Has anyone heard of a landing fee after taking a long-tailed boat and returning to the pier?

No... tell us about the circumstances.

I have heard of this at some private piers. I also vaguely recall that they do charge long-tailed boats for docking at Tha Chang - the pier closest to the Grand Palace - in an attempt to clear up congestion.

In any case, if they're asking more than 20 Baht, it probably is a rip-off attempt.

My husband and I were coming in from our klong boat trip (I believe it was Maharat Pier)and as we got off the boat I was aproached and told I needed to pay a landing fee. It had gotten a little busy at this point and as I argued my husband went ahead and paid it. It was 20 baht I believe.

I witnessed this happening at the peir where you get off for the Grand Palace. I was waiting for the river taxi and 4 people had just gotten off the river taxi. A man approached them and demanded a landing fee. I mentioned that I hadn't paid one, the collector of the fee got very nasty and the foursom ended up just paying it.

Very interesting indeed!

Euro, did you arrive at Tha Chang via long-tail? I take the water taxi to/from there regularly, but have not taken a longtail there.

I had heard that private piers do charge a fee, though I'd never encountered it. Thanks for the confirmation, Michael.

Evangeline, where is Maharat Pier?

No, Kathie, it was the public river taxi pier that stops near the Grand Canal. I was not boarding a klong taxi nor were the visitors that got off at this stop. I was shocked when the guy demanded money from them.

Thanks, Euro. From what Michael says, it might well be vaild for someone to ask for payment at that pier from those disembarking from a longtail, but obviously not from the water taxis! I've not seen that before.

Some people are very inventive!

hey---that's 50 cents....what's the problem?? i wish they would ban them from taskim pier---they cause a problem and log jam and because they are so low and its always farang getting out of them, it takes forever always with other boats waiting to land...