As traditional public transport faces competition from taxi apps, officials have asked on-demand motorcycle-taxi service GrabBike to suspend its services until it legalizes its operations.
The Department of Land Transport (DLT) has requested talks with the company after it found its motorcycle service was using personal black license plates, said deputy director-general Nantapong Chertchu.
Nantapong explained that this was dangerous because personal vehicles could not guarantee insurance for passengers in case of emergency and that there were no checks on the drivers’ criminal records.
He added that the department was not against the use of new technology, but that the operation must comply with the framework of the law.
Drivers who use their personal cars to provide services to the public will be subject to a fine of THB2,000, and another THB1,000 if they do not have a license to operate a public vehicle.
While car service apps have been increasingly popular as residents found them as a way to avoid dealing with scams and rejections from taxi drivers, Nattapong said the DLT will discuss drafting a policy for the taxi app business with the ICT and the Ministry of Commerce, as the apps affect the safety and stability of public transport services and create unfair market competition.
Nattapong urged citizens to use legal public transport for their own safety, Thairath reported.
GrabBike, which launched in Bangkok last year and co-existed with the popular taxi-booking app “Grab,” allows passengers to book a motorcycle for their trips in the city. The fare starts at THB35 and is based on distance.
Car service app Uber also launched a motorcycle taxi service in Bangkok last month.
