i am going to download a google map today to help me nagivate around bkk, im stuck here with a sick wife for a further 10 days at least, want to take her to hau hin on day outs just to break the monotiny . i can find my way around silom, pratunam and sukumvit but i honestly do not know which roads to take me out of bkk to hau hin area, if i get down to the major ring road i will be fine , just need a pointer.

thanks

Why not ask Google Maps for directions.

Why not ask Google Maps for directions.

Hua Hin.

If you know Panthip plaza, just continue on to banglamphu, that is keep that side of the road until you drive over a railway tracks, then you can only keep left and straight till you you pass the clebration/demonstration avenue on banglamphu, get on the elevated bridge at the end of the road and never get off till the elevated bridge comes down to the ground again, by the you would have been in Phutamonthon rd,you will start seeing signs that say Nakorn pathom, that highway will take you throughratchburi, petchburi cha am and hua hin , all the way to Hadyai after you must have shot past surathani where either you make a left to samui pier/ Nakorn si tamarat or make a right turn to head to Krabi/ Phuket , et al.

:unsure:ive just tried to go to hau hinn this morning with wife an kids from pratunam, got lost around the taksin bridge area, fk me this place is a bloody big nightmare to drive in, ive drove cars all over germany holland norway spain you name it but bangkoks the very worst ive driven through even worse than paris, the road signs leave a lot to be desired, i met a guy who sold me the car and hes from bkk, he says he still gets lost

:unsure:ive just tried to go to hau hinn this morning with wife an kids from pratunam, got lost around the taksin bridge area, fk me this place is a bloody big nightmare to drive in, ive drove cars all over germany holland norway spain you name it but bangkoks the very worst ive driven through even worse than paris, the road signs leave a lot to be desired, i met a guy who sold me the car and hes from bkk, he says he still gets lost

The way you spell your destination, might be the problem. Its Hua Hin.

I have just told you how to go there from Pratunam up there.

From Thaksin bridge , you just stay on the two fast lanes, go on the next bridge and you will see Petkasem rd signs, that road takes you to Nakorn Pathom and on wards to highway to the south..

Too funny! Trapped in Bangkok! Visions of dmax and his brood driving around in ever decreasing circles, kids faces pressed up against the glass as the driver struggles with signage, one-way streets and BMTA buses cutting over from 5 lanes the other side. Even with google earth, google maps, GPS, chat forums and all the other frippery, the outing to the beach is scuppered yet again.

But enough of my supercilious comments. Lumumba's instructions are pretty good but lack east/west, left/right details as well as some highway names and numbers. His way you are taking the Boromarajajonani elevated out to highway 388 and the west side. Personally, I prefer that route to come IN to Bangkok FROM the West.

Try this for going OUT to the WEST; head southwest down Wittayu and onwards down Sathorn and over the Taksin Bridge (d*mn you were that close!) and keep going basically straight for about 15km. This is Ratchapuek/Kullapapluek Roads and then when you see the Highway 9 signage, you want to exit SOUTH (to your left) and after about 5km take the NEXT exit for highway 35 to the East (to your right). That's the same road as Rama II which is what it's called if you go right towards Bangkok. Keep in mind that Thailand highway interchanges are never exactly the same in layout so you need to look at those funky signs as you approach the interchanges to make sure if you are going to be clover-leafing or simply turning.

When I had to rapidly learn the main ins and outs of Bangkok highways for work last year, I invested in the ThinkNet 'Map Magic' maps that are available in Bookazine and the like. They also have a CD included. Check these out and identify the NAMES and NUMBERS of the roads that you need to plan your escape. These maps also better identify the one-way streets so then you can make a 'mud map' of the 3 or 4 main roads that will eventually lead you out of town and on to the beach. The handy thing with the CD map is you can do a screen print (PrtSc) of any parts of the map for reference.

I hope you make it and your wife's recovery is speeded up.