Bali visit with Thai g/f

[Ponlamai]

Recently, I took my new Thai girl friend to Malaysia and Bali with me. No problems with immigration at the Malaysian end of things. However, things turned pretty ugly at the Bali airport! We'd just come through passport control and had our 30 day stamps entered and done the bag X-ray thing and were just about to exit the airport and go grab a taxi, when a Muslim black-robed female officer detained us both.

We were then subjected to dozens of probing personal questions, regarding our relationship, jobs, money, travel arrangements and hotel bookings etc.

We were both scanned for drugs with some wand device and my g/f had all of her belongings removed from her backpack and searched in detail. Her wallet was searched and her visa card and bank book were looked at.

We were also asked why we only had carry-on baggage when we intended to stay for 4 weeks. I answered that it is pointless to pay for checked baggage and have to stand around carousels for ages when everything we may need is cheap and readily available here.

Good enough to be allowed out you might think? Oh no.  I was asked to provide proof of our hotel booking. When I pointed out that I had stayed in Kuta recently and had made a verbal booking with the manager, I was made to log onto the wifi and show my skype record of conversation with the hotel manager as evidence, before they went away and checked for themselves with whoever.

Enough now you may think? Oh no, my girl friend was then removed to a back room where she was stripped naked and subjected to a full cavity search.

We were finally allowed to repack her gear and exit the airport without a word of apology or explanation for this invasive and intrusive interrogation.

To add insult to injury, when we got to our hotel, it was found that a 1,000 thb note had mysteriously gone missing from her wallet. Now I wonder how that might have happened?

So, if you intend visiting Bali with your Thai girl friend, don't be surprised if something like this happens to you too.

This will be the last time I ever go to Bali.

 

 

[matta330]

I have visited Bali with my Thai wife two times - no problems on either visit.  But on the second visit, my wife saw the immigration officer first; after she was stamped in and I approached the officer, he asked me "do you know that lady?"  I started laughing and said yes, that it was my wife and he just smiled.  No further customs checks were had on either trip.

[HauptmannUK]

Travelled thoughtout Indonesia many times, inc Bali, with my girlfriend (and subsquently wife) and never a problem. We were last there last year.  I reckon that kind of treatment is unusual.

[Baanguru]

That was a horrible experienced! If that would happen to me I might consult a lawyer for a possible case. What happened to you and your Thai girlfriend was totally unacceptable. How could they do that kind of insult?! I've been to Bali twice and that never happened to me and my partner. 

[siam2007]

keep in mind that the Muslim minority (yet) in Bali is making a strong effort to introduce SHARIA law on the island

[tharae]

Travelled to Bali in July, both on Australian Passports, with no issues.  Interestingly, the Balinese kept conversing with my wife in Indo,  thinking she was local.