I want to go central bangna but will be staying at sathorn area.

Ask the drivers/dispatchers. if you have no idea where to start, go out to your destination by some other means, then start there and work your way back to the central part of the city. That would be much more efficient than doing the opposite. I am unaware of any comprehensive information source.

BTS Skytrain rather than a van??

Mac

Victory monument is like the main hub...they are nestled into various alleys all around there. Unfortunately it isn't that easy to find your way around and get on the right van.

May be a little out of date: http://inspiringtrip.com/free-map-victory-monument-van-map-public-van-route-in-bangkok-thailand/

May be a little out of date: http://inspiringtrip.com/free-map-victory-monument-van-map-public-van-route-in-bangkok-thailand/

thanks , I think there are other pick-up points as I was in Chinatown once and there were buses to BangNa etc , but only a few buses

This might help: http://www.transitbangkok.com/

"From BKK to various places" indicates you want to go from Bangkok to outside Bangkok but both Sathorn and Bangna are in Bangkok. As mentioned you could take the BTS in comfort rapidly within most areas in BKK. Double check what you are asking and rephrase please.

surely the normal reply to this request would be: don't abandon your fate to a white van on pain of death....

Victory monument is like the main hub...they are nestled into various alleys all around there. Unfortunately it isn't that easy to find your way around and get on the right van.

it's not really too difficult as long as you can pronounce or get written down in thai where you want to go. just go to the person shouting and putting people on vans at any of the stops and they'll point you in the direction of the right van stop.

Go by BTS to Bangna, or take a bus. As for vans to other areas of Thailand, ..go to Victory Monumnet and walk around. They have vans to many places from there, usually leaving every hour

if wanting to go to mega bangna mall

take bts to udom suk and free shuttle bus to mall.

"How do you get information on the vans travelling from bkk to various places"

from local hospital morgues as some staff will speak reasonable english.

read the thai language obituaries is another way

why all this hatred against "white van man" ?, oops sorry, 2 dead today and a few injured, nothing left of the van. looks like a big HGV involved

Read the accident reports in the papers for a week. You'll be able to figure out all the routes by then.