In the latest Uber-banning news, Thailand and Spain announced Tuesday that they will no longer allow the ride-sharing service to give people trips across town.
The announcement follows only one day after Uber was banned in Delhi, India, after an Uber driver allegedly raped a female passenger, according to CNET. The alleged victim said she was sexually assaulted and beaten after requesting a car late Friday night, and a Delhi transportation official said the company is "misleading customers" and letting drivers work without the right permits.
Thailand's Land Transport department head Teerapong Rodprasert said Uber is not allowed to operate in the country for using private cars instead of licensed taxis, and that it is legal in Thailand to use mobile apps to hail rides as long as the cars are properly registered. A judge in Spain ordered the ban on Uber, arguing that its drivers are not officially authorized to give rides and present unfair competition for licensed taxi drivers.
"Uber respects the Department of Land Transportation and its important role as the key regulator on vehicle-for-hire transport in Thailand," said Karus Arya, spokeswoman for Uber. "We look forward to continued conversations with the DLT to bring our innovative transportation solutions within the appropriate regulatory framework in Thailand."
The San Francisco-based company is facing problems at home as well, as officials in Portland, Ore., said they are getting ready to issue civil and criminal penalties against Uber and its drivers despite the service becoming available in the city on Friday, CNET reported. Uber ended its operations in Nevada in November due to "confusion" over its business model.
Uber appears to be having some good moments, stating it has received positive feedback in all of the 250-plus cities it's available in. The company recently announced that it raised $1.2 billion in funding that could make the firm worth as much as $40 billion. Uber plans on using the funding to expand its business in the Asia Pacific region.
"Over the past few months, more and more Thai people have been cruising the streets of Bangkok and Phuket, using Uber platform and they are loving the experience," Arya said.
