21-07-2025
Former political prisoner Somyot laments harsh reality of ride-hailing work
Labour activist and former political prisoner Somyot Pruksakasemsuk has reignited debate about gig-worker exploitation, revealing that he earned just 320 baht from a full day working as a ride-hail driver.
He laid the blame on high platform deductions and rising costs overall.
Posting on his Facebook page, Somyot shared insights as a ride-hail driver working eight-hour shifts.
He lamented that after a full day on the road, the ride-hailing platform deducted 40% of his earnings, leaving him with just 900 baht. Once he factored in 500 baht for petrol and 80 baht for a single meal, he was left with 320 baht for a day's labour.
He wrote, "However hard life gets, I refuse to give up. Today, I have to struggle and turn to full-time platform driving."
He questioned how working people could maintain any sense of dignity when left with so little, while platform companies reap billion-baht profits each year.
Somyot is widely known as a long-time advocate of labour rights and democratic reforms. Once the editor of the magazine Voice of Taksin, he was convicted and sentenced for lese majeste under Section 112 of the Criminal Code and served six years in prison before his release in 2018. He has since resumed his activism with the "24 June Democracy Group".
In response, Grab said Somyot was classed as a GrabCar driver, not a food delivery rider, and that the standard maximum commission Grab takes is no more than 25%.
Grab was asking Somyot for further clarification and looking to clear up any misunderstanding over platform deductions.
Asst Prof Kritsada Theerakosonphong of Thammasat University has warned that current laws wrongly label riders as 'semi-independent', denying them key protections like accident insurance even as they face company rules and real job risks. He has called for reform so riders receive the same welfare as regular workers, with companies made responsible for their safety.
The incident has highlighted the broader challenges facing ride-hailing drivers and gig workers, many of whom continue to grapple with high commissions, rising operating costs, and the struggle to earn a living wage in today's platform-driven economy.
