Bangkok experiences rare and weird zero-shadow phenomenon

At 12.16pm, the capital experienced the rare zero-shadow phenomenon as the sun moved directly overhead in the sky.

The shadows of all vertical objects – people, trees, skyscrapers, poles, etc – vanished for a couple of minutes, before the sun and Earth shifted out of sync.

The zero-shadow day occurs twice a year in all locations between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, a band stretching around the Earth 23.5 degrees north and south of the equator.

In Thailand, the sun is directly overhead on one day in April or May and another in July or August, according to the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD).

Thailand’s first zero-shadow day this year occurred in the country’s southernmost district of Betong in Yala province on April 4. It is moving north gradually and will arrive in the country’s northernmost district of Mae Sai in Chiang Rai on May 22, said the TMD.

Bangkokians will get to see the phenomenon again this year on August 16 at 12.22pm.

The TMD added that the zero-shadow day is not necessarily the hottest day of the year, as the temperature also depends on factors such as rainfall, cloud cover, accumulated heat and monsoon conditions.