | 18:03 | 11h 44min | 17:33 |
| November | 06:32 | 17:47 | 11h 16min | 17:16 |
| December | 06:50 | 17:50 | 11h 01min | 17:18 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Chiang Mai starts at 19:18 in June and ends at 19:27 — a window of 9 minutes. In December it is 9 minutes from 18:05. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (18:34) and September (18:28) there are 6 minutes of difference. A schedule running over several weeks cannot work from one fixed "sunset" time.
Planning a shoot here
A schedule that ignores these numbers looks fine on paper and falls over on the day. TillyGen folds sun position, travel and crew availability straight into the schedule — if the exterior no longer fits before sunset in December, the plan says so, not the wrap report.
Frequently asked
When is golden hour in Chiang Mai?
In June it starts at 18:31 and lasts 32 minutes; in December it starts at 17:18 and lasts 32 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Chiang Mai get?
Between 11h 01min in December and 13h 15min in June. The 2h 14min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Chiang Mai?
On daylight length alone, June is strongest with 13h 15min of usable light.