Pattaya motorbike taxi riders say blue vests confuse tourists

CHONBURI — 19 October 2026,  Motorbike taxi riders say the new blue vests are not as noticeable as the old orange ones, leaving tourists unsure whether they are licensed taxi riders and contributing to a drop in passengers. They hope the situation will improve over time.

On Monday, after Bang Lamung district in Chonburi province began reorganising motorbike taxi services in Pattaya by changing riders’ vests from orange to blue, some riders spoke about the impact of the change, particularly the fact that tourists are still unfamiliar with the new colour.

Sompong, 51, a motorbike taxi rider, said the switch from orange to blue had affected her work. The blue is quite dark and does not stand out like orange, she said. Local residents and foreign tourists are not used to it, and some customers are unsure whether riders wearing blue vests are motorbike taxis. As a result, she has had fewer passengers recently. He believes the situation may improve over time, but riders may still face competition from app-based services, particularly Bolt, which has more drivers on the road.

Wisit, 50, said the change had affected his work to some extent, but riders had to follow the guidelines set by government agencies. Passenger numbers had fallen, partly because of competition from ride-hailing apps, he said.