Uber and Grab taxi and grab bike Legal to operate

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travelerjim

Uber and Grab taxi and grab bike Legal to operate

Post by travelerjim »

The Thai government has announced ....

Ride hailing taxi service is OK, but the cars must be properly registered

Ride hailing service is permissible but the cars used in the service must be properly registered, said Mr Sanit Promwong, director-general of Land Transport Department, on Monday.

He asked traditional taxi drivers to refrain from taking the law into their own hands by harassing drivers of Uber or GrabCar ride hailing service, but to report to officials of the Land Transport Department of taxies suspected of operating without permission so that an investigation can be conducted and punishment meted out accordingly.

Noting that there is no law pertaining to ride hailing service for the time being, Mr Sanit said the department had set up a panel to study the possibility of introducing ride hailing application with the transport system. The study, he added, will take 4-5 months.

The Land Transport Department chief, however, made it clear that the department was ready to support new taxi service as another option for the public and for the benefit of the public in general.

As for upgraded taxi services such as Taxi OK and Taxi VIP whose cars are to be equipped with GPS tracking system to ensure better safety for passengers, Mr Sanit said he expected a ministerial announcement regarding the service to become enforceable in October.

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/ride-h ... egistered/

Tj
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Gaybutton
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Re: Uber and Grab taxi and grab bike Legal to operate

Post by Gaybutton »

travelerjim wrote:Ride hailing taxi service is OK, but the cars must be properly registered
I would want to know registered with whom and on what basis. I would also want to know how customers can know whether the car and driver is properly registered or not.

If you don't have the answers to those questions, then despite the convenience and lower cost, you're getting into an unmarked vehicle with a complete stranger without having much of a recourse if there is any trouble.

Go for it, if you wish. I'll stick to metered taxis and motorbike taxis unless there is no other choice.
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Re: Uber and Grab taxi and grab bike Legal to operate

Post by Undaunted »

Unlike most taxis in BKK there is no use of meters, some regular taxis don't even bother to put a meter in, they pray on foriegners, I have never seen a Thai use a Pattaya taxi! My experience with Uber is great...polite english speaking drivers and the app gives you the price before you even are picked up. Like so many other things Thais are responsible at least in Pattaya for the budding success of Uber and Grab.
"In the land of the blind the one eyed man is king"
fountainhall

Re: Uber and Grab taxi and grab bike Legal to operate

Post by fountainhall »

Undaunted wrote:My experience with Uber is great...polite english speaking drivers and the app gives you the price before you even are picked up
I have not used either yet but friends regularly use one in Bangkok - I think Uber. Their experience is exactly the same - and the drivers almost always turn up when they say they will. Some of the cars are private vehicles; others seem to be registered taxis.
travelerjim

Re: Uber and Grab taxi and grab bike Legal to operate

Post by travelerjim »

I have used Grab Taxi several times in Pattaya.
Always courteous drivers which are driving registered Taxis. Some local and others from Bangkok. Timely and usual charges are 50% of the local Pattaya meter taxis.

Most times I have used Grab Taxi from Tukcom South Pattaya to Jomtien Nivate Soi 7 along Thrappraya Rd
90 Thai baht plus a tip I choose.
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Re: Uber and Grab taxi and grab bike Legal to operate

Post by Undaunted »

I would not use Uber in Bangkok as the taxi prices are very fair and I enjoy a bit of banter with the drivers.
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Re: Uber and Grab taxi and grab bike Legal to operate

Post by gerefan »

Gaybutton wrote:
travelerjim wrote:Ride hailing taxi service is OK, but the cars must be properly registered
I would want to know registered with whom and on what basis. I would also want to know how customers can know whether the car and driver is properly registered or not.
I have used a taxi from the Airport to Pattaya and vice versa twice a year for the last 13 years. Always with a recognised company recommended on this forum.

Never once has there ever been anything on display to say it was a genuine taxi or not.
fountainhall

Re: Uber and Grab taxi and grab bike Legal to operate

Post by fountainhall »

Undaunted wrote:I would not use Uber in Bangkok as the taxi prices are very fair and I enjoy a bit of banter with the drivers.
I envy your command of Thai. Very few of the taxis I've taken over the years have drivers with much comprehension of even basic English. And of course no reason why they should.

You obviously have more luck than I when getting a taxi at this time of year when the rain is lashing down during the late afternoon rush hours. Most are already taken and the remaining few will only bargain for fares - even if they actually decide to stop. That's the main reason I will join the apps.
thaiworthy

Re: Uber and Grab taxi and grab bike Legal to operate

Post by thaiworthy »

gerefan wrote:Never once has there ever been anything on display to say it was a genuine taxi or not.
Asking about genuine taxis is like asking about genuine ladyboys. Does anyone really need to ask?
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Re: Uber and Grab taxi and grab bike Legal to operate

Post by Gaybutton »

Apparently there is no question now that use of UBER is indeed legal in Thailand. I don't think Big-C would be advertising use of UBER if it wasn't legal.

See: http://www.bigc.co.th/spoxuber?utm_sour ... r_20170628
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