Uber, DLT to meet amid law rejig call
The Department of Land Transport (DLT) will meet ride-sharing company Uber next week to hear what the firm has to say after its calls to legalise the service.
The DLT said the meeting, scheduled for March 20, will also be attended by representatives of the Transport Ministry, the military and police.
DLT chief Sanit Promwong said the meeting will take the form of a discussion where the authorities will hear Uber’s proposals for dealing with the ride-sharing service’s violation of the transport law.
“The session will be for exchanging information. But it has to be done on the principle that the law must be respected,” he said.
He stressed the department did not have an issue with mobile phone applications being used to hail public transport vehicles.
“However, the problem that must be dealt with has to do with the use of private cars to serve as taxis and the drivers of such vehicles not being licensed to provide the service,” Mr Sanit said.
He added the fares charged for the ridesharing service also do not come under the department’s regulations.
The DLT agrees in principle with giving customers more choice in getting around, provided the vehicles are legally registered for the purpose and the vehicle owners hold a proper licence, for the sake of customers’ safety. The registration records kept with the DLT allow for easy tracing of public transport drivers in case of crimes.
Meanwhile, former finance minister Korn Chatikavanij said the public transport law is outdated and does not respond adequately to the needs of people.
He said on his Facebook page yesterday the negatives of the Uber service in other countries should not deter the authorities from deciding what is in the best interests of the Thai public.
The law should be enforced to standardise public transport drivers and condition of vehicles, provide insurance to protect customers and make sure public transport operators pay taxes.
The former Democrat Party MP said the public transport law was not keeping up with the times as customers were obviously satisfied with Uber despite the service not being legal.