Thailand to tighten ride-hailing checks from Oct 1

Thailand will begin tougher enforcement of rules covering ride-hailing apps, drivers and vehicles on Thursday, October 1, 2026, the Ministry of Transport has announced.

Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat chaired a meeting on the measures with Department of Land Transport director-general Sorapong Paitoonphong and representatives from eight platforms: Grab, Bolt, inDrive, TADA, MAXIM, LINE MAN, Lalamove and FINGOGO.

Siripong said the policy was intended to deliver convenient, safe, high-quality and verifiable app-based services, while ensuring providers compete under the same rules.

Apps face monitoring and possible suspension

The ministry will introduce an "App report card" system to monitor each platform's compliance with the required conditions.

It will record breaches such as assigning jobs to drivers who do not hold public driving licences, or using vehicles that have not been correctly registered for the service.

The system is intended to make platforms responsible for checking both drivers and vehicles before allowing them onto their apps. Authorities will use the records to decide whether action is needed.

Penalties will depend on the offence and may include imprisonment, fines, or both. Platforms could receive warnings, have their services suspended, or lose their app certification if violations continue or corrective action is not taken.

The Ministry of Transport will also coordinate with the Electronic Transactions Development Agency and the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society on further action within their respective powers.

More drivers have entered the legal system

The stricter approach follows a declaration of intent to cooperate signed by the eight ride-hailing providers on June 29.

Since then, the ministry said more drivers have entered the system legally. The monthly average number of new public-car driving licences rose from 2,915 to 8,839.

Public motorcycle driving licences increased from a monthly average of 2,271 to 9,383 - more than three times the previous average.

Siripong said these figures showed the cooperation had delivered tangible results. Before enforcement begins, the Department of Land Transport has extended licensing service hours on a special basis and worked with app providers to arrange group appointments for drivers applying for public driving licences.

Sorapong said the department had offered full assistance to drivers and vehicles seeking to enter the system legally before October 1.

"The Department of Land Transport is ready to provide full assistance so everyone has an opportunity to enter the system legally," he said. "But from October 1, services must strictly comply with the law and the same standards, so the public can be confident that every vehicle and every driver providing services is legally compliant, safe and verifiable."

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27 September 2026

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