DLT proposes study on legalising Uber
Ride-hailing service won’t halt operations
The Department of Land Transport (DLT) will hire an independent agency to conduct a study on the possibility of legalising Uber, which is currently accused of violating public transport laws, deputy permanent secretary for transport Somsak Hommuang said yesterday.
The move is part of an agreement reached on Tuesday between Uber and the Transport Ministry that the feasibility study will be conducted over the next six months to find a long-term solution, Mr Somsak said.
The DLT will hire an independent agency or educational institute to conduct the study, though the Uber operator rejected a request to halt its ridesharing services for six to 12 months while the study is under way.
Amy Kunrojpanya, director of policy and communications for Uber Asia Pacific, said the company agreed only to the study, not the suspension of operations.
“Uber does not violate laws,” she said. She shrugged off the government’s warning of further arrests if its drivers continue to ply their services, saying the company takes good care of its drivers.
Mr Somsak yesterday admitted that if Uber insists on carrying on business, it would make it difficult for the new round of talks in the next few months.
“If Uber insists on providing its services pending the outcome of the study, the DLT will have to arrest and fine drivers who have no licence for public transport vehicles.
“I am concerned this situation will make it hard to discuss any further solution. If someone takes the matter to the Administrative Court, things will get even more complicated,” Mr Somsak said.
Woraphon Kaemkhunthot, president of the Professional Association of Public Taxi Motorists, yesterday admitted some registered taxi drivers behave poorly, such as rejecting passengers, though he insisted there are still many other cabbies who behave nicely.
He said he believed one DLT measure which nwill be enforced next month will help improve the standard of taxi services and ensure better safety.
The measure requires tax operators to install GPS devices to keep track of the vehciles, install a camera inside taxis, and an SOS button for passengers. All devices would be connected to the DLT database to improve passenger safety, Mr Woraphon said.
He said if Uber still continues to provide its services, he will write to ask Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to invoke Section 44 of the interim constitution to ban their “illegal” services.
If Uber wants to operate legal services, it should allow its drivers to comply with the law by seeking registration and obtaining licences to drive public transport vehicles.
However, Gen Prayut yesterday brushed aside the call for him to use the all-powerful Section 44, saying he has instructed the Transport Ministry to find an appropriate solution to the dispute.
The prime minister said while the Uber service offers an alternative to registered conventional taxis, a proper legal solution must be worked out.
Currently, the Uber service is still illegal and it is not fair to taxi drivers who are registered under the law, Gen Prayut said.