Uber 'should be okay in Phuket if it uses only green-plate cars'

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Uber 'should be okay in Phuket if it uses only green-plate cars'
Tanyaluk Sakoot


Teerayut Presertpol

PHUKET: -- The chief of Phuket’s Provincial Land Transport Office (PLTO) says he believes that American taxi call operator Uber could operate legally in Thailand so long as the cars it uses are legitimate taxis or limousines with drivers who have public transport driving licenses.

His remark came after the announcement by the Department of Land Transport (DLT) on November 28 that Uber was effectively illegal because – the DLT alleged – it was employing unregistered drivers in private cars.

The DLT warned on its website, “Do not use the Uber Service because it is not safe and Uber is not part of the public transportation system.”

Uber has come under fire in a number of countries for partnering with unregistered drivers. The worry in Thailand is that Uber is employing black taxis. Drivers of black taxis are off the official radar and therefore thepotential for crime is much greater.

Also, there is concern that, in the case of accidents, insurance companies will refuse to pay up because black taxi drivers have only private car insurance.

In most places, Uber offers two main services, which it calls Uber Black and Uber X (the names vary – in Thailand Uber Black is called “the Original Uber”).

While Uber Black uses registered taxi or limousine drivers, Uber X is effectively an outgrowth from car pooling, which has become a way for unregistered drivers to make money from providing taxi services.

In Bangkok Uber offers both services, tempting people to use Uber X by announcing that it is “even more affordable … with rates cheaper than taxis!”

But in Phuket, according to the website, it is only offering the Original Uber. No choice is offered when ordering a taxi using the app, and the fares quoted are the same as for Original Uber in the Phuket page of the website.

Today, Teerayut Prasertpol, Chief of Phuket Provincial Land Transport Office (PLTO) told The Phuket News he had heard from the DLT that, “Uber opens its driver registration without screening people. This makes it very hard for officials to protect passengers from crime, fraud and poor service standards.

“If cars and drivers are not registered with the PLTO they should not be used [by Uber].

He said he thought that if Uber had, say, 20 drivers, it would be simple enough to screen them, but not if there are hundreds. And if there are, as a result, many complaints, it would be impossible for officials to deal with them.

“Some of the cars [that Uber is using] are black taxis – that is not the right type of vehicle to use, and the drivers do not have public transport driving licenses.

“But if the cars and drivers Uber uses are all legally registered to provide public transport, that shouldn’t be a problem.”

Unable to contact anyone in Uber – nowhere are any phone numbers listed – The Phuket News applied online to become an Uber Black driver in Phuket.
The Uber system states that only cars with green plates, less then five years old and in fine condition will be enrolled.

It asks for many details, including the driver’s “commercial driver’s license” number, national ID number, proof of company registration and “transportation license” (for the car). It also asks for scans of the documents.

Uber says it reserves the right to turn a driver down if any of the details are not crystal clear or if any of the documents are incorrect or have expired. Just how Uber checks these details is not clear.

But on the face of it seems that Uber should be on firm legal ground in Phuket, if not in Bangkok.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/uber-should-be-okay-in-phuket-if-it-uses-only-green-plate-cars-50068.php


-- Phuket News 2014-12-12

[ourmanflint]

Uber are out of control, and need to be told to back off. Unfortunately it is heavily funded by US investment funds and is barging its way into every country regardless of local laws. Capitalism at its very worst.

[robblok]

Uber are out of control, and need to be told to back off. Unfortunately it is heavily funded by US investment funds and is barging its way into every country regardless of local laws. Capitalism at its very worst.

I guess your a taxi driver.. customers like uber and grab taxi