BANGKOK, THAILAND – From 31 March 2026, Thailand was set to enforce a binding rulebook for ride sharing and app-based transport services, with drivers, vehicles and platforms required to meet new standards or face suspensions and penalties.
How ride sharing will be defined in law
Ride sharing in Thailand was formally defined as an app-based passenger transport service in which riders were matched with drivers through a digital system. It was not classified as a traditional taxi with meter, nor as van or scheduled public transport, but as a separate, newly regulated category.
The framework placed ride sharing alongside other forms of public transport in terms of oversight, while keeping it distinct in how services were organized and priced. This separate status underpinned the specific rules for drivers and vehicles.
Public driving licence replaces private licence
The central change was that anyone accepting trips via a platform had to hold a public driving licence rather than an ordinary private licence. Minimum age requirements applied: at least 20 years for motorcycle riders and 22 years for car drivers.
A criminal record check was also mandatory for licence holders, according to Yutthana Mowong from the Department of Land Transport. These conditions were designed to align app-based services with standards already applied to other public transport operators.
New plate categories Ry.17 and Ry.18 made mandatory
Motorcycles used for app-based passenger transport had to be registered under the new Ry.17 category, while cars had to carry Ry.18 registration. This registration formally classified them as public transport vehicles within the app system.
For cars, a maximum vehicle age of nine years applied. Motorcycles registered as Ry.17 were at that time limited to engines between 50 and 125 cc, restricting which bikes could legally be used.
Insurance, inspections and accident protection
Authorities stressed that re-registration was not a mere formality, because it triggered rules on vehicle condition, insurance and regular inspections tailored to commercial use. These requirements were intended to match the reality that the vehicles were effectively rental or hire vehicles.
Legal expert Thakoon Kaewsai from the legal office of the Department of Land Transport said the aim was not to burden drivers without reason.
“It is not about additional burdens but about real protection in the event of incidents and less dispute over who is liable for what in case of damage.”
said Thakoon Kaewsai, legal officer.
Platforms share responsibility, not just act as brokers
Digital platforms were required to actively vet both drivers and vehicles and could no longer operate merely as a job board. Regulators argued this was necessary because the entire service was organized through a digital system from booking to payment.
Among the obligations were verification of public driving licences and Ry.17/Ry.18 registration, clear information on pick-up and destination points, transparent fares and binding channels for complaints and problem resolution. Platforms thus became co-responsible for compliance with transport rules.
Penalties up to shutdown of operations
If platforms failed to meet the criteria, neglected checks, ignored required suspensions or allowed unqualified drivers to continue operating, authorities could initiate legal action. Measures ranged from orders to correct shortcomings to bans on conducting business.
In severe cases, regulators could revoke a platform’s business notification. The maximum penalty was up to one year in prison or a fine of up to 100,000 baht, or both, for serious violations of the rules.
31 March is not a ban – but a strict cut-off date
From the start of enforcement on 31 March 2026, platforms had to suspend drivers temporarily if they lacked a public driving licence or proper Ry.17/Ry.18 documents and could not assign them new rides. The cut-off date was therefore a practical deadline for compliance rather than an outright prohibition of ride sharing.
Officials emphasized that this was not a permanent exclusion from the system. Once documents were fully corrected, drivers could return to the app, and notifications from authorities were to feed into a joint review process to ensure problems were resolved.
Problem cases: financed vehicles and motorcycle limits
Many drivers were reportedly worried about paperwork when their vehicles were still under finance. According to the authorities, however, registration remained possible if a power of attorney and the original vehicle book from the finance company were provided.
For motorcycles, the Department of Land Transport stated it was working on amending the ministerial regulation to raise the engine limit from 125 cc to 250 cc. Until any change took effect, though, the existing limit remained in place, while parallel talks continued on more suitable insurance products, as commercial insurance premiums were seen as a major hurdle.