Pattaya —
Motorcycle taxi riders in Pattaya demanded a crackdown on unlicensed ride-share app drivers for reportedly stealing “their” passengers.
More than 100 motorcycle taxi riders on Thursday, December 1st, joined a rally and rode to Pattaya City Hall to urge relevant authorities to take action against what they called unlawful ride-share app drivers.
In an open letter to Pattaya deputy mayor Wuttisak Rueimkitkan, the protesting riders alleged the app drivers of:
- Not having had their vehicles registered for public transport
- Not having a public transport license or taxi insurance
- Stealing passengers from legal drivers by charging lower fares than the standard rates agreed upon by Pattaya City Hall regulations for public transport
All three of these items, notes The Pattaya News, are legal requirements for ride-share drivers who pick up passengers. Ride-share companies are aware of these requirements but have continually asked the Thai government for more time to get all their riders legal, warning that if heavily enforced they would lose most of their drivers and cause a negative customer experience.
The protesting riders said they wanted law enforcement to arrest and fine the illegal drivers.
For now, Wuttisak said he would take the issue to the City Council where he would convene all relevant agencies to discuss an optimal solution. The city has, as Wuttisak pointed out, recently held a campaign checking on Bolt drivers, finding nearly all stopped were not properly licensed.
Click or tap here for more on that campaign.
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