Wanna dress your hair, Mister?

KUTA, Bali: There is new nuisance that foreign tourists in this seaside resort have to bear: ubiquitous people who dog and offer holidaymakers hairdressing for money.

So far, local tourist authorities have been flooded with complaints from tourists about beggars and hawkers who offer anything from food to souvenirs.

Chief of the Bali branch of the Association of Hotel and Restaurant Owners Tommy Raka Afcia, who assumed office only on Tuesday, said he has already been overwhelmed by the complaints.

"A foreign tourist has claimed that she had been ripped off by a wandering hairdresser who demanded several hundred thousand rupiah for the service," he was quoted by Antara yesterday.

Amateurish hairdressers, mostly housewives, usually ask for between Rp 10,000 (US$4) and Rp 25,000 for their services. The trouble begins when more than one hairdresser styles a person's hair and all demand money. (pan)