Yesterday, authorities escorted a British tourist to a mental hospital in Bangli regency after he reportedly caused quite a scene at multiple health clinics located in Ubud because he was allegedly unable to pay for his medical bills.
“He wasn’t able to pay and he’s depressed,” Ubud Police Chief, Police Commissioner Nyoman Nuriana, told Detik.
According to reports, the whole thing really began last Thursday, when the 28-year-old tourist, who has been identified by his initials AJG, went in to get some injuries on his legs treated at a clinic in Ubud called Toya Clinic.
He was charged IDR 1.8 million (USD 128) for the treatment, but apparently did not bring any money with him. So he left his phone with the clinic as collateral. Though the clinic’s staff reportedly told him that he didn’t have to pay if he didn’t have any money, AJG had insisted.
“He returned later that same afternoon to Toya Clinic with IDR 200,000 (USD 14), which he said was worth IDR 2 million, when he had to pay IDR 1.8 million. The clinic’s staff then returned his phone back to him,” Nuriana said.
You’d think that would’ve been the end of the matter, but AJG returned to Toya Clinic yesterday afternoon, suddenly demanding his passport back.
Apparently, AJG went in to another nearby clinic, Unicare Clinic, the day before, and he gave his passport as collateral because he was unable to pay for his medical bills there as well.
“[AJG] was unable to pay, so he left his passport [with Unicare Clinic] as collateral. The clinic did not want to accept it and told him that he didn’t have to pay if he didn’t have any money. But [AJG] insisted on handing over his passport and said he would return to make the payment,” Nuriani explained.
As no one at Toya Clinic had his passport, AJG began to yell and act out, which led the clinic’s staff to call the Ubud police. Nuriana also said that AJG inflicted injuries on himself at some point.
According to a report from IDN Times, AJG also went out to the street during his tantrum and even flung around a wooden board he’d randomly found to scare others. He was stopped once officers from Gianyar regency’s Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) arrived.
Police reportedly brought to Bangli Mental Hospital to receive treatment for the time being. Authorities have reached out to the British Consulate to take care of the matter.
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