Grab plans to be in 30 Thai provinces this year
The move will see it extend its presence to 30 of Thailand’s 76 provinces before the end of 2020 and help increase the benefits of Thailand 4.0 and the digital economy for millions of entrepreneurs and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
Tarin Thaniyavarn, country head of Grab Thailand, says Grab will welcome MSMEs to set up Mini-GCs and serve as agents to recruit, oversee and support drivers, delivery people and vendors.
“In 2019 we experienced phenomenal growth across all businesses, from on-demand ride-hailing to food and package delivery services. We are also playing our part in driving the cashless economy through our GrabPay mobile wallet.
“We have constantly innovated and introduced new services… including GrabCar Premium, which offers classy, comfy rides at affordable prices for business users; Grab Drive Your Car, a personal car driver service, and on-demand grocery delivery services through partnership with Tops Supermarket.
“Grab is currently operating in 20 provinces and we look forward to uplifting the livelihoods of more Thais with our expansion.”
With Thailand’s online food delivery industry valued at 35 billion baht, GrabFood has played a major role in helping MSMEs exploit growth opportunities. Last year Grab Thailand expanded GrabFood beyond Bangkok to reach 14 provinces.
GrabFood is popular in Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, Korat and Hat Yai. At present, about a third of GrabFood’s total come from users in secondary cities.
“We believe the Mini-GC model will allow us to scale up our successful hyperlocal approach nationally. Thailand is the first country where Grab has introduced this model to create long-term, sustainable growth while offering better opportunities for MSMEs.”
The key criteria for the selection of a Mini-GC owner are…
• Financial stability – possessing adequate capital to operate their own business
• Location – ability to source proper location and set up the centre
• Entrepreneurial mindset – strong business acumen that aligns with Grab’s business philosophy
24 Mini-GCs are alerady operating on a trial basis in greater Bangkok and Grab plans to double that number this year.
