The End of Bolt?

[Bruce Mangosteen 1,141]

https://thethaiger.com/news/national/new-regulations-for-ride-hailing-services-in-thailand-announced

Firstly, businesses must ensure drivers have vehicles registered as public transport, under the Department of Land Transport’s requirements. Secondly, drivers must hold a valid public transport driving licence. Thirdly, service charges must align with legal transport fee regulations.

Additionally, digital platforms must adhere to conditions outlined in articles 9 to 13 of the announcement. The ETDA further specifies that drivers using these platforms must register their vehicles via electronic systems and hold a public driving licence.

Identity verification using facial recognition is required daily before starting work. GPS location sharing is mandatory in real-time, and communication with customers must be conducted through the app only, without disclosing phone numbers.

Users of ride-hailing apps must verify their identity before use, choose vehicle types, view estimated costs, and can cancel or change destinations under specific conditions. They can also rate and file complaints against drivers.

Platforms must report vehicle numbers of each type to the Department of Land Transport annually, charge fares according to the law, and provide key information such as driver details, registration, price, and route before the journey, reported KhaoSod.

Emphasis added.  More at link.

YGBFKM. 

Clearly, the traditional taxi drivers have finally won this turf war.  On the bright side, there will be a million food delivery drivers added to the already overcrowded market, driving down the price of that service.

[Shooter 892]

It will suck if bolt dies   

[Bruce Mangosteen 1,141]

1 hour ago, Shooter said:

It will suck if bolt dies   

Maybe they'll replace it with tuktuks?

[jacko 8,980]

9 hours ago, Bruce Mangosteen said:

Maybe they'll replace it with tuktuks?

I still keep getting promotional messages from them. 

[Shooter 892]

11 hours ago, Bruce Mangosteen said:

Maybe they'll replace it with tuktuks?

I hope not.  But if they do and it works like Bolt I'll accept it.  I just want more than 2 wheel transport available with a fixed price up front and no BS.  

[blue_flag 1,927]

https://www.lexpertiselawfirm.com/post/new-regulations-for-ride-hailing-platforms-issued-by-thailand-s-electronic-transactions-commission

New Regulations for Ride-Hailing Platforms Issued by Thailand’s Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA

 

Thailand’s Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA) has issued a new regulation titled:

 

 

 

“Announcement Re: Other Requirements for Digital Platform Service Business Operators for Public Hire Car or Motorcycle Services with Specific Characteristics under Section 18 (3) of the Royal Decree on the Operation of Digital Platform Services Subject to Notification B.E. 2565 (2022), B.E. 2568 (2025).”

The announcement was published in the Royal Gazette on July 4, 2025, and will take effect 90 days later, on October 2, 2025.

Overview

 

This regulation classifies ride-hailing services (cars and motorcycles) as digital platforms with specific characteristics, which may impact public safety, health, transport, and infrastructure. As a result, these platforms are now subject to heightened regulatory oversight under the Royal Decree on Digital Platform Services.

Key Compliance Obligations for Ride-Hailing Platform Operators

1. Vehicle and Driver Compliance

• Vehicles must be registered as public vehicles per Department of Land Transport (“DLT”) regulations.

• Drivers must hold a valid public driving license.

• Fare collection must comply with legal transport fare rates.

  2. Driver Identity Verification

• Platforms must use official identity verification methods, such as face-to-face checks, government applications (e.g., ThaID), or certified identity providers (IdPs).

• A daily facial recognition scan is required before a driver’s first trip.

• Drivers are strictly prohibited from sharing their service accounts.

3. Passenger Safety & Privacy

• Platforms must support in-app voice and text chat without revealing personal contact numbers.

• Only the driver’s name and photo may be disclosed to passengers.

• Real-time GPS tracking of vehicles is required throughout the trip.

Mandatory Platform Features

 

For Drivers

• Must display trip details: pickup/destination, route, distance, and fare.

• Include an emergency button for immediate operator support.

• Provide a trip history log: dates, times, routes, and fares.

For Passengers

• Platforms must verify the identity of each passenger by conducting identity proofing during registration, collecting key personal information (e.g., first and last name), and authenticating the passenger’s identity each time they access the platform.

• Before booking, users must be able to see the estimated route, fare, and travel time.

• After confirmation, platforms must show the driver’s name/photo, vehicle details, and real-time location.

• Include a 24/7-monitored emergency assistance button.

• Offer service rating and complaint submission channels.

Supervision and Reporting Requirements

Enforcement

• Operators must implement disciplinary measures for drivers who violate laws or platform rules (e.g., temporary suspension).

• They must respond to reports from DLT or state agencies and ensure driver cooperation.

  Annual Reporting

• Submit an annual report to the DLT detailing:

  • Total number of registered vehicles by type (e.g., taxi, motorcycle taxi, e-hailing)

  • Service fee calculation methods

    Regulatory Review

• The DLT will review the regulations annually, considering technological developments and stakeholder feedback.

This new regulation sets a clear legal framework for ride-hailing platforms in Thailand, aiming to enhance safety, transparency, and accountability for both drivers and passengers. It introduces significant compliance obligations for platform operators.

Existing platforms that do not yet meet these requirements must take steps to upgrade their systems and operations to ensure full compliance by the October 2, 2025 effective date. Likewise, any new businesses planning to enter the ride-hailing market must be fully prepared to meet these regulatory standards from the outset.

 

Operators should act promptly to align with the law and avoid regulatory issues as enforcement begins.

[blue_flag 1,927]

An implementation date of 02 October 2025, so we will see what happens.

[Bruce Mangosteen 1,141]

12 hours ago, jacko said:

I still keep getting promotional messages from them. 

The tuktuks?  

No reason for Bolt to change anything until the rules come into effect I suppose.  TIT, rules can change before the ink on the paper dries, as we've all seen before.

[Bruce Mangosteen 1,141]

12 hours ago, Shooter said:

I hope not.  But if they do and it works like Bolt I'll accept it.  I just want more than 2 wheel transport available with a fixed price up front and no BS.  

The only thing about tuktuks that work like Bolt is that they have more than 2 wheels.  Otherwise, in most places they're like tiny songtaews (baht buses) that only one or maybe two farangs can fit into at a time.  

[Bruce Mangosteen 1,141]

8 hours ago, blue_flag said:

Platforms must verify the identity of each passenger by conducting identity proofing during registration, collecting key personal information (e.g., first and last name), and authenticating the passenger’s identity each time they access the platform.

This is the thing that would give most farangs heartburn I would imagine.  It's a backdoor way for the Thai government to track the movements of tourists.

[Bazle 1,699]

24 minutes ago, Bruce Mangosteen said:

This is the thing that would give most farangs heartburn I would imagine.  It's a backdoor way for the Thai government to track the movements of tourists.

Absolutely! 

If these regs are meant to put Bolt etc on an equal footing with regular taxi services, shouldn't users of regular taxis be subject to the same requirements? 

[Bruce Mangosteen 1,141]

2 minutes ago, Bazle said:

Absolutely! 

If these regs are meant to put Bolt etc on an equal footing with regular taxi services, shouldn't users of regular taxis be subject to the same requirements? 

IMO these changes are meant to put the ride hailing apps out of business, mate.

[Shooter 892]

11 hours ago, Bruce Mangosteen said:

IMO these changes are meant to put the ride hailing apps out of business, mate.

Yup.  Taxis political clout in action.  Which would be OK if I could call one to my hotel and get a ride for 100 baht all in across town.  And yeah I know what tuktuks are.  If they worked like Bolt I would consider them even though they are not as protected from the crazy traffic as a car.

[Rawhide2 1,462]

I'll believe it when I see it

TIT

[Bruce Mangosteen 1,141]

2 hours ago, Rawhide2 said:

I'll believe it when I see it

TIT

Yeah, it's possible they'll work out a compromise.  Seems to me like a big bone of contention between taxis and ride hailing services is airport runs, so Bolt conceding those might be a way out of this.

[Rawhide2 1,462]

13 minutes ago, Bruce Mangosteen said:

Yeah, it's possible they'll work out a compromise.  Seems to me like a big bone of contention between taxis and ride hailing services is airport runs, so Bolt conceding those might be a way out of this.

It would really cock up my social life with the location of my Condo Maldives 3 in Jomtien

I can walk from there to Rhompoo bars no problem and frequently do when on my own and also back home but no girl will walk that far nor would I expect them to

Getting somewhere like Soi Bongkot would be a nightmare

[Bruce Mangosteen 1,141]

31 minutes ago, Rawhide2 said:

It would really cock up my social life with the location of my Condo Maldives 3 in Jomtien

In that location I think your only option without Bolt, at least at night, will be bike taxi.  They'll be the big winners here either way, seems to me.

[Rawhide2 1,462]

8 minutes ago, Bruce Mangosteen said:

In that location I think your only option without Bolt, at least at night, will be bike taxi.  They'll be the big winners here either way, seems to me.

Which I refuse to use except in emergency

I could baht bus it in say 2 stages but the loss of Bolt will be catastrophic for many....go out the front of Maldives and inaviabiy 10 or so people waiting for Cars which inaviably appear every couple minutes....my condo contract ends on October 18th and really dont want to move

I can see a compromise happening

Edited July 15 by Rawhide2

[Bruce Mangosteen 1,141]

5 minutes ago, Rawhide2 said:

I could baht bus it in say 2 stages but the loss of Bolt will be catastrophic for many

You're more familiar with your location than I am but I used to hang out in the Rompho Market bars quite often, and I don't remember too many baht buses in that area at night.  That was some years back and things admittedly could have changed.

Seems to me like the loss of Bolt will cause things to go back to how they were before Bolt:  You collected the names and numbers of half a dozen baht bus drivers and guys like Mr. Dream, and if you needed to get somewhere you ran down that list of prospects until you got a ride.  This is obviously not as convenient as an app with little cars running around on a map, but it mostly worked quite well. 

For backup there was always bike taxis, but these days I'd definitely wear some sort of do-rag on my head so as not to add to my head lice collection from those disgusting helmets they make you wear now.

[Rawhide2 1,462]

Unless I've missed it I cant see anything as yet over on Asean Now

Would have thought it would be a massive thread (there may well be lol) but I cant see it as yet

[Bruce Mangosteen 1,141]

9 minutes ago, Rawhide2 said:

Unless I've missed it I cant see anything as yet over on Asean Now

I haven't seen anything else in Thaiger, nor on the Pattaya Mail.  Maybe they just wanted me to start this thread on here.  

[Bruce Mangosteen 1,141]

5 hours ago, Rawhide2 said:

Unless I've missed it I cant see anything as yet over on Asean Now

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1366270-thailand-tightens-grip-on-ride-hailing-with-tough-new-rules/

Had a minute waiting for the missus to get ready for the gym.

[sailingbill 1,212]

Will be a big change for me in Pattaya . I exited stores with multiple grocery . The sharks were on me and we never settled on an honest deal until I climbed in back of the BB smiling 10 baht to late . Now Bolt 100%.  Bangkok taxis are easy . “ No Meter, 500 Baht to Airport, 100 baht anywhere else no BS

[Rawhide2 1,462]

17 hours ago, Bruce Mangosteen said:

https://aseannow.com/topic/1366270-thailand-tightens-grip-on-ride-hailing-with-tough-new-rules/

Had a minute waiting for the missus to get ready for the gym.

Interesting the thread over there....so many saying the same that doubtless it will be ignored lol

[Bruce Mangosteen 1,141]

3 hours ago, Rawhide2 said:

Interesting the thread over there....so many saying the same that doubtless it will be ignored lol

I hadn't looked at the comments until your post.  Seems to me that most of them have missed the point about the facial recognition, and all but one missed the point about cars having to be registered as public vehicles, and all of them appear to have missed that drivers will have to get public transport drivers' licences, at least as of this post.  IMHO, these are the three main obstacles to the continuation of Bolt. 

Grab looks to have transitioned into mostly a food delivery service.  I wouldn't be surprised if they transitioned their remaining taxi drivers into delivering other stuff like small electronics (e.g. from Tuc Com shops), (legal) pharmaceuticals from local mom-and-pop druggists, and other un(der)served market segments.

As far as whether the new regs will be ignored, that's one of the three possibilities.  The other two are:

- They will be enforced vigorously due to pressure from the taxi mafia.  This is not out of the question considering that the taxi mafia are probably the ones who had enough clout to get the regs passed in the first place.

...or...

- They will be enforced inconsistently, such as when the opportunity for a bribe presents itself, or when a driver has an accident or other problem.  The cynic in me would insist this is the most likely scenario.

 

 

Edited July 16 by Bruce Mangosteen