Skip to content
E-Tailing

GrabBike is officially launching in Bangkok

By Aiko TanakaThailand
1 min read
Indonesia GrabBike Launch 1
Indonesia GrabBike Launch 1
In this article (5)

GrabBike – a part of GrabTaxi – is an on-demand service for motorcycle taxis. GrabBike is officially launching in Bangkok on August 5th, which makes Thailand the third country on GrabBike’s expansion across Southeast Asia, after Vietnam and Indonesia. However the company itself, GrabTaxi, is no stranger to Thailand. Its regular taxi-hailing service has been around since October 2013.

In Indonesia, GrabBike competes with a similar local service called Go-Jek., but as far as I know, GrabBike will be the first to offer app-based motorcycle hailing in Thailand. (Please correct me if I’m wrong.)

GrabBike is officially launching in Bangkok

Thailand vs. Indonesia

There’s one key difference in the “motorcycle-taxi market” in Thailand vs. Indonesia:

Most moto-taxis in Thailand are registered with the government, wear a yellow vest and have an ID card. I wonder if GrabBike will work in some form of partnership with them, and whether they got full government approval?

In Indonesia, the legal status of services like GrabBike and Go-Jek is still debated. Motorcycle taxis have so far not been regulated in any way. And Go-Jek and GrabBike drivers are even getting bullied by motorcycle taxi drivers who prefer the old ways.

We’ll report more on how the service is received in the “Big Mango” after the launch.

 

 

Questions & Answers

Q.

What distinguishes Thailand's motorcycle taxi market from Indonesia's, according to the article?

A.

Most moto-taxis in Thailand are government-registered, wearing yellow vests and having ID cards. In contrast, motorcycle taxis in Indonesia are not regulated, and the legal status of services like GrabBike is debated.

Q.

Which countries has GrabBike already expanded into before launching in Thailand?

A.

GrabBike has already expanded into Vietnam and Indonesia before its official launch in Thailand. This makes Thailand the third country for their expansion across Southeast Asia.

Q.

How long has GrabTaxi's regular taxi-hailing service been operating in Thailand?

A.

GrabTaxi, the parent company of GrabBike, has been operating its regular taxi-hailing service in Thailand since October 2013. Therefore, the company is not new to the country's market.

Reader pulse

GrabBike in Bangkok: Smart move?

15,742 votes so far

Weekly Briefing

Asia's retail intelligence, in your inbox

Tuesday, Thursday and a Saturday Weekly Wrap: the retail stories, numbers and moves that mattered across Asia. Nothing else, and you can unsubscribe in one click.

  • Top industry moves and market shifts
  • Weekly data-driven analysis from across Asia
  • Tuesday, Thursday and the Saturday Weekly Wrap

Read by retail operators, investors and brand teams across Asia.

Protected by a quick human check. No spam, ever. Unsubscribe in one click.

SecureGDPR ready