DENPASAR, Bali — Bali Governor Wayan Koster has praised tourists from Thailand for generally behaving well during their visits to the island, as the provincial government continues tightening oversight of foreign visitors who violate local laws and immigration regulations.
Koster made the remarks during a meeting with Thailand’s ambassador to Indonesia, Prapan Disyatat, at the governor’s official residence, Jayasabha, in Denpasar on Tuesday, November 10.
The governor said approximately 32,000 Thai tourists had visited Bali through October 2026, with arrivals projected to reach around 38,000 by the end of the year.
He described Thai visitors as generally orderly and said they had not caused notable problems during their stays on the island.
The remarks came as Bali continues promoting what officials call quality tourism, an approach aimed at attracting responsible visitors while strengthening enforcement against foreigners who break the rules.
Bali Tightens Oversight of Foreign Visitors
Koster said the provincial government was continuing efforts to make Bali’s tourism industry more sustainable, including closer monitoring of foreign visitors and stricter enforcement of existing regulations.
Foreign nationals who violate immigration requirements may face administrative measures, including deportation, while those suspected of criminal offenses are subject to Indonesia’s legal process.
His positive assessment of Thai tourists was presented as part of that broader discussion, rather than as a formal comparison of visitor behavior by nationality.
No comparative statistics on immigration violations or criminal cases involving different nationalities were presented alongside the remarks.
Thailand Eyes Closer Tourism and Healthcare Ties
Beyond tourist behavior, the meeting explored opportunities to strengthen cooperation between Bali and Thailand in tourism, waste management and healthcare.
Ambassador Disyatat expressed interest in improving direct flight connectivity between Thailand and Bali to encourage more travel between the two destinations.
He said more than 40,000 Thai nationals had visited Indonesia during 2025, highlighting the potential for closer tourism ties.
The two sides also discussed possible cooperation in waste-processing technology, an area of growing importance as Bali works to address its waste management challenges.
Koster outlined the province’s ongoing waste-to-energy project, which is being developed with Danantara Indonesia and Chinese company PT Weiming. The planned facility is expected to process up to 1,500 tonnes of waste per day once operational.
In healthcare, Thailand expressed interest in exploring cooperation at the Sanur Special Economic Zone, which is being developed as a medical tourism destination.
Potential collaboration in plastic surgery services was among the areas discussed.
The discussions reflected both sides’ interest in expanding ties beyond conventional tourism, although no binding agreements or implementation schedules were announced.
For Bali, the meeting highlighted an effort to balance growing international visitor numbers with stricter tourism oversight and opportunities for investment in other sectors.
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