About 500 taxi drivers rallied outside Government House on Tuesday, calling for the government to accept six demands, including not having to fit GPS tracking devices in their vehicles.
Worapol Kaemkhunthod, the chairman of the Association of Public Taxi Motorists, led the drivers to Gate 5 to submit a letter containing the six demands to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
Mr Worapol said taxi drivers were unhappy and want the scrapping of a draft bill that will allow private vehicles to used as a ride-hailing service akin to taxis; the extension of the operational age of taxis from nine to 12 years; and the scrapping of a measure making it compulsory for taxis to have GPS tracking devices installed.
The drivers also want the government to help protect their income by controlling the price of fuel for taxis, to cap the interest rates of taxi-related loans and to reduce Type 3 taxi insurance so that it is equal to that of private cars, Mr Worapol said.
The rally ended at around 11am after Suporn Atthawong, vice minister of the Prime Minister's Office, met them and received the petition letter.
Mr Suporn said the taxi association is worried about the competition from foreign ride hailing services, and wanted the government to provide protection.
A representative of the Ministry of Transport insisted a new draft bill would not force taxi drivers to install GPS systems, but would only ask them to do so on a voluntary basis, for safety.
Mr Suporn added the Office of the Consumer Protection Board will be negotiating with them on car financing solutions.