About 500 taxi drivers rallied outside Government House on Tuesday, calling for the government to accept six demands.
Worapol Kaemkhunthod, the chairman of the Association of Public Taxi Motorists, led the drivers to submit a letter containing 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 be 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 taxi insurance so that it is equal to that of private cars, Mr Worapol said.
Taxi drivers are worried about competition from foreign ride hailing services, and wanted the government to provide protection.
