Around 800 Grab delivery drivers in green jackets gathered in Bangkok today to protest new policies implemented by the company which they say have significantly reduced their income. The protesters started outside Central World and later moved to Grab’s head office, completely blocking traffic on Phetchaburi Road.
Recently, Grab introduced a “zoning system” which forces drivers to book a time slot and an area to work in before starting their shift. It has led to an amass of drivers competing for shifts and means the drivers can no longer work when they want to, which was once an employee benefit the company took pride in.
Since the pandemic, the company has relentlessly employed drivers, and now there is not quite enough work to go around. With the new zoning system, drivers can’t make any money at all if the slots are booked up.
The protestors have three demands: 1) cancel the zoning system, 2) get rid of multiple orders per ride and 3) reinstate the previous delivery fee after it was reduced by 2-4 baht per ride.
Drivers moved from CentralWorld in Ratchaprasong and started to assemble outside Grab’s headquarters at around 10am, shutting down traffic on the busy Phetchaburi Road. The drivers said they would let traffic back through once Grab’s senior executives had come out to speak to them.
At 2pm, Grab management still didn’t show themselves, and police asked the drivers to let three lanes of traffic through. The drivers agreed. At 3pm, a Grab representative came outside and asked for 15 more days to consider the driver’s requests.
Infuriated, the Grab drivers stormed the road and shut down all six lanes again.
Around 4pm, police asked the drivers to make way for three lanes of traffic once more. The protest is ongoing.
Grab Thailand has issued a statement saying they will respond to the driver’s concerns within 14 days.