TomTom GPS in Thailand

[bangkokpi]

Hello,

I'm coming for a six week holiday to LoS and getting a rental car. Is it possible/ worth it bringing my in-car GPS unit. I mean even if I can get a map for Thailand I don't think it supports Thai language?

Cheers

B

[Begbie]

Roads are good, signs are also in english on most roads. Are you planning on going off road ?

[bangkokpi]

Thanks Bagbie. Not going off road. I travelled in Thailand by car quite a few times and I loved it as as you said the roads are good and so are the signs. Just wondering if I should bother with a GPS.

[mingmong]

I brought my Navman over a few years ago, completely Useless out side of Oz, now I drive more here then there and find the the Roads a little better here.

there are Atlas and maps available in English / Thai . try groovymap.com and thinknet.co.th the latter does Digital software, enjoy safe driving..

[Fondles]

GPS are good without one I would get crazily lost.

I have 2, A garmin for Thailand and a TomTom for the rest of the world.....

Would love to have not purchased the garmin but the cock suckers at TomTom dont have Thai maps for my TomTom.

[the dogcatcher]

Tom Toms are toys.
Garmin, professional.

[Marmite the Dog]

The only time I've been in a group where one of the riders had GPS, he took the wrong turning and me and another chap took the right route.

[the dogcatcher]

The only time I've been in a group where one of the riders had GPS, he took the wrong turning and me and another chap took the right route.

Like everything else in life.
Operator error will always create errors.

[bangkokpi]

GPS are good without one I would get crazily lost.

I have 2, A garmin for Thailand and a TomTom for the rest of the world.....

Would love to have not purchased the garmin but the cock suckers at TomTom dont have Thai maps for my TomTom.

TomTom website says there is a Thai map available for my unit but the map is only available in English. Not sure how useful it is at almost AUD 80.
Thanks

[genghis61]

Where are you intending to drive?
Unsure which he has, but friend here (Sa Kaeo) has one and says it is useless locally/rural, but fine in the cities/main roads.
As for signage - again locally - very little in English once off a main highway. This from someone who did a 5hr cycle ride early this month, half of which I was lost, best sign I found was one saying 'bon voyage' which was not much help.


Happy travels!

[Fondles]

GPS are good without one I would get crazily lost.

I have 2, A garmin for Thailand and a TomTom for the rest of the world.....

Would love to have not purchased the garmin but the cock suckers at TomTom dont have Thai maps for my TomTom.

TomTom website says there is a Thai map available for my unit but the map is only available in English. Not sure how useful it is at almost AUD 80.
Thanks

Englishmaps are useful, especially if your not fluent in Thai.

[terry57]

Tom Toms are toys.
Garmin, professional.

A few months ago I rented a Garmin with my hire car and traveled 2200klm in 8 days, It was bloody brilliant and I would of been lost without it, soon as I got back to Aussie I bought my own.

I've bought it with me on this trip and have purchased an SD card in KL that has the latest Malaysian and Thai maps loaded, Looking forward to using in on my next tour of the North. Will rent a car for a month in mid December.

If you don't want to bring your own they charge 200 baht to rent per day definitely worth it if you plan to do some decent touring as its saves a massive amount of foking around.

The best point about them is that you can fok off into the middle of no where and get completely lost and the G>P>S will always bring you back to your destination eventually.

I love to just branch of onto dodgy looking roads and see where I end up so I never have to worry about getting lost when I'm using a G.P.S.

Bloody brilliant piece of kit and yes always go for a Garmin when buying a GPS as all others are based on the Garmin concept.

[bangkokpi]

Thanks. Will be starting around BKK then Bangsaen, Isaan, North (Phitsanulok, Mae Hong Song) and more central in Kanchanaburi. So will be in some rural places. I can read Thai so no problem with signs plus my wife is Thai who will be with me. The issue is that unfortunately it seems that the only map available for Thailand on tomtom is the one in English and I expect it will be useless....

Where are you intending to drive?
Unsure which he has, but friend here (Sa Kaeo) has one and says it is useless locally/rural, but fine in the cities/main roads.
As for signage - again locally - very little in English once off a main highway. This from someone who did a 5hr cycle ride early this month, half of which I was lost, best sign I found was one saying 'bon voyage' which was not much help.


Happy travels!

[bangkokpi]

Thanks lots of useful info. Might either get a map for mine or rent one with my AVIS car.

Cheers

[terry57]

The issue is that unfortunately it seems that the only map available for Thailand on tomtom is the one in English and I expect it will be useless....

Not quite sure why you think a GPS in English is useless.

You use it in conjunction with a normal map to set your destination and if it was not in English I would of been shagged as I don't speak or read Thai.

You can change the language on the G.P.S anyway.

[bangkokpi]

Thanks Terry. May be I should give it a go. I think it will be fun, at least. I already have a good road map.
Cheers

[genghis61]

reading Thai will make life easier; I often head off on the bike somewhere new, these signs are at a major 'T' intersection, there are ten names with arrows . . . none in English though . . . I have yet to find a detailed map for our area, Google has its aerial pics but no names/identifying features.


I take the camera and show the pics when I get back - 'where was I?' always gets a laugh

[Airportwo]

Thanks Terry. May be I should give it a go. I think it will be fun, at least. I already have a good road map.
Cheers

You have a good road map of Thailand? they must have just started printing them! The ones I have used in the past have been triabolical! (I have invented this word just for this thread )

[terry57]

^
The ones covering Northern Thailand and the Mae Hong Song loop are brilliant, cant remember the name something to do with motor cycling touring.

Also toured all through the South using a map and that was well up to speed.

Taking the piss aint ya. Fair enough.

[Airportwo]

^ I was serious about the maps - they would have to be better now than they were 10-15 years ago, they have probably finished the roads that they charted, yet forgot to state they hadn't actually built them, and probably would not for years, but best put them on a map in case they get finished, quick like!
They realised that most would come to this conclusion when the road suddenly ended and you found you were ///\\\-?

[klong toey]

I use the sat nav on my phone in Thailand it works fine.I have English language installed never had a problem.And its free to use.

[mingmong]

[quote=terry57;1560781]^
The ones covering Northern Thailand and the Mae Hong Song loop are brilliant, cant remember the name something to do with motor cycling touring.


me thinks its GT TOURING, ''Golden Triangle'' theres a Aussis with a Guest House in Old City CNX [ jOHN ] very hellfull, advertizes Tours out front.

[bestvue]

I use Garmin all the time with good maps of Thailand/Cambodia/Laos You can even get Free routable maps from
Worldwide routable Garmin maps from OpenStreetMap
Regards

[bangkokpi]

Ok. I installed a map of Thailand on my TomTom for the upcoming trip. We'll see how it goes.

Thanks all

B

[SEA Traveler]

I'm using a Garmin Nuvi GPS regularly here in Thailand it functions excellently throughout the country. Verbal directions and GPS map in English. One of the best buys I've ever made. When you come it is well worth having a Garmin with Thai maps. PM me if you want the GPS coordinates for anything inparticular. I've got lots of stuff marked as favorites that are not on the pre-programmed issue. The maps purchased though need to be the most current. Don't be cought without one.