The regulation, issued by the Electronic Transactions Commission under the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, was published in the Royal Gazette on July 4, reports the Bangkok Post. It designates ride-hailing services as a “digital platform business with specific characteristics” under Section 18(3) of the 2022 Royal Decree on Digital Platform Services. The new rules will take effect 90 days after publication.
Under the requirements, drivers must use vehicles registered as public transport and hold valid public driving licences. They are also required to verify their identity daily using facial recognition, share real-time GPS data, and are prohibited from account sharing.
Passengers will need to verify their identity before using the service and will be able to view estimated fares, choose vehicle types, and submit complaints more easily via the platforms. Platform operators must submit annual reports to the Department of Land Transport, adhere to legally defined fare structures, and ensure transparency by providing trip information including driver details, vehicle registration, pricing, and route.
They must also implement emergency assistance features and maintain 24-hour incident reporting hotlines.
A parallel announcement from the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA) requires platforms to comply with the decree, ensuring proper oversight of services that could affect national interests.
The measure is part of the government’s broader efforts to enhance transparency and protect users of app-based transport services.