Besides the homegrown app Go-jek, Uber from San Francisco and Singapore-based GrabTaxi are also battling for room in southeast Asia's booming ride-hailing market.

Founded in 2009, Uber now operates in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam. Since motorcycles are part of the commuting culture in those densely-populated countries, Uber introduced a motorcycle taxi service onto the congested streets of Bangkok in 2014.

GrabTaxi, first launched in Malaysia in 2012, says it has expanded its business into 30 cities across southeast Asia, twice as many as Uber. It has even partnered with three other ride-sharing competitors---Lyft, Ola and Didi Kuaidi, to form a regional anti-Uber alliance.