He said the agency must make people understand that the use of Uber was illegal and if accidents occurred, passengers would receive less protection under the law.

Nanthapong also called for an improvement of taxi services to make them more attractive to users.

“We may need a stronger medicine; we might propose the use of Article 44 to close this [Uber] app, as it is destroying the public transport system in the area,” he added.

However, a Bangkok-based Uber driver said yesterday that authorities should allow phone app taxi services such as Uber and Grab to operate legally as they do in other countries, because people doing the job were decent and hard-working, and not criminals.

Khomsan Saeheng, 34, said he had been providing Uber and Grab car rides to earn extra income after work and on weekends or holidays for six months. “I like the fact that it is an independent sideline that yields up to Bt6,000 a week, which is almost as much as what I earn from my full-time job. I can do it anytime, just being online via my smartphone app. Some people, if more diligent, can earn much more,” he said.

Following a crackdown and a series of stings to arrest and fine Uber and Grab car drivers, Khomsan said he would not take the risk in the meantime as it would not be worth getting arrested. “I will wait until this period passes, then I will decide if I want to do it or just quit this sideline,” he added.

Khomsan urged authorities to allow the business to operate legally. He said passengers could ride safely with Uber and Grab because drivers’ information was logged by the companies, which also run criminal background checks.

He said both companies gave promotions to drivers including a 1.8 to 2-per-cent additional fee for driving during the morning and evening rush hours and the Bt790 bonus payment for drivers picking up more than seven rides per week. Passenger promotions included a Bt70 discount for hailing a ride at night.

Former passenger Shirayu Mekseriwatana said she had tried the cab-hailing app out of curiosity to find out how good the service was. At the time, she said she had doubts about its legality after reading media reports.

“I gave the service a score of 70 out of 100. However, I found the cab service difficult to call to my place, which is in a suburb of Bangkok. Now I have turned to the All Thai Taxi service, which is legally operated and has cars in my area.”

In the northern province of Chiang Mai, there has been a conflict between Uber and Grab car drivers and the “Red Car” Songthaew drivers, with the latter recently joining provincial land transport officials to launch a sting operation to catch and fine the app-affiliated drivers.

Meanwhile, a Chiang Mai-based consumer campaign was launched on March 3 to gather signatures via the website Change.org for a petition to be submitted to the Land Transport Department. It calls for regulation and improvement in the quality of the “Red Car” service and opposes the arrest of Uber and Grab car drivers. So far, 8,315 supporters have signed the online petition out of the 10,000 needed for submission.

Chiang Mai Bus Terminal’s “Red Car” service supervising committee member Somporn Kaewmul said passenger safety was the most important thing. In emergencies, customers could contact or file complaints with the “Red Car” authority or at the Nakhon Lanna Transport Cooperatives, which is the head office of “Red Car” services in Chiang Mai, he said.

However, a Chiang Mai resident who had used the “Red Car” service and asked not to be named, said some “Red Car” drivers overcharged customers and drove recklessly, so the Uber service seemed safer and a better choice.