Uber's exit from Southeast Asia upsets regulators and drivers

The Uber app was to shut down in two weeks, with customers told to download the Grab app and drivers encouraged to switch allegiances

In a new television ad, Uber’s chief executive, Dara Khosrowshahi, pledges to move the ride-hailing giant beyond its bad-boy past. “One of our core values as a company is to always do the right thing,” declares Mr. Khosrowshahi, who joined the business nine months ago.

But in Southeast Asia, “the right thing” is a matter of interpretation.

Uber’s abrupt exit on March 25 from eight countries — a month after Mr. Khosrowshahi publicly promised to “continue to invest very aggressively” in the region — has left regulators, drivers, riders and employees feeling bruised and disrespected.

Mr. Khosrowshahi’s decision to quit