CityNews – A gang of songtaew drivers surrounded a Grab Car driver with their passenger inside, angered by the car sharing service stealing their jobs.
After the incident was defused at the Arcade Bus Station, the group of irate drivers gathered at the 33rd Military Circle Kawila Camp to file a complaint against Grab, claiming the service is illegal in Thailand, citing the Road Traffic Act, Vehicle Act and Land Transport Act.
Teerapon Khunmuen, one of the songtaew drivers who surrounded the Grab Car, said that since Grab entered the market, songtaew drivers have seen a drastic decrease to their income. They have asked the authorities to enforce the law on Grab ‘before the conflict grows more aggressive.’
A source at Grab told CityNews that tensions arise every year during low season when Songtaew drivers blame Grab (and Uber in the past) for their loss of income, instead of looking to improve their service and accept that they will earn less during low season. They also added that Grab Red Truck is still active, with just under half of all songtaew drivers signed up to the crossover service.
A meeting will be held tomorrow, July 3rd, at Chiang Mai Provincial Land Transport Office to discuss the issue.