Uber Thailand launched an online petition on Thursday calling for the regulation of its ride-sharing service, amid an intensifying police crackdown on Uber drivers for operating without licences.

In its petition on action.uber.org, the smartphone application, which allows consumers to request personal car transportation in minutes, called for an amendment to the existing legal framework to accommodate its technology.

"Since we arrived in Thailand in 2014, Uber has continuously engaged with the [authorities] to clarify we are not a taxi service," Uber said in its statement sent to dpa late Thursday.

"There are currently no existing regulations that recognize ride-sharing services provided by smartphone applications [but] we hope that Thailand will be able to embrace ride-sharing as other countries in the region have."

Earlier this week, nearly 30 Uber drivers were arrested for operating without public transport licences after random checks in Bangkok and the northern city of Chiang Mai.

They were released after paying a 4,000-baht (113-dollar) fine and attending a three-hour seminar on traffic law, local website Khaosod English reported.

"We would like to urge people to use public transportation as the providers were legally registered. If anything happens, at least we can track down the drivers immediately," said Nuntapong Choedchoo, deputy director-general of the Department of Land Transport.

"These are illegal taxis," Nuntapong added.

"Drivers can press the 'Help' button on the Uber application anytime if they face problems. They can also call our hotline number catering specifically for drivers which is available 24 hours," Krittiyawadee Pongpanich, head of communications at Uber Thailand, told dpa.