<article><p>Ride-hailing apps are making Thailand&#8217;s ubiquitous three-wheeled <em>tuk-tuk</em> taxis more accessible to foreign tourists by eliminating the need for cumbersome price negotiations with drivers.</p></article>

<p>Ride-hailing apps are making Thailand&#8217;s ubiquitous three-wheeled <em>tuk-tuk</em> taxis more accessible to foreign tourists by eliminating the need for cumbersome price negotiations with drivers.</p>
<p>Urban Mobility Tech, which launched its MuvMi ride-hailing service four years ago, offers larger electric tuk-tuks that can carry up to six people, compared with three or four passengers for regular-sized ones. MuvMi has served 3.5 million riders.</p>
<p>Tuk-tuks, which resemble motorized rickshaws, offer better maneuverability than cars on congested streets and are the go-to option to avoid traveling on foot in Thailand&#8217;s year-round heat.</p>
<p>&#8220;They&#8217;re convenient for taking your child along, because you don&#8217;t have to fold up the baby stroller,&#8221; a 33-year-old Japanese woman in Bangkok said.</p>
<p>The company now operates 350 tuk-tuks in 12 areas in Bangkok. Riders can hail rides at 1,000-plus pickup spots.</p>
<p>Normally, tuk-tuk drivers and passengers negotiate before settling on a fare. Such an arrangement can cause problems for people who cannot speak Thai.</p>
<p>But the MuvMi app displays fares based on distance, meaning that there is no need to haggle. Riders can pay by credit card in advance.</p>
<p>Urban Mobility Tech is also drawing customers because &#8220;its electric [tuk-tuk] bodies are clean, a selling point for certain customer segments,&#8221; said Kenichi Shimomura, who heads the Asia-Japan desk of German consultancy Roland Berger.</p>
<div class="article__content">
<div data-article-body="" data-trackable="bodytext">
<div class="ezrichtext-field">
<p>Singapore-based Grab, Southeast Asia&#8217;s largest ride-hailing app, is rolling out similar tuk-tuk service on the Thai resort island of Phuket.</p>
<p>The Tourism Authority of Thailand expects 25 million international visitors in 2023, an upgrade from 20 million, now that China has eased outbound travel restrictions.</p>
<p>The tourism industry anticipates strong rebound from COVID-19 lows. MuvMi plans to enlarge its fleet to 1,000 tuk-tuks by the end of the year.</p>
<p>But MuvMi faces stiff competition from the many other transportation options, such as motorcycle taxis and <em>songthaew</em> converted trucks.</p>
<p>Motorcycle taxi drivers have staged protests against ride-hailing apps for taking away customers. Grab has said it will contribute to sustainable earnings for gig drivers.</p>
<div id="AdAsia"><em>This article first appeared in <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Startups/In-Thailand-tuk-tuk-apps-spare-tourists-the-hassle-of-haggling">Nikkei Asia</a>.</em></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>


Grab is rolling out tuk-tuk service on the Thai resort island of Phuket.

Grab follows Thailand's domestic apps in making tuk-tuks accessible to tourists

Bring stories like this into your inbox every day.

Sign up for our newsletter - The Daily Brief

Grab follows Thailand's domestic apps in making tuk-tuks accessible to tourists

Start your deal-making journey now!

Bring stories like this into your inbox every day.

Sign up for our newsletter - The Daily Brief