However, the Department of Land Transport has put the brakes on motorbike-hailing services offered by Uber and Grab barely two months after they started.
Department of Land Transport official Nanthapong Cherdchoo said both UberMoto and Singapore-based GrabBike were operating illegally and their privately owned motorcycles lacked proper registration as public transport vehicles.
The department warned the two companies on Tuesday that they could face harsh legal action if they continue their services.
Uber said it will fight to continue its experiment with a motorcycle-hailing service.
More From This Section
Uber says it has been holding talks with transport officials on creating regulations to legalize ride-hailing in the country, as current laws do not provide for app-based transportation services. However, the company's car-hailing services remain in operation.
Motorcycle taxis are ubiquitous in Bangkok, with drivers licensed by the government. Commuters hop on behind the driver and usually travel short distances. But many commuters are reluctant to use them because of safety issues.
A motorcycle taxi driver was widely shown on social media driving off after pulling a GrabBike driver's keys from the ignition. The driver was upset that a student had summoned a GrabBike instead of using the area's motorcycle taxi services. But on May 11, police apprehended the GrabBike driver, who was fined 4,000 baht (USD 115) for using a private vehicle for public transport. The motorcycle taxi driver was let off with a warning.