GrabCopy: Moto-taxi association boasts their own app ‘GoBike’

[snoop1130]

GrabCopy: Moto-taxi association boasts their own app ‘GoBike’

BANGKOK -- Officials ordered GrabBike and UberMoto to halt their services last week and conveniently, only four days later, the government-funded app “GoBike” was released.

We’re sure the timing of that is just a coincidence.

Following the blackout of the two popular services, the moto-taxi application “GoBike” was made available for download yesterday in the Apple Store as Bangkok’s first official and fully-legal moto-taxi app.

Full Story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2016/05/23/grabcopy-moto-taxi-association-boasts-their-own-app-gobike

-- Coconuts Bangkok 2016-05-23

[richard_smith237]

Fair enough...

The Motorcycles pay a licence to operate, this gives them the same convenience - a smart move.

My previous issue would be that if I had a dangerous rider etc there was simply no recourse, no channel of complaint and only a dodgy vest number to identify the rider in such an event of complaint (would you always remember the vest number, and bike licence plate?)...

With the digitisation of such services both the Biketaxi is registered, a passenger would know who their driver is / was and has potential recourse.

This is perhaps even an incentive for safer riding.

_____

I see this as being quite different with Taxis (cars) Vs GrabCar and UBER where the conventional taxis are far from standard and rarely have rear seatbelts etc (for another topic).

[Katipo]

Ok, but is the app any good? Awaiting genuine feedback.

[IamNoone88]

Thailand's definition of free market competition.

[Tatsujin]

Read the paper we can't mention for the real reason behind this all.

[Bob12345]

Is the timing just a coincidence?

Who cares? As long as they did not steal source code of the app I do not see how any law or regulation is broken by making an app similar to an existing one.

The "idea" of the app does not have any copyrights.

My previous issue would be that if I had a dangerous rider etc there was simply no recourse, no channel of complaint and only a dodgy vest number to identify the rider in such an event of complaint (would you always remember the vest number, and bike licence plate?)...

The "new" vests have the ID card of the rider attached to the back of the vest, so you can easily see all information when sitting on the back of the bike (similar card as you see in taxi's). Not sure why not every motosaai taxi driver has one yet, but I see them here and there in BKK. But agree that there should be a system to report dangerous driving where drivers who get a certain amount of complaints will be expelled from offering services through the app (and will therefore miss out on revenues).

All in all a good move for the quality of motorcycle taxis in Thailand, something we (especially foreigners who get screwed over much more often) should only support.

[mtls2005]

The Junta went to great lengths to "reform" the motorbike taxi operations. This was one of the first things they did.

Getting them under their control reaped many strategic benefits: command and control of a valuable, mobile cadre, local informants, no longer working for the RTP or "he who must not be named", revenue.

The motorbike taxi drivers are a bit like the vocational students, who are maintained as an unofficial 'security' force, useful during periods of unrest, for putting down the serfs.

The Junta will not relinquish control, and revenue, even though they like to tout the "digital economy" and "innovation".

[user82374298374]

I'm not about to install any application developed by any government, anywhere, on my devices.

[tonywillo]

This could happen in any country. Companies like uber can be duplicated over night. If the customer base can be convinced to move then they will. These would be the last companies I would invest in. Airbnb is another ready to be duplicated as well.

[mike324]

This could happen in any country. Companies like uber can be duplicated over night. If the customer base can be convinced to move then they will. These would be the last companies I would invest in. Airbnb is another ready to be duplicated as well.

well Uber is already duplicated with GrabTaxi / GrabCar in Thailand. Alternatives for Airbnb also exists out there....

[DrTuner]

I'm not about to install any application developed by any government, anywhere, on my devices.

What, don't like the nice features like "Allow location" and "Access phone book"? Now who wouldn't do that, surely our friendly military junta wouldn't misuse it,eh?

[Thainess]

But if you ride motorcycle taxis in Bangkok, you've clearly got a death wish, or at least I hope you have very, very good insurance that will cover you if you're in a coma for several months. I can hardly think of a worse city to ride a motorbike, especially considering that most of these so-called "taxis" don't even provide a crash helmet for the passenger, just as the car taxis don't provide seatbelts for rear passengers, plus the drivers usually don't wear their own seatbelt. There's a special level of dumb reserved for drivers in Thailand that I've never seen in any of the 50+ countries I've visited around the world.

[moon47]

I do not understand why they just didn't work with the Grab app like they do with the current taxi service. Why not let someone experienced in operating such a program do what they do best. All that was needed was to remove the illegal drivers and replace them with the orange vest drivers. Again this is how the Grab Taxi service works, it just makes the current taxi service more accountable and user friendly for a small fee.

This is just like when Apple decided to kick Google Maps out the door and replace it with their own (untested and unexperienced) maps service. There were huge problems and still to this day I use Google maps and the apple map app sits tucked away and unused.

Similarly I expect this new govt. app to fall short where Grab has more experience and the people will decide what gets used and what does not. Then again this government has notoriously deaf ears when it comes to the voice of its people in general terms... I.E. internet gateway... !!