Would you risk Thailand in September or pay more for December?

Hi everyone! We’re trying to decide between going to Thailand in September vs December and we’d really appreciate some honest advice 🙏

We are 2 students on a budget (around 3000€ total without flights) and we want to visit Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi and Koh Samui.

Option 1 – September: we’d go with 1 more friend (so 3 people total). We already checked accommodation and it would be around 600–650€ per person total, which is really good for us. We like the idea of fewer tourists and lower prices, but we’re worried about the weather. We’ve read mixed things – some people say it’s just short daily showers, others say it can rain heavily and affect plans. We’re not sure if it’s manageable or if it can actually ruin beach days and island hopping.

Also, in September we were thinking to do a short 4-day trip to Albania with another group of friends (we’d be 5 people total). We already found a villa for around 300–400€ total, so it’s very affordable and more like a fun, post-work trip. But if we choose Thailand in December instead, we’re a bit worried we won’t want to spend money in September as well, even if it’s cheap.

Option 2 – December: we could go with 2 more people (so 4 total), which would help us split accommodation better (especially in Phuket). But overall prices are higher and we’re a bit worried about crowds and how touristy it gets.

Our main concerns:
- Is December too crowded and expensive, or still enjoyable?
- In September, is the rain just a small inconvenience or can it seriously affect the trip?
- Would island hopping (Phuket/Krabi) be a bad idea in September?
- Is Koh Samui a safer choice weather-wise during that time?

What we want is pretty simple: beaches, island hopping, good vibes, not luxury, and not feeling like we wasted money because of bad timing.

So honestly, if you were in our place, would you risk September for the lower prices and fewer tourists, or go in December for better weather but more crowds?

Any real experiences or advice would help us a lot 🙏