The minister also said the government did not plan to exercise its sweeping powers under Article 44 of the interim charter to deal with Uber and similar services. However, he urged the new entrants to the transport market to follow Thai law on taxi licensing.

Other countries have faced problems similar to Thailand as Uber and other companies provide services because the income of traditional, licensed taxis was hurt by unlicensed taxi operators, Arkhom said.

“We’re enforcing the law as usual. If people filed complaints with the Department of Land Transport [about illegal taxies], we have to enforce the law. Private vehicles with black licence plates cannot be used to provide public taxi services. It’s against the law,” he said.

Officials had used Uber services posing as customers and then arrested the drivers, he said, following complaints by licensed taxi drivers and companies whose businesses had been negatively affected by Uber and other ride services.

Arkhom said the new companies should register vehicles as taxis so that they could provide legal services in Thailand.

“We have studied cases in several other countries where problems are similar to those in Thailand. After all, service providers have to follow the law in each country so that passengers can be legally protected. I’ve told Uber executives to abide by the law. I have no idea why they have not abided by the law,” he said.

In a statement issued yesterday, Uber said: “It is a smartphone app that enables ridesharing, a new way of getting around town made possible by technology and innovation. We are committed to continuing dialogue with DLT [Department of Land Transport] authorities to explain what Uber is and the benefits it is bringing to riders, drivers and cities.”

Arkhom said the ministry does not have a problem with new technology such as the use of apps for hailing taxis, which some taxi companies have already deployed. However, Uber’s problems regarded the use of unlicensed vehicles for taxi services.

Once Uber-affiliated vehicles are on the road they will be subject to the regulations of the DLT, he said.

In the United States, Uber and Lyft ride-sharing services are legal in some states, where special auto insurance coverage is required to pick up passengers. However, Uber and other app-based taxi services are still not legal in many countries, having faced strong opposition from local taxi companies and drivers.

Komson Sae Heng, a part-time Uber and Grab driver, said it was not practical to register his private vehicle as a taxi and apply for a taxi driving licence because it would be expensive.

The ongoing debate spilled over on social media, particularly on Facebook, where many supported Uber and Grab.

User Ton Gerdsen wrote that the existing taxi services needed to be regulated. “No problem after taxis will go where I want to go, have clean cars, no loud music and polite drivers.”

Even more succinct was Graeme Laird: “Stupid policy”.

Some users appeared to be unsure about the details of the new business operations even though they made use of the services. User Karen Metzger wrote: “I’m confused. I use Grab every time I’m there [Bangkok]. It’s always a taxi that responds. I’ve never had a private car arrive to pick me up. So what’s the difference? Taxi drivers are still getting the business it appears?”

That question elicited a response from Songwut Cio: “Grab taxi will always be taxis unless you use Grab car or Uber – then it comes in a private car.”

And the general frustration of some customers was clear. Facebook user Ben Guntanit posted an unprintable sentiment.