Areas populated exclusively by foreign tourists are starting to appear in Bali.
Among them are an area known as the Russian village in South Kuta District and an enclave for foreigners in Ubud.
According to the Badung Foreigners Monitoring Team (Timpora), a group of Russian foreigners rented an inn in South Kuta and built a kind of foreign tourist village there. The same has also been reported by the head of the neighbourhood in the Benoa Village.
“There are indications of that. Based on the information given, they are renting the inn to stay. They are not displaced. We have been investigating this with immigration,” said the Head of Timpora Badung I Nyoman Suwendi as quoted from detikBali.
Currently, Timpora Badung is said to be still collecting evidence by tracing the foreigner’s residence.
As well as renting one inn with their group, the Russian tourists are also suspected of disturbing the comfort of local residents because they act like they are in their own country, including having jobs that should be reserved for local residents.
“In order to anticipate actions that violate the rules, we need time to check the field,” said the Head of the Badung National Unity and Political Agency (Kesbangpol).
Meanwhile, Deputy Governor of Bali Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardhana Sukawati, aka Cok Ace, said that there was also an exclusive village that seemed to be controlled by a certain group of foreigners in Ubud.
“There are so many foreigners from certain countries. In fact, some call it the village of their country, such as the Russian village, because it is exclusive and closed. We don’t know what happened within the walls of the area they built,” he said.
Cok Ace also highlighted the negative behaviour of foreign tourists, such as reckless riding of motorbikes on the street, riding with three on a bike, and wearing underwear in public. According to him, the foreigner’s actions are disturbing the comfort of the Balinese people.
“In the last few months, the peace and comfort of the Balinese people, including tourists to Bali, have been somewhat disturbed by the actions of foreign tourists from certain countries,” said Cok Ace, who is also the aristocrat of Puri Ubud (Royal Palace Ubud).
Cok Ace also revealed an example of foreigners who had conflicts with the community and the police officers.
“They have conflicts with the community, with the police, even with fellow tourists. A few days ago, there were foreign tourists who quarrelled with their own friends,” he said.
Not only that, Cok Ace highlighted foreigners who are using Bali to run illegal businesses, such as spas and motorbike training centres. For this reason, this problem is a priority for the government to regulate it.
“It is also our priority to control foreign tourists in Ubud. This control concerns issues of guidance, legal action of a criminal offence, and even deportation,” he said.