I

arrived at Sepinggan Airport in Balikpapan in late October.

I was taken aback, firstly, by the new terminal building, which is a glass and concrete monstrosity compared with the old structure next door, which was quite pleasant to transit through.

Secondly, I was subjected to questioning by two immigration officers and one customs official, which has never happened to me before (and I'€™ve been through the airport many times).

I was asked why I came there, was I working there, what my friend does, etc. I answered politely on each occasion.

On my return to Thailand, I ran into an acquaintance of mine who had been in Balikpapan a few months before and he said that several of his colleagues had been subjected to the same sort of interrogation on entry to Indonesia, not just Balikpapan.

Don'€™t the various government departments want expatriate expertise to come to the country and help in development?

Bernie Hodges
Songkhla, Thailand