Nattadon Suksirithanan, General Manager of Bolt Thailand, emphasized that safety has always been a top priority for the company. Last year, Bolt invested over €100 million specifically to enhance its safety measures.

Founded in 2013 by Markus Villig, a 19-year-old who saw an opportunity to solve transportation problems in Europe, Bolt is a ride-hailing company with the vision to “Make cities for people, not for cars.” The company aims to transform urban planning to promote resource sharing over car dependency.

Today, Bolt serves over 200 million users across 50 countries. Thailand, according to Nattadon, is one of Bolt’s top-performing markets, with user growth increasing 13-fold over the past three years.

One major factor behind this success in Thailand is the platform’s emphasis on safety. Bolt’s safety approach spans three phases:

Before the Trip:

  • Driver identity verification from onboarding, including document checks and background screening.
  • Trip details shown in advance, such as vehicle type and travel duration.
  • Riders and drivers can view each other’s ratings and cancel trips if uncomfortable.

During the Trip:

  • Features include voice recording, emergency help button, live location sharing, and trip monitoring.

After the Trip:

  • All safety-related issues are addressed promptly by a 24/7 support team, with a mutual rating system helping to prevent future incidents.

Bolt also follows strict driver selection standards based on both Thailand’s Department of Land Transport and European company policies. For added protection, facial recognition is used periodically to prevent driver impersonation.

Recently, Bolt launched two new safety features funded by the €100 million investment:

  • Trusted Contacts: Riders and drivers can add up to three emergency contacts who will be notified if contact cannot be made.
  • Four-Digit Pick-Up Codes: Passengers are shown a unique 4-digit code that drivers must enter to begin the trip, preventing boarding the wrong vehicle.

Nattadon affirms that these features empower both drivers and passengers to feel more in control and get help quickly during emergencies.

Looking ahead to 2025, Bolt aims to become a top-of-mind ride-hailing platform, leveraging its competitive pricing and ongoing innovation. The company charges only an 18% commission—lower than its rivals—while maintaining high service and safety standards.

Even amid economic downturns and a competitive field of 11 players, Bolt positions itself as a strong challenger, with the potential for continued growth in Thailand.