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Best Gps Available In Thailand

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I've had several gps's all garmin badged. Just recently i took delivery of a Garmin 62s mapping gps & have fallen in love with it. The sensor finds your location very fast and it has the ability to record all your tracks automatically on and off-road. The only downside of the 62s over the 60 csx mapping gps is they have done away with the distance remaining to the next turn function, which i think everyone finds very useful. The older garmin 60 csx model has this function and this model can still be bought new.

One huge plus of the garmin 62s gps is the wireless transfer function. If one person has the route on his 62s, he can send the routes/ waypoints & tracks to others who have a 62s gps wirelessley, we found it to be a very useful function last week in laos when the route in the jungle kept changing due to the rain.

The best GPS for Thailand TOM_TOM and Thailand card,the card cost Euro 50

I suppose which GPS unit you prefer is really a user preference. I can say that having owned both TomTom and Garmin GPS units, the Garmin operating system is far superior for me in terms of intuitiveness and using the system quickly, which of course is a major consideration if you are using a GPS whilst driving. The TomTom just seemed to take more user interaction, more taps on the display, and more moments of brain lapse trying to work out what to do next.

I can't speak for the TomTom maps, as I have only used my TomTom in Europe and North America, but I am completely happy with the detail and accuracy of the ESRI map that comes with the Garmin units sold in Thailand. I find the junction view feature very useful as well.

I have a TomTom GPS and have Garmin installed on my CarPC, I had to go to the Australian Embassy last week (From Pattaya) and the TomTom won hands down, much more accurate than the Garmin.

Edited by Spoonman

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City Navigator Southeast Asia NT is currently priced at $99.99 USD and available for download or on microSD/SD card direct from Garmin. This Garmin map, which includes Thailand, has had at least 3 TeleAtlas and 2 NavTreq version updates in the last 3 years. NavTeq is currently supplying Garmin with maps.

I have the same version you mention. I'm now in discussions with Garmin over it. Seems it was released before it should have been. Has too many errors. In Bangkok alone it can't tell the difference between the main road, expressway, or toll road. Lots of misguided directions. Going south to Thap Sakae it tells you to turn on roads that don't even exist! This is just a small sampling.

Garmin is going to have to pay me if I keep telling them the errors I've found. But I'm working with them on it or a least trying too.

I have a TomTom GPS and have Garmin installed on my CarPC, I had to go to the Australian Embassy last week (From Pattaya) and the TomTom won hands down, much more accurate than the Garmin.

Define "much more accurate". Do you mean the GPS positions rendered were more accurate, which I can't believe since my Garmin typically shows 4 meter accuracy along the Pattaya to Bangkok route, or the map and routing was better?

I have a TomTom GPS and have Garmin installed on my CarPC, I had to go to the Australian Embassy last week (From Pattaya) and the TomTom won hands down, much more accurate than the Garmin.

Define "much more accurate". Do you mean the GPS positions rendered were more accurate, which I can't believe since my Garmin typically shows 4 meter accuracy along the Pattaya to Bangkok route, or the map and routing was better?

The garmin instructed me to keep in a left lane and exit Rama IV where as the TomTom told me not to, I had this issue last time i went to the embassy with the Garmin and it was then a ball ache to get there so I knew not to turn off but as I had recently downloaded the maps for my tomtom I thought I would give it a run as well.

The garmin instructed me to keep in a left lane and exit Rama IV where as the TomTom told me not to, I had this issue last time i went to the embassy with the Garmin and it was then a ball ache to get there so I knew not to turn off but as I had recently downloaded the maps for my tomtom I thought I would give it a run as well.

Different maps so I'd expect the routing to vary. My Garmin ESRI V11.1 map plotted a route directly from Pattaya to the Australian Embassy, even had a few junction views along the route to help guide you.

The garmin instructed me to keep in a left lane and exit Rama IV where as the TomTom told me not to, I had this issue last time i went to the embassy with the Garmin and it was then a ball ache to get there so I knew not to turn off but as I had recently downloaded the maps for my tomtom I thought I would give it a run as well.

Different maps so I'd expect the routing to vary. My Garmin ESRI V11.1 map plotted a route directly from Pattaya to the Australian Embassy, even had a few junction views along the route to help guide you.

Yeah the Garmin steered me off the elevated road to drive under neath it, I'll stick with the tomtom, I prefer it's UI anyways.

The garmin instructed me to keep in a left lane and exit Rama IV where as the TomTom told me not to, I had this issue last time i went to the embassy with the Garmin and it was then a ball ache to get there so I knew not to turn off but as I had recently downloaded the maps for my tomtom I thought I would give it a run as well.

Different maps so I'd expect the routing to vary. My Garmin ESRI V11.1 map plotted a route directly from Pattaya to the Australian Embassy, even had a few junction views along the route to help guide you.

Yeah the Garmin steered me off the elevated road to drive under neath it, I'll stick with the tomtom, I prefer it's UI anyways.

I sent in 8 map errors from Bangkok to Phuket and I still had more. Their latest SEA map is bad!

Yeah the Garmin steered me off the elevated road to drive under neath it, I'll stick with the tomtom, I prefer it's UI anyways.

I'd be interested to know how you get to the Australian Embassy if you didn't get off the elevated road? Garmin or TomTom, at some point you have to exit the elevated roadway. Unless you're a Soi addict.

Yeah the Garmin steered me off the elevated road to drive under neath it, I'll stick with the tomtom, I prefer it's UI anyways.

I'd be interested to know how you get to the Australian Embassy if you didn't get off the elevated road? Garmin or TomTom, at some point you have to exit the elevated roadway. Unless you're a Soi addict.

Where did I say you did not have to get off the elevated road to get to the Aus Embassy ?

I said it told me to get off at the wrong exit, like your garmin mine to plotted a direct route to the embassy but when it directed me off it had to adjust the route, did you drive to the embassy using yours, the TomTom told my to keep in the right lane where as the Garmin told me to stay in the left lane which of-course was the exit lane.

Where did I say you did not have to get off the elevated road to get to the Aus Embassy ?

I said it told me to get off at the wrong exit, like your garmin mine to plotted a direct route to the embassy but when it directed me off it had to adjust the route, did you drive to the embassy using yours, the TomTom told my to keep in the right lane where as the Garmin told me to stay in the left lane which of-course was the exit lane.

Simple explanation. You did not follow the direct route that Garmin plotted and the GPS had to recalculate or "adjust the route" for you.

The garmin instructed me to keep in a left lane and exit Rama IV where as the TomTom told me not to, I had this issue last time i went to the embassy with the Garmin and it was then a ball ache to get there so I knew not to turn off but as I had recently downloaded the maps for my tomtom I thought I would give it a run as well.

Different maps so I'd expect the routing to vary. My Garmin ESRI V11.1 map plotted a route directly from Pattaya to the Australian Embassy, even had a few junction views along the route to help guide you.

Yeah the Garmin steered me off the elevated road to drive under neath it, I'll stick with the tomtom, I prefer it's UI anyways.

I sent in 8 map errors from Bangkok to Phuket and I still had more. Their latest SEA map is bad!

After I bought the latest Garmin SE Asia map from Garmin, I took a trip to Jomtien from Loei. I guided me to turn on a road that wasn't there, then guided me to a road that had a dead end. At that point, I had to stop and switch to the ESRI map. I have not used that useless Navtech map since.

After I asked for a refund Garmin no longer responds to my emails. If they were a decent company, they would at least give me the next update free.

I have four Garmins and love them. I have absolutely no use for their support.

Where did I say you did not have to get off the elevated road to get to the Aus Embassy ?

I said it told me to get off at the wrong exit, like your garmin mine to plotted a direct route to the embassy but when it directed me off it had to adjust the route, did you drive to the embassy using yours, the TomTom told my to keep in the right lane where as the Garmin told me to stay in the left lane which of-course was the exit lane.

Simple explanation. You did not follow the direct route that Garmin plotted and the GPS had to recalculate or "adjust the route" for you.

Indeed I did follow its route, in the left lane as it instructed which led me off the elevated road, which part of this are your struggling to come to terms with ?

What's the difference between the Official Garmin maps and the maps you can buy in Pantip? I can get a Nuvi 1450LMT for about 5,000THB and the official Garmin SEA map for another 3,000THB. It has Lane Assist and Junction View built in.

What I mean is, other than that it will have the NA and SEA maps on it...is there any significant difference between the 1450 for 8,000THB and the Thai version 1460 with only Thai map for 10,000THB?

If you want Junction View in Thailand you need the Thai OS version with the ESRI Thailand Street Map (TSM). As far as I know the Garmin SEA map does not have any junction views for Thailand. If you are not going to spend a lot of time driving in Bangkok, then junction view is not important to have. It is generally acknowledged that the TSM is a better overall map for driving in Thailand.

Garmin Asia has confirmed that Junction view in Thailand will not work on a NA model, so it looks like 1460 for me. Do they sell the 1450 here? I really don't need the Bluetooth...have it in the car already.

I'm perfectly happy with my Alpine unit. Only caught it out once so far when it told me to make a u-turn that wasn't there.

I'm perfectly happy with my Alpine unit. Only caught it out once so far when it told me to make a u-turn that wasn't there.

Navteq maps.

Navteq maps.

Excuse me for being a Luddite but is that a good or bad thing?

Navteq maps.

Excuse me for being a Luddite but is that a good or bad thing?

Spoonman is only happy with TomTom, which owns Tele Atlas maps.

I use Sygic Aura which comes on icon, Android, Blackberry or Win Mobiles.

I have Western Europe and Thai maps they are all Tom Tom maps and a new update for Thailand should be available soon.

Navteq maps.

Excuse me for being a Luddite but is that a good or bad thing?

Nothing wrong with NavteQ maps, considering Alpine is a high end car audio brand and they chose them tells the story.

I'm using GPS from Leona...it comes with the map from ESRI and so far I'm happy with it. There's an option to purchase a rear camera to link it to the GPS unit.

Navteq maps.

Excuse me for being a Luddite but is that a good or bad thing?

Spoonman is only happy with TomTom.

Oh how little you know, when home in OZ I use Garmin on my phone, it works a treat and I find it to be very accurate.

Navteq maps.

Excuse me for being a Luddite but is that a good or bad thing?

Spoonman is only happy with TomTom.

Oh how little you know, when home in OZ I use Garmin on my phone, it works a treat and I find it to be very accurate.

The topic title is " Best GPS Available In Thailand".

Navteq maps.

Excuse me for being a Luddite but is that a good or bad thing?

Nothing wrong with NavteQ maps, considering Alpine is a high end car audio brand and they chose them tells the story.

I could never figure it our when I bought mine. I'd have to wait for a Garmin model but I could have any Alpine off the shelf there and then. Seem to recall they were about the same price as an equivalent Garmin model too. Loaded with destinations too. I had to visit a mate who moved way out in the boonies of Kalasin. About 70kilometres from the city. His village temple was on the menu. I'm perfectly happy with it ( apart from the fact that on a main highway I get a constant " Keep right " when passing a minor junction which gets a bit tedious on Mittraparp Highway. I"m only going to turn when I get the instruction to aren't I?

Spoonman is only happy with TomTom.

Oh how little you know, when home in OZ I use Garmin on my phone, it works a treat and I find it to be very accurate.

The topic title is " Best GPS Available In Thailand".

Yeah which for me in Thailand is Tom Tom, you made a feeble attempt to be a smart cun_t implying that I was blinkered by TomTom which is far from true.

The OP's question is subjective as what is best for some is not for others.

Edited by Spoonman

I got a Garmin Nuvi for about 7000 Bt at the GPS store in MBK. Use it all the time and it is brilliant, we switch between Thai and English for when the wife is driving and it hasn't let us down. I was actually looking at a more expensive one in the shop and they told me that one was no good with the language switching, nice of them to tell me i thought.

The garmin instructed me to keep in a left lane and exit Rama IV where as the TomTom told me not to, I had this issue last time i went to the embassy with the Garmin and it was then a ball ache to get there so I knew not to turn off but as I had recently downloaded the maps for my tomtom I thought I would give it a run as well.

AND

I said it told me to get off at the wrong exit, like your garmin mine to plotted a direct route to the embassy but when it directed me off it had to adjust the route, did you drive to the embassy using yours, the TomTom told my to keep in the right lane where as the Garmin told me to stay in the left lane which of-course was the exit lane.

AND

Yeah the Garmin steered me off the elevated road to drive under neath it, I'll stick with the tomtom, I prefer it's UI anyways.

Reads like you were "blinkered by TomTom" to me.

The garmin instructed me to keep in a left lane and exit Rama IV where as the TomTom told me not to, I had this issue last time i went to the embassy with the Garmin and it was then a ball ache to get there so I knew not to turn off but as I had recently downloaded the maps for my tomtom I thought I would give it a run as well.

AND

I said it told me to get off at the wrong exit, like your garmin mine to plotted a direct route to the embassy but when it directed me off it had to adjust the route, did you drive to the embassy using yours, the TomTom told my to keep in the right lane where as the Garmin told me to stay in the left lane which of-course was the exit lane.

AND

Yeah the Garmin steered me off the elevated road to drive under neath it, I'll stick with the tomtom, I prefer it's UI anyways.

Reads like you were "blinkered by TomTom" to me.

Reads to me like me the TomTom was the superior unit on the given route, given that should we conclude that the TomTom is the best GPS in Thailand ?

Edited by Spoonman

Here is one of the reasons that I like the ESRI map. This is an example of the detail. The no name village is called Nong Gik. This is the only map I have seen that shows the small streets. If the Tom Tom map shows the same streets, I'll have to say that it is a good map. The coordinates are shown at the bottom of the image;

post-17093-0-15574700-1313220646_thumb.j

ADDED - If I give someone the coordinates for my home, they will need to see these small streets to navigate.

Edited by Gary A

OK, try again? Here is a much larger village called Nong Hin;

post-17093-0-94314100-1313221995_thumb.j

It would be a great help to me (and possibly to others I imagine) if someone can (preferably without bias :whistling: ) list any basic differences between the Garmin and the Tom Tom - IE Spoonman mentions the GUI so how does this differ for example. Before anybody says it obviously all the models have different features at different prices. I take it as read the maps are from a different supplier but from what has been said am I right in assuming if you want the ESRI map you have to buy it separately?

I will need to purchase a unit at some stage and want to be able to switch between English and Thai - as another poster mentioned this does not seem to be standard. Is it avaiIable on both makes?

I have to go to the UK in December so does anybody know whether I will be better off (financially) buying either option there rather than in Thailand - and can I get Thai language in this way? I do not really want to bring in by post.

Apologies for any ignorance I may show with the above questions but I got distracted by the amusing verbal fisticuffs. :D

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