Motorcycle Taxi Drivers Demand Action Against Illegal App-Based Riders in Pattaya

Banglamung motorcycle taxi drivers protested to demand action against ride-hailing services, which they said badly affected their income.


On February 4th, representatives from the Public Motorcycle Taxi Association (EV) for Tourism, met with Banglamung District Chief Mr. Patcharapatch Sritanyanont to follow up on measures to address ride-hailing services.


Association President Mr. Supakorn Sanamthong stated that legally registered motorcycle taxi riders have been significantly affected by vehicles operating through ride-hailing apps. He said that these vehicles often lack proper registration and public transportation licenses, which lead to conflicts that have sometimes escalated into physical altercations.

Mr. Supakorn complained that no concrete action has been taken so far against these drivers. He also pointed out that the issue became even worse during major festivals in Pattaya, where numerous illegal vehicles allegedly stole legal drivers’ passengers and impacted their income.

The association demand four actions:


Speed up investigations into illegal ride-hailing services.


Enforce stricter measures to prevent and penalize unauthorized vehicles operating through apps and notify the platform companies.


Urgently open official vehicle registration in Banglamung District.


Provide legal protection and support for registered motorcycle taxi drivers to make sure they have fair opportunities to operate, especially during major events.


In response, District Chief Mr. Patcharapatch said only 40-50% of even regular motorcycle taxis in Pattaya, Banglamung, and Nongprue are legally registered.


He added that officials plan to bring app-based motorcycle taxis into the system, which requires criminal background checks and proper licenses.

Motorcycle Taxi Drivers Demand Action Against Illegal App-Based Riders in Pattaya Area - The Pattaya News