– Governor Naris Niramaiwong signed an announcement on October 22nd canceling the requirement for dark blue vests and restoring the previous orange design for public motorcycle taxi drivers in Pattaya and Banglamung.
– The blue-vest change, which covered more than 5,000 registered drivers, had drawn criticism over visibility and the cost of new vests.
– Drivers interviewed at a Nongprue stand said orange is safer and more recognizable to passengers, and that a refund of the roughly 550 baht they paid would help amid lower earnings.
Banglamung: Chonburi Governor Naris Niramaiwong has canceled the new dark blue vest design for public motorcycle taxi drivers in Pattaya and Banglamung, allowing them to return to the original orange color and drawing cheers and praise from local riders.
The governor, as chair of the Chonburi provincial committee, signed the announcement on October 22nd. It reverses the requirement that had replaced the traditional orange vests with dark blue ones. The change, which applied to 5,281 registered drivers and followed a November 2025 subcommittee resolution, had drawn public criticism over safety and the expense placed on drivers.
At a motorcycle taxi queue near the O’Ker gold shop in Nongprue, riders welcomed the decision. Mr. Jae, 51, who has driven for more than 30 years, said orange is better for visibility because it reflects light and can be seen from a distance, improving safety for both drivers and passengers. He described the blue vests as too dark and not suited to the job. On the roughly 550 baht paid for the new vest, he said any refund would depend on the overall view of riders, but that he would be very grateful if the government returned the money. He noted that earnings have fallen by 60–70 percent and that even a few hundred baht matters.
Ms. O, 39, who has driven for about two years, also preferred a return to orange. After only a few days in blue, she said, passengers were not yet used to the color and sometimes did not recognize the wearers as motorcycle taxi drivers, which reduced hires. She was unsure whether the 550 baht would be refunded but said a refund would be welcome.
Officials had previously said the blue color was intended to create a clearer, more modern identity and support the tourism image while making legitimate drivers easier to identify. No details on any refund process were included in the October 22nd announcement however officials have offered to replace the blue vests with a free new orange vest.