CHIANG MAI: Chiang Mai Airport management has defended its decision to give Grab a monopoly on ride-hailing services at the passenger terminal.
Airport general manager Ronnakorn Chalermsanyakorn said only cars using the Grab app were allowed to pick up passengers at the airport.
Two categories of vehicles provided services at the airport, he said.
Grab was included in the category of non-regular transport providers approved by the airport. Other services in this category were taxis operated by two companies, and airport vans.
The other category was public transport, which covered the regular city bus service and also songthaews which were allowed only to drop off passengers, he said.
Operators in the two categories were authorised by the airport so that it could control service quality and safety for passengers.
Mr Ronnakorn's explanation came after a driver on another hailing app, Bolt, posted a short video complaining that he was banned from entering the airport to pick up passengers who called to book a ride.
"Your app is not illegal, but it is not the one allowed by AoT [Airports of Thailand Plc] to provide services at the airport," an official was heard in the clip answering his question.
It was not clear when the clip was uploaded on social media.
Chiang Mai airport is operated by Airports of Thailand.