I am looking for a GPS (decent quality one) where I can download maps of other countries. I bought one several years ago (A Garmin) that had the capability of downloading maps pretty much world wide. ANyone have any idea a good model to use to help navigate around Thailand, the rest of South East Asia as well as being able to download maps of Europe, USA, etc?

thanks

Surely better in the GPS forum

Moved.

I'd suggest a Garmin Nuvi40 for driving around. Costs a little less than 4000 Baht with Thai maps, and allegedly you can download other maps for other countries. It seems that downloading other country maps isn't free so you may want to do a check of the costs, and perhaps buy a different model that includes free map downloads.

I am led to believe that the maps for Thailand available outside of Thailand are pretty spotty so it's best to buy a Nuvi40 locally because they come preloaded with up to date Thai maps and free updates for a year (but that may have been sales hype).

It's been very helpful for driving with turn by turn instructions, but the battery life (unplugged) is pretty sad at a couple of hours so it's not great for walking around.

For just walking around, I'd go with a smartphone with GPS and Google maps. Extremely handy for figuring out exactly where you are, though the navigation function is limited. You'll probably need a 3G SIM card to get full utility, but they're available pretty much all over Thailand for $20-30 per month or so. Or you can figure out how to cache all the maps where you're going from the interweb in advance, and forgo the 3G account. Mine is a Samsung Galaxy SII, a little behind the times, but still very handy for figuring out just how lost I am.

I bought the Nuvi 40 with the Thai maps but, though I can use a QWERTy keyboard, the maps are all in Thai and, I can't enter destinations in English. I looked through all the settings and did nto see a way to change the maps to English. do I have to download or buy something else?

I bought the Nuvi 40 with the Thai maps but, though I can use a QWERTy keyboard, the maps are all in Thai and, I can't enter destinations in English. I looked through all the settings and did nto see a way to change the maps to English. do I have to download or buy something else?

There was a Thai map and an english map on the disc when i bought mine. it isn't in the settings, it is when you load the map onto the device. if you don't have that english map, you will have to get it somehow.

I bought the Nuvi 40 with the Thai maps but, though I can use a QWERTy keyboard, the maps are all in Thai and, I can't enter destinations in English. I looked through all the settings and did nto see a way to change the maps to English. do I have to download or buy something else?

There was a Thai map and an english map on the disc when i bought mine. it isn't in the settings, it is when you load the map onto the device. if you don't have that english map, you will have to get it somehow.

mine did not come with a disk unfortunately.

I bought the Nuvi 40 with the Thai maps but, though I can use a QWERTy keyboard, the maps are all in Thai and, I can't enter destinations in English. I looked through all the settings and did nto see a way to change the maps to English. do I have to download or buy something else?

There was a Thai map and an english map on the disc when i bought mine. it isn't in the settings, it is when you load the map onto the device. if you don't have that english map, you will have to get it somehow.

mine did not come with a disk unfortunately.

The Garmin nuvi 40 is only supplied with a Thai language map installed. You used to be able to get an English language map and Thai language map supplied, with instructions, on a CD included in the box. Now days the English language map has disappeared altogether, along with the CD, and you are instructed to contact www.garmin.co.th (My Garmin) for directions etc. You could contact ESRI company directly, in Bangkok, for service and support.

Edited April 14, 201313 yr by InterestedObserver

That bites. I wonder why in the world they would do that.

When I bought mine a couple of months ago, the folks at the shop spent about 15 minutes with it changing it over to English before I left the shop. I did not get, nor have I needed a disk.

All of my maps and menus are in English (though I have never tried to change the display language to Thai).They also pointed me to a website to do free updates. If I can find the paperwork when I get back home, I'll post the website address.

In the meantime, I'm pretty sure any kiosk that sells Garmin in Thailand can change it over to English for you.

hmmmm, I got the Nuvi 40 and tried to change the maps to english. but, then I got to the Garmin site and use the same USB cable I use for my camera, it just looks and looks for the GPS. I took it to a GPS kiosk in the mall and they said I have to send it to Bangkok to have the maps changed to english. Guess I will just have to have the wife set up the destinations for me until I get this problem resolved.

Update: talked to Garmin on the phone. they said in order to change my map to English I have 2 choices, either mail it to them in BKK and they will make the change and return it the following day or, pay for the map and download on line. there is not a way to make the change myself (unless of course, there is a bootleg site to do it. But the Thai lady at Garmin BKK was very nice and told me that, it's usually customary for the store that sells it to make the changes for someone when they purchase it or, explain to them how to have the changes made. So, if I send it to BKK today, she said it will be done and put in the return mail the same day it's received after the changes are made, free of charge.

Oh well, live and learn. When the saleslady changed all the settings at the store to english, I thought it would work but, once I got home, it did not. Teach me to make sure I try someone before I make the trip home.