Faced with overtourism, is Bali becoming a paradise lost?

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However, Bali wants to have more customers to make up for lost time, and lost hospitality receipts, when the crisis laid waste to its business. In 2021, just 51 international travellers visited the island, compared with 6.3 million in 2019.

Last season, that amount was near to 5.3 million, exceeding the goal of 4.5 million. This time, Indonesia’s Tourism and Creative Economy Minister, Sandiaga Uno, has raised the standard to seven million, cited Bali tourism key Tjok Bagus Pemayun.

” That’s rather high”, Tjok told the project Insight. ” Finally, we can reach the target because many airlines have added planes to Bali”.

Cement CANGGU

The influx of tourists is not just giving rise to occurrences of misbehaviour, yet. It is putting a burden on tools and tarnishing Bali’s picture because of prevalent development, overcrowding and chaos.

WATCH: Bali’s love- hate relationship with tourism on Indonesian island paradise ( 46: 24 )

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‘We can’t just forget about them’: Pain of loss haunts families of missing MH370 passengers

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He woke up in the morning and headed for the airport. When he arrived, her flight information was not displayed. The Malaysia Airlines staff there “didn’t have any information on … what time the flight was coming in” either.

“I was already feeling a bit apprehensive that something had gone wrong. Then I sat there, by which time I was already very emotional because …,” he trailed off.

It has been 10 years since MH370 vanished into thin air. It is still one of the world’s most baffling mysteries after the largest, most expensive search in aviation history.

On board the aircraft were 227 passengers and 12 crew members, from 14 countries. For their family members, the pain of loss persists.

Can they find closure? Will the missing plane ever be found? These questions, and more, are covered in the documentary MH370: A Decade On, which airs tomorrow. (Watch it on CNA at 9pm.)

VARIOUS THEORIES, FRUSTRATION FOR FAMILIES

One of the earliest theories about the missing plane was that it was the work of terrorists, as two Iranian passengers were found to be travelling on stolen European passports.

While this theory was debunked, more conspiracies emerged. One conspiracy suggested the plane had flown towards a restricted American military base on the island of Diego Garcia and was shot down.

Others believe hostile parties had targeted the plane, intent on preventing a cargo of sensitive electronic equipment from reaching its destination.

Aerospace expert Jean-Luc Marchand and pilot Patrick Blelly have since combined their technical and operational backgrounds to try to make sense of the disappearance from the facts available and more accurately depict the events that led up to it.

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On the Thai island of Phuket, sun, sea and Russians making waves

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According to the Centre for Macroeconomic Analysis and Short-Term Forecasting, a Moscow-based think-tank, Russia saw a record nett outflow of US$239 billion in 2022 alone, four times the outflow in 2021.

In this flight of capital to investment opportunities outside the Russian economy, which has been hobbled by sanctions, Phuket has “emerged as one of the target destinations”, said Phuket Real Estate Association general secretary and vice-president Phattanan Phisutvimol.

“The luxury sector boom is astonishing. About 4,000 units of luxury villas are being developed in Phuket this year, which is a lot, as the number doesn’t include luxury condominiums.”

The top five foreign investors in property on Phuket are the Chinese, Russians, Americans, Germans and other Europeans, he cited. In 2022, Russians were the largest group of foreign buyers in terms of condominium transfers, reported the Bangkok Post.

WATCH: Thailand’s ‘Little Russia’ — Why rich tourists are rushing to buy Phuket’s luxury houses (8:26)

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As both US, China de-risk, this is how India, Indonesia stand to gain

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Setting up shop now in Indonesia is BYD, which joins fellow Chinese EV maker Wuling, while US company Tesla continues its investment discussion with the Indonesian government.

In the foreseeable future, nickel could be processed in Indonesia by Chinese companies, then assembled into EV batteries by South Korean and, potentially, Australian firms there, for cars made in Indonesia by American and Chinese manufacturers.

In a world grappling with geopolitical tensions, Jakarta sees such global partnerships as the way forward.

“We should avoid a concentration of the supply chain (in the hands of) one single party. But I think in an effort to diversify the supply chain, … we can’t just say, ‘Oh, I don’t want China,’” said Septian.

“Western countries would be 10 to 15 years behind … Chinese technology in terms of the nickel processing, so we can’t exclude.

“We can have co-operation that’s beneficial and mutual for every party, because … no single country, even no single region, can fulfil all the critical minerals that we need for this energy transition.”

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The China-US factor (and other issues) in Taiwan’s polls, and why it weighs on voters

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Wang explains,” This is because Ko is fairly simple. ” From the typical stereotypes of a political character, he’s quite different from other social characteristics.”

The main point is that Ko’s mannerisms and likeability are admired by some young people. ”

Many voters also have private issues on their thoughts, particularly in light of Taiwan’s weak economy. For instance, they are dealing with an increase in the cost of living.

Taiwan’s inflation rate is comparatively low by international standards, but the 2. The island’s price increase of 95 % in 2022 was the highest since 2008. Lately, rates increased by 3. 5 % in October, a 15-month increase.

According to Kristy Hsu, director of the Taiwan Asean Studies Centre at the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research,” the government attempted to manage the price ( of ) public utilities ( as ) the majority of public utility companies are state-owned.”

” For instance, we’ve frozen the price of gas and electricity, which helped stabilize the prices. “”

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In South Korea, narrow pathways to success are leaving its youth in a rut. What can be done?

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“Some parents walk past the cleaners and tell their children that if (they) don’t study hard, (they’re) going to be like that,” she said. “Nobody should be treated in that way.”

Youths can drive change by making their voices heard in the political arena, said Ko and Eun. They pointed out that the country’s legislative body, the National Assembly, is mostly made up of people above the age of 50.

According to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, which provides data on parliaments round the world, the average age of National Assembly members is 54.9. Less than one in five are women.

With greater sociopolitical participation, “the policies that young people need are created”, Eun said.

MAYBE NOT A FLAT BUT A ‘VILLA’

In the meantime, the youths CNA Insider spoke to are tapping existing government resources and digging deep.

Seoul resident Park Jong-min, 30, wants to create a better future through web programming, after enduring a tough childhood and overcoming a gaming addiction.

His mother left when he was a year old, and he and his father moved when the latter had new partners. His father also had a drinking problem, and Park Jong-min left home at age 16, taking shelter in a temporary youth care centre, then his cousin’s house.

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Hong Kong’s teacher exodus: Is its national security law the reason?

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A FEWER Kids ARE” Sweet LANDING” MAKER?

What does the education industry in Hong Kong’s future keep, then? Some partners claim that there are causes for optimism or at least some breathing room.

Due to the immigration storm and Hong Kong’s declining fertility rate, which stood at 0.772 birth per person in 2021, there has been a decrease in student enrollment along with the increased withdrawal of teachers.

Because fewer educators are needed these days, the government has been able to address the so-called teacher shortage problem thanks to the somewhat large-scale exodus of students from the local schools, according to Cheung. He continued,” The teacher-student amount has also increased.”

According to Ip, the Education Bureau” promotes class mergers and the closure of some colleges” that don’t draw pupils. A shake-out of the business is not a bad point in my opinion, she said.

A free-market sector can be found in Hong Kong. We adhere to the principle of survival of the fittest. We shouldn’t( be) maintaining schools solely to give teachers and headmasters work, in my opinion.

Principal Chow Kim-Ho has adapted to the alterations at Tsuen Wan Trade Association Primary School. Although it” can be difficult” to lead a group of less experienced educators, they are” best” in terms of power levels.

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All out of love in China? Why young Chinese aren’t marrying and what can be done about it

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In general, she said, a man may claim that he doesn’t need an attractive or wealthy lady when looking for his partner in the matchmaking market, but instead is truly picky.

He is searching for someone who makes a good first impression, and at this point, he is becoming more picky.

According to Qian, one reason girls might accept a man is” because he doesn’t match their height requirements.” Girls place a high price on top and frequently favor men who are at least 1.7 meters high.

Although they may seem simplistic, these registration” requirements” are a part of China’s evolving perspective on love and marriage.

China’s cultural conservatism is at odds with years of female empowerment, which has led to a mismatch between what men and women want in marriage.

” China has made a very quick transition from traditional to modern beliefs.” We’ve only seen this happening for 20 to 30 years, according to Nanjing University psychologist Zhu Hong. Another nations and regions perhaps have taken 50 or 100 times.

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China’s unemployed youths: ‘Hit in the face’ by property crisis, outcompeted by those with master's degrees

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Rising children poverty may endanger China’s social and political stability beyond the website expression of unhappiness. & nbsp,

The youth unemployment rate in China, at 21.3 percent, is just below the 23.4 % in the Muslim region in 2010, according to observers.

According to Zhang, a professor at CUHK, great children employment was” one of the factors contributing to the Arab Spring” and was referencing the rebellion that took place in the Middle East and North Africa in 2010 and 2011. & nbsp,

Children unemployment and social problems like substance abuse and violence even have” strong links.” He claimed that it costs society a lot of money and goes beyond the younger individuals themselves.

Additionally, there are effects on China’s business. & nbsp,

Being out of work for an extended period of time has a” scarring result.” After a protracted period of poverty, their knowledge might become obsolete, which will have an impact on the future, according to Zhang. In addition, & nbsp,

Yet with 10 or 15 years of work experience, their money won’t be able to return to normal.

According to Louise Loo, a China economist with Oxford Economics, children make up about 20 % of China’s use. She claimed that” a big ( source) of consumption is out of the workforce.” Therefore, that does have an impact on how much consumption can be a factor in growth over the long term. & nbsp,

The government has implemented a number of initiatives to increase children work. Provinces of Anhui and Guizhou have requested that state-owned businesses make sure that at least half of their new recruits are recent grads, according to South China Morning Post, a news source.

Graduate selection has been included in the yearly performance evaluations for executives at state companies in Hunan province, according to the report.

To” automatically clear” youth unemployment, the province of Henan developed a 100-day program from May to August. According to Reuters, measures included encouraging work in public institutions and state-owned businesses, following degrees, and grassroots or rural employment initiatives.

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‘Save us from this curse’: Villagers fear eviction as Indonesia’s new capital Nusantara takes form

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To this end, the authorities are “training, upskilling and reskilling” people in fields such as coding and renewable energy.

“I don’t want them … just watching (the transformation),” said Bambang, who is trained in engineering and infrastructure planning. “I want them to be part of (it).”

As for the social fabric, he felt that conflicts between locals and migrants were “very minimal” now, and he would like to maintain that state of harmony. Many of the migrants have been there for generations, he added.

Disparities must be addressed to avoid potential conflicts, observers noted.

Feelings of “injustice” in indigenous communities may later be reflected in hatred towards migrants, said Siwage Dharma Negara, a senior fellow and co-coordinator of the Indonesia Studies Programme at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.

Ethnic tensions have boiled over before. Violence between the Madurese — originally from Madura Island off the coast of Java — and Dayaks in Central Kalimantan in 2001 resulted in hundreds of deaths.

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