| features Balinese language culture,
music, drama, Balinese ceremonies, local events and news. |
| Dede reloads the garage
bar fridge after a new beer delivery. Currently a large bottle costs A$1.16
if bought by the crate from Bintang Brewery. |
 |
| Bintang Beer is a locally brewed
version of Heineken, a pilsner-style lager at 5% alcohol. |
|
|
Kuta
Bomb Hoax
|
| Aug 31: Police evacuated the
Kuta Paradiso Hotel while bomb squad officers removed a device containing
a timing device, batteries, charcoal powder but no explosive materials.
Both President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Bali's Police Chief Pastika
have called on the public to increase their security awareness. |
|
Random
Urine Tests
|
| Sept 4: The head of the Bali
Anti-Narcotics squad, Bambang Sugiarto, denied Australian press |
|
| reports that visitors
in local pubs and night spots would be subjected to random urine tests.
While regular surprise visits on local nights spots checking for illegal
drug possession as part of a general crack down on narcotics in Bali will
continue, urine testing would be reserved for people suspected of illicit
drug use. |
|
Airport
Arrest
|
| Aug 26: Bali's Airport Police,
acting on a tip from Jakarta, apprehended an Iranian man as he was waiting
to board a Garuda Indonesia flight to New Zealand using a falsified French
passport. The fake passport ring traces back to a syndicate in Bangkok
where the arrested Iranian obtained the illegal passport for around US$1000,
before travelling overland to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore and taking a ferry
to Batam, Island Indonesia. |
|
Bali
Airport Parking Hike
|
 |
|
Bali Airport Parking
|
|
|
| Bali's airport,
has introduced a progressive parking fee structure effective from September
1, 2005 |
|
| The higher parking costs will, only
be felt by people who leave their vehicles parked for more than one hour. |
|
New Parking Rates
|
Time
|
M'Bike
|
Car
|
Bus
|
|
1 hr
|
500Rp
|
2,000Rp
|
4,000Rp
|
|
1-5hr
|
1,000Rp
|
4,000Rp
|
8,000Rp
|
|
5-12hr
|
3,000Rp
|
10,000Rp
|
15,000Rp
|
|
!2hr+
|
5,000Rp
|
20,000Rp
|
30,000Rp
|
|
|
|
VOA
Take - Down 30%
|
| Bali received a
record number of tourists in August 2005 - The authorities hailing the
success of the Visa on Arrival (VOA) changes, however they were in for
a big shock when they finally tallied the accounts. It appears more people
are staying for a shorter period and opting for the new 1 week (previously
3 day) $10 US VOA, resulting in a loss of US$910,000 a decrease of
just over 30%. This is a gloomy picture not only for the revenue collectors
but for hotels and restaurants who are wondering where their patrons are,
when record arrival figures are being posted. |
|
| x |
Jul
|
Aug |
x |
| Arrivals |
158
|
157
|
-1% |
| $25 VOA |
123
|
58
|
-53% |
| $10 VOA |
2.6
|
70
|
2524% |
| Free/Pre-visa |
32
|
29
|
-10% |
| VOA Revenue |
$2.9M |
$2M |
-30% |
|
|
Bali
Cans Geo-power
|
| A formal decision by Bali's provincial
parliament rejecting the planned operation of a geothermal power generation
project by Bali Energy Limited (BEL) has put the future of the Bedugul-based
power plant in serious jeopardy. In recent months, various religious, environmental
and community groups have vociferously stated their opposition to the project
leading to the most recent rejection of the project by the Bali's local
parliament. |
| The Bedugul project is located about
60 kilometres northwest of Denpasar where geothermal energy potential has
been explored by BEL, a joint venture company formed with local investors
and California Energy and a joint-operating contract with the State Energy
Company Pertamina and the National Electricity Board (PLN). Preliminary
work on the F |
|
|
Coward
