foxnomad.com/2014/09/25/misconceptions-singapores-clean-utopia/ The best known of the laws is probably Singapore`s chewing gum law. Chewing gum is totally banned in Singapore. This includes selling chewing gum, importing or importing chewing gum into Singapore, and spitting it out is the worst crime of all. Having lived here all my life, I may have become accustomed to the lifestyle that I don`t even find most laws unusual, but certainly interesting to see what others think of this small island town. 🙂 Smoking before the age of 18 is a criminal offence in Singapore. One of Singapore`s most important laws for tourists is that smoking in Singapore is only allowed in designated smoking areas, with smokers subject to a total of $200 if caught smoking in prohibited places, or up to $1,000 if convicted in court. Wow, hard for travelers desperately looking for the free wifi they can find! Connecting to someone`s unsecured Wi-Fi in Singapore is considered a hack and can result in heavy penalties. Certainly not?! Singapore can be a fascinating place to visit, explore, experience and learn, but those who are new to the region should make sure to familiarize themselves with local laws and regulations. These laws can impede newcomers` ability to adapt to residents and avoid unintentional violations of laws that can result in fines or other penalties. Singapore`s authorities and local people take their laws and regulations very seriously, but the result is a clean and pleasant city for people around the world.
Check out this list, then enjoy your time in Singapore and all that the city has to offer. Here`s what every newcomer to Singapore should know about the laws and expected behavior upon arrival. · Possible jail time, caning or fines for sexual crimes or sexually inappropriate behavior. Modest and undesirable behaviour, including inappropriate comments, messages or photos towards women who find it offensive, can result in fines and imprisonment (“insulting the woman`s modesty”). When it comes to unwanted physical contact of any kind (“indecent exposure”, harassment), the laws are gender-neutral and penalties are generally harsher. Just a caveat: We love Singapore and know that MANY countries have crazy laws that may not make much sense for international travelers. Did you know, for example, that it is illegal to possess more than 50 kilos of potatoes in Western Australia? These are just a few observations that we think would be useful to other travellers. Hi Su, I think you may have missed the point of this article. We don`t think Singapore is crazy, we really liked Singapore and we often say it on our blog. However, some laws in Singapore (like chewing gum or singing in public) are not considered illegal in other countries, and you could easily get into trouble in Singapore if you don`t know this rule.
We say that everyone should respect and comply with the laws of Singapore when they are in the country and try to help others become aware of things they may not know. However, some of these rules are a bit extreme and crazy and that`s all we mean by the title of this article. In fact, it`s important to understand Singapore`s laws before you go there. This can get quite difficult in some cases. Do not take durians to public buildings, subway, bus, etc. Don`t hug anyone without permission. And so on. Nevertheless, at noon, I saw a group of pedestrians in Chinatown – obviously, there were no police around 🙂. Every time I land in Singapore, there is always a reference to the death penalty for drugs on landing. I had no idea I was flushing! This is new to my ears.
But overall, Singapore is extremely clean and safe, I would never think of breaking any of these rules, even in London (well, maybe jaywalking, but locals understand it like New Yorkers :D). When I lived there, it didn`t really make a difference, but all the travelers asked me about the rules and they are indeed true. Another rule is what you can and can not put on the MRI (transport system) durian fruit is forbidden and you can get fined, but things smell, the hotel where I worked also banned it to guests who were taken to the hotel, you can still feel it from the check-in counter, So a good rule indeed! 🙂 Literal. While this is probably one of Singapore`s least enforceable laws, public toilets should be rinsed. The $500 fine could also help you get rid of your OCD in the bathroom, or you can just learn how to flush the toilet. It`s funny, just this morning I complained that Australia had too many laws and then I read laws on poop. Yes. I don`t feel so bored anymore. Before visiting a country, it`s important to learn about laws and regulations so you know what to expect. Here are some important laws of Singapore for tourists: One of the most important laws of Singapore for tourists concerns Airbnb in Singapore. There are no laws preventing guests from staying in Airbnb listings in Singapore, but there are laws and penalties for landlords – which stipulate that renting a property must last at least 6 months (for apartments) or 3 months (for private properties such as houses). While some of these sanctions seem a bit harsh and in many ways a bit strange, I have to respect their efforts to create a better place to live, these laws are not exactly difficult things to comply with if you have some respect, and are things that are so often posted here in the UK.
that sometimes you feel like you`re living in a landfill. This can bring down the whole place and create a culture of disrespect instead. While alcohol is not completely banned like many other types of drugs, those coming to Singapore should make sure they fully understand the laws surrounding the sale 🙂 and consumption of alcohol throughout the city. Alcohol cannot be sold in different places after 22:30 without special permission. Similarly, it cannot be consumed in public after 22:30 without special authorization. In other words, those who want to enjoy a night on the town need to make sure they understand where they can and can`t enjoy their favorite adult drinks so they can plan accordingly and not break the laws. While Singapore is one of the safest and cleanest places in Asia and often a highlight for families traveling with young children, they also have some very strange and very specific laws that could get you in trouble if you don`t know about them. The vehicles of departing passengers can be thoroughly checked. Fingerprints can be scanned at border crossing points.
Singapore, sometimes referred to as the Beautiful City, has a reputation for having strict laws and regulations that are partly responsible for keeping the streets clean. But don`t be put off by the Singaporean authorities` penchant for order – the city-state is a remarkable place to visit as long as you`re respectful and make sure you avoid these things. Certainly the worst of all laws in Singapore, male homosexuality is illegal and includes everything from sex with a member of the same sex to holding hands and kissing or hugging in public. Surprisingly, the wording of the laws only specifies male homosexuality, so I`m not sure what that means for women? However, there is a movement developing, with people actively trying to overturn this law, but at the moment, unfortunately, it is still in force. I think that more than the laws (apart from the chewing gum laws), outsiders also find the penalties unusual. As for the, maybe it`s the men`s toilet that`s causing all the problems. There are always rumours and stories about fines, jail sentences, and death sentences in Singapore that might deter travelers, so it was worth reading this article. I was not sure that they had abolished the Chewing Gum Act in 2004.
I still really enjoyed my two visits to Singapore and found that the strict laws only made me feel safer. However, jaywalking laws are well enforced in Singapore. Police often (secretly) monitor random border crossings and impose $15 fines on first-time offenders.