I've had pretty good experiences here in Thailand despite my limited knowledge of the Thai language.  But every once in awhile you just have a day that things aren't going to go your way. Last night I wanted to attend the Give a Meal event Geee posted.  I thought it would be a nice evening to go out and do something for others.  People were meeting up at Democracy Monument at around 7pm and then heading out from there.  I was running a little late and tried to catch a cab on Ratchadamri.  Five cabs in a row didn't have the slightest clue where Democracy Monument was (and really, neither did I since I've never been there). Here was a typical conversation:Farang:  Democracy Monument?  Taxi:  Ummmm . . . Democracy Market?Farang:  No.  Mon U Ment.  Democracy Monument.  Taxi:   Ummmmm . . . Farang:  Near Sanam LuangTaxi:  You want to go Sanam Luang?Farang:  No.  Near Sanam Luang.  Democracy Monument.Taxi:  Market near Sanam Luang?  Farang:  No, not market.  Mon U Ment.  Dee Moc Ra Cee Mon U MentTaxi:  Oh, better you take BTS to Victory Monument.   Farang:  Not Victory . . . Never mind.  Ok, mai ben rai.  Thank you.  Five taxis in a row had no clue where Democracy Monument was!  So then I started to doubt myself.  I went back up to my apartment, looked at the invite again, looked it up on Google Maps, and even tried to search around and see if there was a different name that it might be known under.  In the end, it started to become too late and since that was the meeting point and they would be heading out from there I figured I missed it and just stayed at home.  :-(Sometimes things just weren't mean to be :-)

Yes its a bit daunting when in a country where yo may not speak the language fluently...

You need to get the Thai names for places you want to go, and have them written on a bit of paper...

Maybe list the main most important key places so you can just point to the one you want - thats what I am doing here in Taiwan at present - I also found it very difficult not to add "Krup" to things even when I use the extremely limited Chinese I do know...or suddenly saying "leow kwa" when the taxi gets to the street I need to enter...

Greer

First i guess you just need a fine map

democracy monument is a stupid place to meet.better to meet at the burger king at kao sarn road. at least there you can sit down. democracy mon is a huge monument in the middle of the road where there is no place to sit, etc. it is not a place visited by people. so it would be an awkward place to meet up. although it sounds like it worked just fine. but i bet there was confusion. the roads around democracy mon. are huge 6 lane roads that are not easy to cross.

better go to a hotel - there are many on ratchadamri or your concierge and just tell them and they will write it down and hail a taxi and clear it with the taxi driver and off you go.