BANGKOK, 22 March 2017 – The Prime Minister has ordered the Ministry of Transport remedy issues surrounding the ride hailing service Uber but has given an assurance Section 44 of the interim constitution will not be applied in this case.
Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-ocha has responded to calls for him to use Section 44 to handle issues surrounding Uber and its service in Thailand, saying that he does not see any need to use the regulation and making known he has tasked the Ministry of Transport to find a solution. He remarked that while there are no directly applicable laws for managing Uber services, the country’s taxi providers must be protected and public services must be regulated through the use of licenses.
On legal prosecution of Uber drivers currently taking place, the premier confirmed that any violation of laws must be dealt with according to regulations.
Uber is a ride-hailing application that allows users to contact non-contracted drivers for taxi service, circumventing traditional taxi businesses.
