Should Uber be allowed to operate in Bangkok and other heavy traffic areas?

[moon47]

IMHO

 

Waving down normal Taxi service in the city is horrible. 80% of them refuse to go where I want to go, 25% of those do not know where I asked then to go. I have been dropped off far from where I wanted to go because he misunderstood me and I speak very clear Thai.

 

I started using Grab exclusively as they always know where I want to go and how to get there without heated conversation.

However over the past few years Grab has become unusable as well. 

Almost every time I call for a Grab the driver complains that he is too far and want ME to cancel so he does not get points deducted for canceling too many rides.

Even after giving plenty of extra time before requesting I am always late now when trying to use Grab because of the constant cancelations!

 

Because Grab is basically a monopoly in the area there is no incentive for them to fix their broken program.

 

Uber should be allowed to operate in Bangkok and heavy traffic areas as the system they have set up now is made to prevent that constant frustration between driver and passenger needs.

 

What would that take? Involving international news to shame the horrible and backwards Taxi system in the country?

 

Who else even cares, or is it just me... =]

[richard_smith237]

Yes….

 

When Uber was running it ran well. Grab competed and did so with fair competition… until…

 

Uber was made illegal, Grab allowed. 
 

Grab service dropped, prices increased…. Flag fall taxis got worse.

 

 

Bring back competition = bring back standards.

Edited February 12, 2023 by richard_smith237

[richard_smith237]

17 minutes ago, moon47 said:

Uber should be allowed to operate in Bangkok and heavy traffic areas as the system they have set up now is made to prevent that constant frustration between driver and passenger needs.

UBER was forced out…..    

[treetops]

Try Bolt.

[tomazbodner]

31 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

UBER was forced out…..    

By merging with Grab?

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/daniellekeetonolsen/2018/03/26/grab-officially-takes-control-of-ubers-southeast-asia-operations/?sh=405cd04b6c57

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, tomazbodner said:

By merging with Grab?

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/daniellekeetonolsen/2018/03/26/grab-officially-takes-control-of-ubers-southeast-asia-operations/?sh=405cd04b6c57

You believe that was an natural Business transaction ?  ????

[Longwood50]

1 hour ago, moon47 said:

 

Because Grab is basically a monopoly in the area there is no incentive for them to fix their broken program.

 

Uber should be allowed to operate in Bangkok and heavy traffic areas as the system they have set up now is made to prevent that constant frustration between driver and passenger needs.

Grab bought Uber a few years ago.  Uber took an ownership interest in Grab rather than try and build up its network here in Thailand. 

So no, that is not going to happen to allow Uber to operate.  

[richard_smith237]

3 minutes ago, Longwood50 said:

Grab bought Uber a few years ago.  Uber took an ownership interest in Grab rather than try and build up its network here in Thailand. 

So no, that is not going to happen to allow Uber to operate.  

Uber already had a better operating network ( ride hailing ) than Grab. 
 

There was no local interest in UBER ( financially ) whereas with Grab…..    yes, you guessed it powerful Thais make money…….   

 

I’m expecting at least 1 poster to ask me to back up that claim with a link etc ????….    Anyone who was around at the time was predicting that all ride hailing apps would be made illegal to protect the taxi companies…. Grab found a way to link with the taxis  >> GrabTaxi….    Uber became illegal overnight. 

 

[sanmyintmaung]

1 minute ago, richard_smith237 said:

There was no local interest in UBER ( financially ) whereas with Grab…..    yes, you guessed it powerful Thais make money…….   

Uber retreated from 8 countries in South East Asia at the same time by handing over the business to Grab. So there must be powerful Thai/Singaporean/Malaysian/Indonesian/Vietnamese/Laos all favoring Grab over Uber. 

[Damrongsak]

Some background on the Uber exit:  The Real Story Behind Uber’s Exit from Southeast Asia

 

https://knowledge.insead.edu/entrepreneurship/real-story-behind-ubers-exit-southeast-asia

[OneMoreFarang]

There is an easy solution. DIY

 

 

[Tropposurfer]

All these type of services need to be allowed ( so long as the parent organisation pays decent rates and charges to its drivers). 

Competition as long as its on a fair playing field (ahhh does this exist in the land of brown envelopes me wonders??) is good for service and maintaining good standards. Uber rocks in the nations we use it occasionally in.

At home in Aussie its very good to excellent and safe as houses. Far better than the standard taxi system for speed of service, drive, and delivery in my opinion. Grab in LOS has been, the few times we've used it in BKK, been excellent.

Edited February 13, 2023 by Tropposurfer

[swm59nj]

Agree with the issues regarding Grab.  Many drivers have many excuses.  Cancel or try to get you to cancel.  

[tomazbodner]

9 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

There was no local interest in UBER ( financially ) whereas with Grab…..    yes, you guessed it powerful Thais make money……

Grab is Singaporean. And makes a massive loss every month.

[kingstonkid]

I have had very few issues with taxis in the 12 years I have been in Pathum Thani Bangkok area. 

I went to Seoul just before the covid and found that their system of using apps was impossible for a tourist.  That the cabbies were arrogant and a lot worse than any I had met in BKK>

 

I will say though, that a lot of them work in an area and are not comfortable going out of the area.  This is mainly due to the cost of a long trip and empty cab getting back than anything else.

 

If you are showing up late at functions then I would suggest that you plan to leave early and anticipate trouble with transport.

I usually plan to get to my destinations at least 30 minutes before I have to be there.  

[VocalNeal]

11 hours ago, moon47 said:

Waving down normal Taxi service in the city is horrible. 80% of them refuse to go where I want to go, 25% of those do not know where I asked then to go. I have been dropped off far from where I wanted to go because he misunderstood me and I speak very clear Thai.

80%? If the first guy doesn't want to go where you wish wait for the next one. There are lots of them. 

25%? When in doubt ask to go to the Centan (Central) nearest your destination. Then either ask again or get a local taxi who knows exactly where you wish to go.

 

Bangkok taxi system is brilliant.

[Longwood50]

11 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Grab found a way to link with the taxis  >> GrabTaxi….    Uber became illegal overnight. 

I never heard that Uber was illegal in Bangkok.  I do know that Uber sold its intereste in SE Asia to Grab for a partial ownership deal.  So Uber now is a partial owner of Grab. 

One way or another with Grab owning Uber SE Asia there is no way that it is refurfacing back here in Thailand

[FritsSikkink]

11 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

You believe that was an natural Business transaction ?  ????

They bought that part of the company, do you have any proof that illegal things happened?

[1FinickyOne]

The real problem is the traffic- I haven't been there for many years but last time, there was a standstill on Sathorn Tai - I had to get out of the taxi and walk... I tipped well, but still the driver was stuck there for a long long time...

 

be it a taxi, Uber whatever - - I can understand not wanting to go into certain areas... 

 

which is not a solution for you... it just is. 

[Liverpool Lou]

On 2/13/2023 at 9:23 AM, FritsSikkink said:

On 2/12/2023 at 9:38 PM, richard_smith237 said:

You believe that was an natural Business transaction ?  ????

They bought that part of the company, do you have any proof that illegal things happened?

Uber in Thailand was never properly registered with the authorities as a taxi/ride hailing operator and was, therefore, operating an illegal service.

[Liverpool Lou]

"Should Uber be allowed to operate in Bangkok and other heavy traffic areas?"

 

Why should there be a pointless discussion about a company that has no intention to operate in Thailand being allowed to operate here?