Mega expansion plans for Changi Airport

Mega expansion plans for Changi Airport



Children at the viewing gallery of Terminal 1 of Changi Airport. Plans for Changi Airport's biggest expansion in more than three decades will be released next month. -- ST FILE PHOTO: SEAH KWANG PENG

Plans for Changi Airport's biggest expansion in more than three decades will be released next month.

The project includes the construction of Terminal 5 (T5) - the airport's biggest passenger facility - a third runway for commercial flights, cargo complexes and other supporting infrastructure.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is expected to unveil the plans during his National Day Rally speech, insiders said.

Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo, who leads a 10-member multi-agency committee that has been working on the blueprint for around 18 months, revealed few details when she met reporters yesterday.

~News courtesy of Straits Times~

Third taxi firm raising fares for Mercedes cabs

Third taxi firm raising fares for Mercedes cabs



Travelling in style is set to hit taxi commuters in the pocket after a round of sharp limo fare increases.

A third taxi operator will raise its price structure for Mercedes-Benz cabs next week, in line with two others that have done so since May.

With rides now costing around 30 per cent more than two months ago, some passengers are threatening to shun the limo services for cheaper options.

From next Wednesday, Premier Taxi - recognised by its silver cabs - will raise the flagdown rate of its Mercs from $3.90 to $4.50, while its distance and time rate will rise from 22 to 30 cents for every 400m and 45 seconds of waiting time.

~News courtesy of Straits Times~

Echoes of lost voices - Civilian War Memorial

Echoes of lost voices

The Memorial to the Civilian Victims of the Japanese Occupation, usually called the Civilian War Memorial (Chinese: 日本占领时期死难人民纪念碑; Malay: Tugu Peringatan Bagi Mangsa Awam Pemerintahan Jepun) is one of Singapore's most famous heritage landmarks.

Erected to remember the shared experiences and struggles of the major of races during World War II, the Civilian War Memorial is dedicated to all those who perished during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore between 15 February 1942 and 12 September 1945.

Located in the east of the Padang, you’ll see four pillars of similar size and structure that rise to more than 60 metres, symbolic of the shared suffering of Singapore’s four main ethnic groups – Malay, Chinese, Indian and Eurasian – and those who died and were buried there.

There is also a memorial service held here every year on 15 February to remember the victims of the war. Fondly referred to as “The Chopsticks”, the Civilian War Memorial stands tall in the Civic District, and makes for picture-perfect opportunities.

~Info courtesy of wikipedia and yoursingapore.com~

Two new taxi models for Singapore roads

Two new taxi models for Singapore roads



Two new models have joined Singapore's already bewildering array of taxis.

And both will cost commuters more in flagdown fares.

Trans-Cab, the country's second-largest operator, has ordered 500 turbodiesel Renault Latitudes - the first Renault cabs here. Its flagdown rate is $3.90, versus $3.20 for other normal cabs and as low as $3 for the older vehicles.

Premier Taxi, the third smallest player, has bought 50 Toyota Prius petrol-electric hybrids, which are a larger and newer variant of the Priuses used by Prime Taxis. The flagdown fare for this new environmentally friendlier taxi is $3.50.

~News courtesy of Straits Times~

New Johor terminal for Singapore-Malaysia express buses

New Johor terminal for Singapore-Malaysia express buses ready by year end



The new terminal, GP Sentral, situated along Jalan Gelang Patah-Kampong Ulu Choh, on the outskirts of Gelang Patah in Johor, is slated to open by the end of the year. (Photo: Alfred Chua)

The possibility of a centralised bus terminal here for Singapore-Malaysia express bus services is looking slim, even though some progress has been made across the Causeway.

Express Bus Agencies Association (EBAA), which represents 30 companies, told TODAY that a new centralised bus terminal, which it has invested in, is near completion at Gelang Patah in Johor.

The new terminal, GP Sentral, situated along Jalan Gelang Patah-Kampong Ulu Choh, on the outskirts of Gelang Patah, is slated to open by the end of the year. There is no traction yet for such a terminal in Singapore.

Replying to a question by Nominated Member of Parliament Teo Siong Seng in Parliament last week, Parliamentary Secretary (Transport) Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim said that projected demand for inter-city bus services "did not merit the provision of a centralised inter-city bus terminal".

Associate Professor Faishal said there was "little indication of growth in inter-city travel". "In fact, the number of inter-city bus licences this year has declined by 9 per cent," he noted.

"The existing approach where bus operators ride on existing infrastructure at various premises for their passenger boarding and alighting operations remains adequate to support the projected growth in demand."

He added that the Land Transport Authority will "continue to monitor the demand for inter-city bus services and, if necessary, review the need for a centralised bus terminal".

To the EBAA's Terminal Services Sub-Committee Chairman Sebastian Yap, it was disappointing that the authorities have not yet given the green light for such a project. His association had "waited quite a while for an official reply" on the issue, he said.

In 2004, the Urban Redevelopment Authority rejected a proposal to convert Turf City into a bus terminal. The Government then offered a plot of land near Turf Club in Kranji, but both sides were unable to agree on key points, like the terminal location.

In 2007, the association identified a site at Seah Im Road, off Telok Blangah Road, while shortlisting other possible locations at Victoria Street, Outram Park and Jurong East. The plans, however, failed to get off the ground. This led the EBAA to decide, in 2010, to invest in a new bus terminal in Johor.

The main terminal, which will have 15 bus bays, and a neighbouring petrol kiosk have been built. Nearby facilities will include eateries and retail shops, while the terminal will have a food court, money changers and a centralised ticketing counter, said the EBAA.

Mr Yap, who is also Executive Director at Transtar Travel, declined to comment on the costs involved.

The EBAA had envisioned the terminal to "be the first and the last stop for Singapore-Malaysia bus services".

In addition, the terminal will "cater to the Johor-Singapore market", taking passengers from the Malaysian state to various points in Singapore, a route now served by buses plying the Causeway, not the Second Link.

Mr Yap said this can help promote people taking day-trips into Singapore.

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~

Changi Airport unveils interactive garden

Changi Airport unveils interactive garden



Weary travellers can now relax in a new garden at Changi Airport's Terminal 2 Departure Transit Mall.

Called the Enchanted Garden, it boasts over 1,000 plants and 50 different species.

It is also the first garden in Changi Airport that provides an interactive experience with motion sensors triggering sounds of nature and blooming of mechanical flowers.

There is also a pond containing Archerfish and Koi.

And the main attraction are four giant glass bouquet sculptures decorated with stained-glass.

Ang Siew Min, Changi Airport Group's assistant vice-president (terminal operations - arrival), said: "We believe in the constant rejuvenation of all our facilities as well as offerings so as to enhance the overall Changi experience.

"As a matter of fact, Changi pioneered the introduction of gardens some 30 years ago. To date the gardens remain one of the most popular and endearing features amongst our passengers."

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~

Singapore HeritageFest returns

Singapore HeritageFest returns with more activities



Guides introduce various landmarks along the Seletar heritage trail.

Singaporeans are invited to share their memories as the Singapore HeritageFest returns for the tenth year.

This year, there are more than 20 programmes, many initiated by community groups.

Angelita Teo, director of Singapore HeritageFest 2013, said: "Last year we probably had about 10 activities. This year we have more than 20. I think it will grow with every year because every time when the festival ends, people realise that things that interest them have heritage value as well. We see this as the natural way for the festival to grow year after year.

"A lot of people actually approached us at the end of last year's festival, to come up with ideas and things that interest them about Singapore's heritage. We do work very closely with them. We work with schools like CHIJ, and we actually help them to curate an exhibition about how kueh-kuehs are made. We also work with individuals who have special interests like in art decor, sculptures and buildings around Singapore."

The National Heritage Board's annual signature festival takes place from 19 to 28 July, at 10 hubs.

Five lucky people will also get a chance to admire the Singapore skyline on private jets like the Diamond DA40, a light aircraft that can seat three passengers.

They will be introduced to the history and geography of certain landmarks and may even get a go at the aircraft controls.

It is part of a contest to share cherished memories.

Contest details will be announced on the festival website.

Even before the festival's launch, one highlight - the Seletar heritage trail - is already fully subscribed.

Ng Yeow Meng, managing director at WingsOverAsia, said: "Seletar has actually changed quite a bit in the short span of 10 years, and especially in the last five years. So we will like to take this opportunity to try and share, whether it is photographs, actual narratives from the people who used to live here and work here, and also through our youth group who is planning the itinerary. And as they learn about the past, they share all these experiences with the people of Singapore through the heritage festival."

Other activities include exhibitions on local magicians' performances over the years and the growth of Singapore’s literary scene.

This year's festival hopes to reach out to over one million visitors.

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~

Premier and TransCab will no longer accept Visa

Two more cab firms, Premier Taxi and TransCab, to no longer accept Visa

THE wrangle over credit card surcharges got worse yesterday, when Visa revealed that two more taxi companies will no longer be allowed to accept its cards.

Premier Taxi and TransCab have joined ComfortDelGro in refusing to budge on the 10 per cent extra that cab operators charge for credit and debit card payments.

While no date was given for Premier, TransCab said that Visa cards cannot be used in its taxis starting July 15, the same cut-off date for ComfortDelGro.

It was first reported in The Straits Times in March that Visa would be pulling out of ComfortDelGro cabs in the middle of the year.

~News courtesy of Straits Times~

Air quality to be in "good" range on Sunday

Air quality expected to be in "good" range on Sunday

The National Environment Agency said the 24-hour PSI for the next 24 hours is expected to be in the “good” range.

The 24-hour PM2.5 is expected to be slightly elevated.

All individuals can continue with normal activities.

For the next few days, low-level winds are forecast to vary between southwesterly and southerly.

Thundery showers are expected on Sunday morning.

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~

Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar

Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar, until 7 Aug
Nearest MRT: Paya Lebar (EW8 / CC9)

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri 2013!









Food stalls

The Westin hotel making comeback in Singapore

The Westin hotel making comeback in Singapore



The Westin hotel is making a comeback in Singapore after a 10-year absence.

Its owner Starwood Hotels and Resorts is aiming to double its footprint in Asia in the next three to five years.

The group has about 160 new hotels in the pipeline for Asia, one of them - The Westin Singapore - is due to open this November.

It is looking to fill 300 job vacancies, amid the tight labour situation.

Located within the new financial district in Marina Bay, the 305-room hotel will serve an increasing number of business and leisure travellers in the region.

Starwood is bullish about prospects ahead. Starwood runs 1,146 hotels and resorts across nine brands in nearly 100 countries. The group is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Chuck Abbott, regional vice president, Southeast Asia, at Starwood Hotels and Resorts, said: "The demand is going to continue to grow. We have obviously China and India, being the two largest countries in the world, Indonesia being the fourth largest, all within five or six hours (away from) Singapore.

“Right now in Asia we have over 230 hotels, I think 160 in development. We expect in the next three to five years, we will probably double our footprint from where we are today."

The Westin is making a comeback in Singapore after a 10-year absence, following the lapse of its management contract for The Westin Stamford and The Westin Plaza in 2002. Starwood said it has been scouting for a suitable location since and found one in Asia Square.

The hotel is holding a two-day recruitment drive starting from Tuesday to fill up to 300 positions, ranging from front office jobs to management associates.

The Westin expects most of these positions to go to Singaporeans.

As at 5pm on Tuesday, the hotel said its recruitment drive has already garnered close to 400 applicants.

Starwood said it will put in place more efficient work processes to overcome the labour crunch in the hospitality sector.

As the supply of hotel rooms increase in Singapore, analysts said it could put some pressure on occupancy rates, but they will still be at a healthy level at above 80 percent.

Alan Cheong, research head at Savills Singapore, said: "Overall this year, we will probably see between 2,600 and 2,800 rooms, next year we will see 4,600 rooms before tapering off in 2015 to 2,400 rooms, all in all it adds about 20 per cent to the room nights to the current stock."

Market watchers said some risks for the hotel sector include manpower shortage, which could compromise service quality, as well as the strong Singapore dollar, which affects the more budget-conscious travellers.

Last year, about 14 million international visitors came to Singapore, spending about S$23 billion.

Analysts said the tourism sector performance for the next two years should not stray too far from what has been achieved in 2012. Outlook remains bright, barring any unforeseen events.

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~

No Visa transactions for ComfortDelGro cabs from July 15

No Visa transactions for ComfortDelGro cabs from July 15



From July 15, commuters will no longer be able to use their Visa cards to pay for rides in ComfortDelGro taxis.

In an email to its cabbies, the taxi operator said it was informed by Visa that it can no longer charge an administrative fee.

Those who use credit and debit cards now pay 10 per cent extra, excluding goods and services tax. This, however, is a breach of contract terms, said Visa, which issued an ultimatum to Singapore's largest taxi operator to stop the surcharge, saying it would pull out otherwise.

ComfortDelGro told its cabbies that the fee is needed to invest in and maintain payment terminals and systems, as well as to pay bank fees and telco charges. The fee is also meant as compensation for drivers before they receive bank payments on the next working day.

The operator said it will replace the fleet's cashless window decal in the coming weeks and a placard will be issued to inform passengers of the changes. Visa had previously said only one per cent of rides in the operator's taxis are paid for with its cards.

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~

Food Festival @ Little India

Food Festival @ Little India



The Food Festival @Little India has been growing steadily over the years and has attracted hundreds of thousands of tourists from various parts of the world. Many have made July the ‘must visit Singapore month’ because of the festival.

http://www.irasingapore.org.sg/food-festival/

Hawkers beat Gordon Ramsay in local food challenge

S'pore hawkers beat Gordon Ramsay in local food challenge



It's official, Singapore’s hawkers have beat out Michelin-starred chef Gordon Ramsay in a much-talked about food challenge.

Ramsay however did win Singaporeans over with one dish -- Chili Crab!

That's according to 1,000 votes from members of the public who showed up at the culinary challenge.

Three of Singapore's most popular hawkers squared-off against Ramsay at Newton Food Centre.

Singaporeans started queuing as early as 1am the night before to get a chance to sample three local dishes -- Chicken Rice, Laksa and Chilli Crab.

Diners were then asked to vote for their preferred version of each dish.

Out of the three dishes, the hawkers won for Chicken Rice and Laksa.

The three hawkers were chosen to take on Ramsay through an online poll.

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~

Good air quality expected for Monday

Good air quality expected for Monday

The National Environment Agency says the 24-hour PSI is expected to be in the "Good" band for the next 24 hours.

The 24-hour PM2.5 however is expected to be slightly elevated.

The agency says the public can continue with normal activities.

Thundery showers are expected in the late morning and early afternoon.

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~

Air quality for Thursday expected to be good

Air quality for Thursday expected to be good

The National Environment Agency (NEA) said the 24-hour PSI for the next 24 hours is expected to be in the “good” range.

The 24-hr PM2.5 is expected to be slightly elevated.

NEA said all persons can continue with normal activities.

At 4pm on Wednesday, the 24-hour PSI reading was 27-35 and the 24-hour PM2.5 was 19-24. Both readings were in the “good” range.

For the next few days, low-level winds are expected to be southwesterly or southerly.

Thundery showers are forecast for Thursday morning.

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~

Zoo offers members of the public a peek behind-the-scenes

Zoo offers members of the public a peek behind-the-scenes

Ever wondered what a manatee eats? Or how zookeepers care for animals' teeth? On July 23, visitors will get the chance to have both of these questions answered.

As part of the Singapore Science Festival, the zoo is giving visitors a behind-the-scenes look at their operations. The tour will include a visit to the zoo's central kitchen, as well as the Wildlife Research and Healthcare Centre where visitors will learn about animal dentistry and medical care.

Since 2011, the zoo has worked with the Singapore Science Centre to open these tours to the public once a year, during the Festival.

There will one hour-sessions at 10am and 2pm. Tour groups will be between five and 30 people. Members of the public need to pre-register for the tour, which costs $18 for children and $25 for those 13 and above. To register, e-mail haniman.b@wrs.com.sg

～News courtesy of The Straits Times～

Visitor numbers return to pre-haze levels at Singapore Flyer

Visitor numbers return to pre-haze levels at Singapore Flyer



Visitor numbers at the Singapore Flyer have returned to pre-haze levels.

The giant observation wheel suspended operations temporarily for a few hours per day on June 20 and 21 when PSI levels reached above 300. It was done to protect employees, many of whom work outdoors.

Operations returned to normal on June 22 and with the PSI levels dipping over the past week, visitor numbers have since returned to pre-haze levels.

During the time when operations were scaled back, the food court operator at the tourist attraction made use of the time to clean up their stalls.

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~

PSI reading forecast to be in "good" range

PSI reading forecast to be in "good" range on Tuesday: NEA

The National Environment Agency (NEA) said the 24-hr PSI is expected to be in the high end of the “good” range of under 50 on Tuesday.

The 24-hr PM2.5 is expected to be slightly elevated.

Based on these forecasts, the health advisory is for all persons to continue with normal activities.

As at 5pm on Monday, both the 24-hr PSI reading and PM2.5 had stayed in the good range.

NEA said for the next few days, the low-level winds are forecast to be southwesterly.

Thundery showers are expected in the late morning and early afternoon.

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~