Vietnam's
government has indicated it will consider legalising Uber's taxi service in the
country, reversing an earlier statement this week.
On
Monday, the Ministry of Transport's (MoT) deputy minister, Nguyen Hong Truong,
told reporters the taxi app service was illegal.
The
following day, however, MoT Minister Dinh La Thang said the service should be
legalised.
Uber
launched its taxi services officially in Vietnam on 31 July.
The
San Francisco-based firm says it operates in 250 cities and 50 countries around
the world. However, it has been facing opposition in several markets.
It
has also been criticised for
what have been described as aggressive business
practices in cities around the world.
Most
recently, Uber has been declared illegal in Thailand and has clashed with
Indian authorities over the way customers pay fares.
It
said that rules in India which require credit-card payments to use a two-step
authentication process were "antiquated".
Uber
says its goal is to keep Ho Chi Minh City moving forward in a way that
increases safety and reduces congestion
However,
in a statement translated from Vietnamese, Mr Dinh La Thang questioned why the
taxi app service should not be allowed in his country.
"Obviously
this type of business is priced lower than the regular taxi, and with low cost,
people will find it more beneficial to use," he said.
"Around
the world, people have applied this before, so why would we not?" he
asked.
"If
this type of business software by Uber has not been defined in the legal
documents, decrees, circulars, instructions, it's our responsibility to modify
and legalise it."
He
said the ministry needed to find a way that was easier to manage the service, "but
also more convenient for the population".
Uber's
communications lead for South Asia, Karun Arya, said the firm's service had
proven popular since launching first in Ho Chi Minh City, then in Hanoi.
"We've
had a tremendous response in Vietnam - it's far exceeded any of our
expectations," he told the BBC.
BBC
Business
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