Thought you guys might be interested in viewing this thread I started on the subject in JB.
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...ighlight=drugs
I'm thinking of visiting Indonesia while on a trip of SE Asia within the next two years. While I'm no lover of the Indonesian regime my wish to see the culture of this part of the world, its geology & Bali seem to outpassing any qualms I feel in this regard.
I've no idea whether the lady in question was guilty or not, I'd be lying if I did, though like some here as I've stated in my thread I feel many similar plights like hers have not got the similar public exposure & support because they weren't raving female beauties. Of course even if she's guilty I feel the sentence she got was out of proportion to the offence though of course we go have to remember the 'When in Rome' adage & respect the laws of lands we're visiting. No matter how peculiar, medieval & harsh they seem to us, visitors are very powerless to challenge & disobey age old systems without harsh regress. Nor do I now believe that marijuana is the harmless drug many believe it to be which I've pointed out in my thread & which has been reiterated in a 'Panorama' programme recently.
I'm not into drugs, I do not partake of them, carry or push them but when I visit SE Asia I will be taking extra precautions with my luggage, infact it's likely I will be going out & buying a whole new hard set, luggage straps & all nor will I be travelling there via the US which has an open suitcase policy. Having drugs planted on you I believe is the main danger, while I'm sure it's rare I've no doubt it does happen & that there are innocent people languishing in SE Asian hell holes because of this.
As a pax, as someone has stated, I do not believe an FA's duty (or that it is professional for them) is to ram their beliefs & advice down my throat while I'm a captive audience on their aircraft however well intended. I'm sure most pax have the maturity & judgement to make up their own minds on this issue. As many of quite rightly said if tourism is boycotted there, it will be the innocent struggling to make a decent livelihood who will suffer, not the corrupt regime or those who impose the law of the land.