Queue, queue, queue...what will you be queuing for?

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Crowds show up early at Istana, as main building reopens to public since start of Covid-19 pandemic​

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Visitors pose for a photograph at the Istana Open House on May 7, 2022. ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN
Bryan Cheong


MAY 7, 2022, 4:28 PM SGT

SINGAPORE - A queue formed outside the Istana early Saturday morning (May 7), even before it opened its gates for an open house to mark the Labour Day and Hari Raya Aidilfitri public holidays.
For the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic two years ago, visitors were able to enter the Istana's main building.
Since open house events resumed last August, visitors have been able to visit only the Istana's outdoor gardens.
Among the early birds was Mr Lin Guo Rong, 38, who showed up with his family and friends.

Army trainer Mr Lin Guo Rong (back row, right) with his family and friends waiting in line on May 7, 2022. ST PHOTO: BRYAN CHEONG
"The last time I visited was eight years ago," said the army trainer.
"So when we heard that the Istana's main building would be reopened, the 20 of us decided to come together, to look around, and see what has changed over the years."
There were 8,146 visitors at the open house, and 3,299 visitors at the main building.

Visitors to the main building were able to tour selected function rooms and view the collection of state gifts as well as room set-ups for state events.
At the event, President Halimah Yacob interacted with students from the pre-schools and student care centres run by the Persatuan Pemudi Islam Singapura (Singapore Muslim Women's Association), as well as volunteers from St John's Ambulance Brigade and Singtel.

President Halimah Yacob tours the Inclusive Garden at the Istana Open House on May 7, 2022. ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN
Madam Halimah also had her first meet-and-greet session with members of the public since the start of the pandemic.


Throughout the day, visitors were seen strolling and relaxing in the outdoor spaces and gardens.
Many also took photos with their loved ones in front of the Istana main building.
For Madam Zoe Ooi, 54, and her friends, it was their first time at the Istana.

Accounting employee Madam Zoe Ooi with her friends at the lawn area outside the main building. ST PHOTO: BRYAN CHEONG
"We were not sure what to expect," said Madam Ooi, who works in accounting.
"We wanted to see what's inside the main building, and also have a good time."
Visitors had to abide by the prevailing Covid-19 measures, including wearing masks at all times when indoors.
There were no live performances, tours or food trucks at the open house.
But there were merchandise booths selling limited-edition Istana and President's Challenge souvenirs.


All proceeds will go towards charities supported by the President's Challenge.
Ms Marie Pang, 21, was there with her grandparents, who last visited the Istana grounds 20 years ago.
"They were so excited to be able to visit the Istana again, and were especially thrilled to look at the collection of state gifts," said the student.
"I think the wait was worth it, and it was heartwarming to see them enjoy themselves."

 

[Pinkieslut]

Istana got serve curry chicken and prata for free?

 

[red amoeba]

when can we see this glorious scene again?

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Istana got serve curry chicken and prata for free?

Prata was when Mr. Pratanathan was President.

Now is nasi briyani. Halimah Yacob said: "If not chicken (because of supply disruption), can eat fish." Fish briyani also sedap.

 

[Scrooball (clone)]

Took me 10 secs to buy Toto via the app.

 

[blackmondy]

Many dumb sinkies just love queuing up for useless things and events.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

At least six weeks’ wait for new Singapore passports, with more than 7,000 applications daily​

Singaporeans who apply for a new passport will now have to wait for at least six weeks. PHOTO: ST FILE
Jessie Lim and Isabelle Liew


MAY 11, 2022,

SINGAPORE - Singaporeans who apply for a new passport will now have to wait for at least six weeks, according to the latest update from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).
In response to queries from The Straits Times, ICA said on Wednesday night (May 11) that the number of passport applications has increased to more than 7,000 a day, compared with 2,000 daily before the Covid-19 pandemic.
The highest number of passport applications it received in a single day recently was 14,000.
ICA said: “Since the easing of travel measures, there has been overwhelming demand for passports.
“It could take even longer if there is a greater surge in the number of applications or there are issues with the application, such as (if) the photograph submitted does not meet the requirements.”
Many people who submitted their passport applications from mid-March to April have been heading down to the ICA Building in Lavender since Monday (May 9), leading to snaking queues.
In April, the estimated waiting time for a new passport was at least a month.

​

When The Straits Times visited the ICA Building on Tuesday afternoon, there was a queue of about 25 people outside at about 3pm. Those interviewed upon leaving said the line in the building was about 300 people long.
A retired insurance manager, who wanted to be known only as Madam Lee, 65, left disappointed as she was told her passport was still being printed even though she had submitted her passport application on April 11. She had planned to drive to her home in Johor Bahru on April 5 but had misplaced her passport.
Last Friday, she waited for six hours at ICA only to be told her passport photo was rejected. She submitted a new photo online on Saturday.


"I have to go to JB as soon as possible. My neighbours told me my landed home there suffered water damage and the roof caved in."
But Mr Kumar, 33, who goes by one name, got his passport on Tuesday after showing proof of travel. The surveyor had submitted his passport application on April 1.
"I decided to walk in and ask them to expedite my passport as I'm flying to Nepal for work on May 25," he said.
There was a queue when he arrived at 7.30am, and he collected his passport around 4pm.

People queueing to enter ICA Building on May 11, 2022. ST PHOTO: ONG WEE JIN
Others who made appointments and were at ICA on Tuesday said they had applied for new passports in mid- to end-March, but there were no available collection slots until May.
Teacher He Chang Jing, 38, said he received an e-mail on April 8 informing him that his passport was ready for collection, after applying on March 20.
"I was able to book an appointment in May, but I collected it within 30 minutes," he said.
Mr Sebastian Goh, a manager who is waiting for his passport to be renewed before his family flies to Bangkok on May 27, added: "The delay cannot be helped. There are one million passports expiring and everyone has their urgent reasons - whether it is leisure, work, or family - to travel out of Singapore."
The surge in passport renewals comes as travel demand continues to rise.
On Monday, The Straits Times reported that airlines have raised their fares by between 20 per cent and 80 per cent, fuelled by pent-up demand and school holidays that start on May 28.
In late March, ICA had advised Singaporeans who have plans to travel in the next few months and need to renew their passports to do so early via its website. The application fee is $70.
When ready, applicants can make an appointment to collect their passports at any of the 27 designated post offices, or at the ICA Building.
ICA noted that there are still many appointment slots available at the post offices for passport collection.

A notice on the ICA website said: "Due to overwhelming passport applications, please expect a longer processing time of at least six weeks." PHOTO: SCREENGRAB OF ICA WEBSITE
On Tuesday, some people who turned up at the ICA Building at 4.30pm or later were turned away as they did not have a prior appointment.
Among them was Mr Delvin Lim, 27, who submitted his application in early April.
"I called ICA many times. Someone finally answered (on Tuesday) and said I could come down," said Mr Lim, who runs an online business.
He had bought bus tickets to Kuala Lumpur for Thursday, where he will visit his ancestor's tomb with his family.
"It is frustrating as it's cutting so close," he added.
ICA said it understands that many Singaporeans are eager to start travelling again, especially during the coming June school holidays.
It added: “We are doing our best to handle the high demand and our officers are working longer hours during this period.”
More passport counters have been made available on other floors in the ICA Building.
ICA said: “We have also set up additional queue areas and conducted triaging to direct members of public to the right location. They are advised to follow the signage placed on site and instructions given by officers.”

Dr Michael Chiam, a senior tourism lecturer at Ngee Ann Polytechnic, said that the longer waiting time could be due to a snowball effect, as more Singaporeans see others renewing their passports.
He said: "They jump onto the bandwagon to do the same. With the further relaxation of border controls, this could have escalated the momentum."
Mr Aaron Wong, 34, who runs travel website The MileLion, added that the scrapping of the previous Vaccinated Travel Lane arrangement and the impending start of the school holidays has likely played a part in spurring travel demand.
Dr Chiam advised travellers to buy tickets only when they have a valid passport.
He said: "Those willing to take the risk should at least purchase airline tickets that allow the flexibility of a change in dates."
ICA said Singaporeans need not renew their passports now if they are in Singapore and do not have plans to travel for the next six months.
“The Singapore passport is not a mandatory identity document, and there is no penalty for not renewing passports which have expired.”
It added: “For Singaporeans who need to travel urgently, they are required to produce supporting documents in person at ICA Building for assessment on a case-by-case basis.”

 

[Scrooball (clone)]

A retired insurance manager, who wanted to be known only as Madam Lee, 65, left disappointed as she was told her passport was still being printed even though she had submitted her passport application on April 11. She had planned to drive to her home in Johor Bahru on April 5 but had misplaced her passport.
Last Friday, she waited for six hours at ICA only to be told her passport photo was rejected. She submitted a new photo online on Saturday.


"I have to go to JB as soon as possible. My neighbours told me my landed home there suffered water damage and the roof caved in."

Stupid right? Buy JB house for fuck?! Cheap but lousy like fuck!

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Forum: Why check boarding passes at Changi Airport twice?​

June 20, 2022

A few months ago, I had the pleasure of commenting on how smooth and painless the entry to Singapore was at Changi Airport (Arrival process at Changi Airport was very smooth after VTL flight, Nov 4, 2021).
Unfortunately, this was not my experience on my departure to Bangkok via Terminal 1.
There were two queues of 100 people each to have their boarding pass manually checked before going to use the electronic gantry for immigration procedures. The wait in this queue was 30 minutes.
Using the gantry took only a few seconds but after that, all travellers immediately had to join another queue to have their boarding pass manually checked a second time. As there was limited space in the area, this second queue snaked around several times, with strangers pressed against one another with no social distancing at all.
The entire procedure to get through immigration took nearly an hour, and I had to rush to make my flight.
Why was it necessary to have two manual checks of boarding passes, especially with the second check taking place almost immediately after the first?
Terminal 4 has a fully automated Fast and Seamless Travel service which can read boarding passes and eliminate the need for both manual checks. Why has this not been expanded to all other terminals?

I hope departure procedures can be improved and with more social distancing in place.

Eric Rosenkranz

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Passport applicants without appointments turned away as ICA tackles long queues​

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People queueing outside the ICA building on June 13, 2022. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Elijah Wong


JUN 13, 2022,

SINGAPORE - Logistics planner Kevin Ong wanted an update on his passport application when he showed up at the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) building at around 10am on Monday (June 13).
But the 56-year-old was promptly turned away, under new measures that ICA introduced last Saturday to cut queues at the building in Lavender.
ICA had announced that from June 13, only those with appointments or passport collection notifications are allowed to enter the building. They can check their application status online.
"I was not informed of the new measures. I could not speak to someone inside the building as they were not accepting walk-ins," he said, adding that he took leave from work to be there.
He did not call ahead to check on his application, and although he saw the update from ICA last month that Singaporeans who apply for a new passport will have to wait for at least six weeks, he still turned up.
He also missed news reports on the announcement.
Mr Ong had applied for a new passport a week ago, so he could book his plane tickets to Kuala Lumpur to attend prayers for his late relatives.

He left after an ICA officer showed him a QR code and how to use it to appeal to have his passport renewal application expedited.
When The Straits Times visited the ICA building at 9am, at least 20 out of 150 people were turned away within an hour.
Queues were visibly shorter compared to the crowds seen last month. By 11am, there was no queue to get in.

ICA said last Saturday that crowds formed when many applicants visited to check on their passport applications or to ask for them to be expedited, following the broad reopening of Singapore's borders in April.
Additional officers had to be deployed for crowd management and other services.
With the new measures, the staff will now be redeployed to expedite the processing and issuance of passports, the authority said.

Additional ICA officers had to be deployed for crowd management and other services. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Those who need to travel urgently but do not have appointments have to submit their appeals online.
Those who cannot do so can visit the ICA building to get help in submitting the online appeal.
The measures apply only to passport services and do not affect other ICA services.

Retiree Doh Babah, 74, said he was unable to collect his passport when he visited the ICA building on Monday, despite being informed that he could collect it from June 9 onwards.
He was told by an ICA staff member to arrange to collect his passport at a post office instead.
"I understand the new measures are to control the long queues that formed since March. However, it is harder for us old folks to apply online," he said.
"When you try to make an appointment to collect your passport, you have to key in your NRIC number and then they will ask you for an application reference number which I do not know how to find.
"They should make the online application process easier for older Singaporeans."

ICA said applicants who are unable to answer their queries online may visit the ICA building for help on submitting their passport-related appeals online.
Sales consultant Wong Liang Fong, 58, and his daughter Claris Wong, 22, were there on Monday morning to check on Ms Wong's application status.
She said she had applied about a month ago to renew her passport so that they could go on a vacation during her school holidays, which is from May to August.
They were turned away, but not before an ICA officer showed them how they could navigate the online portal to check the application status.
Mr Wong said ICA could have sent out e-mails to inform applicants of the new measures, "since they already have our e-mail addresses in their system".
He also suggested including a digital banner on their website or sending them push notifications.
But he understood the need for the measures amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
"I think too many people showed up to renew their passports and the ICA cannot cope," he said. "Still, the ICA staff stationed outside were very helpful."

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Crowds throng Johor Bahru amid S'pore and Malaysian schools' week-long break​

ICA said travellers should adjust their travel plans to avoid being caught in traffic congestion. ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN



SEP 5, 2022

SINGAPORE - Many Singaporeans and Malaysians took advantage of the week-long school holidays on both sides of the Causeway to visit Johor Bahru this past weekend.
Large crowds thronged the Malaysian city, with several areas experiencing traffic congestion as people made a beeline for popular food outlets, said Malaysian English-language newspaper The Star on Sunday.
Ms Alice Chan, the owner of a hotel in Johor Bahru, said at least 80 per cent of its rooms were occupied, according to The Star.
She told the newspaper that the hotel has been busy almost all weekends since the reopening of the Singapore-Malaysia land border in April.
Ms Chan said crowds over this past weekend have been larger than usual due to the school holidays on both sides of the Causeway.
"Apart from Singaporean visitors, we are also getting travellers from other states, such as Sabah and Sarawak," she said.
Singapore's school holidays from Sept 2 to Sept 11 coincide with Malaysian schools' week-long break, which ends on Sept 10 or 11, varying by state.


Last Wednesday, Singapore's Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said delays are expected on the Causeway or Second Link to Malaysia during the school holidays, as the volume of road traffic moving across the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints is gradually returning to pre-Covid-19 levels.
ICA also said travellers should be prepared to experience heavy traffic and adjust their travel plans to avoid being caught in traffic congestion.
More than 313,000 people were recorded passing through the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints each day over the weekend of Aug 26 to 28, according to Singapore's ICA.


This surpassed the 302,000 travellers recorded on National Day and the 278,000 who crossed daily during the June school holidays.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020, about 415,000 people passed through the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints each day.

Crowds over this past weekend have been larger than usual due to the school holidays on both sides of the Causeway. PHOTO: THE STAR/ ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Malaysian dentist Afeeqah Abdul Majeed is preparing for her journey home to Johor Bahru from Singapore on Monday, and she is expecting heavy traffic on the Causeway.
Ms Afeeqah, 28, who is in Singapore visiting family, said: "I usually arrive home in Johor Bahru in less than two hours by bus, but I am mentally preparing that clearing immigration will take three to four hours.
"So, I'll make sure I charge my phone and bring a portable charger because I need to remain contactable."
Ms Afeeqah and her two younger brothers spent the past two days in Singapore visiting their parents, who work here. The siblings visit them thrice a month.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC
Travelling between S'pore and Malaysia? Here's all you need to know
How to do Johor Baru for under $50
Her youngest brother, Mr Umran Abdul Majeed, 25, a university student, said he is not too worried about the delays because he believes timing is everything.
He said: "I use this mobile app called Beat the Jam to track the peak of the traffic jam, especially during school holidays.
"Although we cannot predict what will happen, it is a good gauge... And we usually travel very early in the morning or very late at night, after 10pm or midnight."

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Hundreds queue overnight at Orchard for new iPhone 14, some plan to fly back to Vietnam right after​

Zi Shan Kow | September 16, 2022

The latest iPhone model, the iPhone 14, is out on Friday, Sep. 16.
Hundreds of people were seen waiting in line outside the Apple store at Orchard Road, with some having spent the night queuing outside the Courts Nojima store at Orchard Road.

Queue started at 6pm the previous day​

At the Courts store at Orchard Road, the line for the release began as early as 6pm on Sep. 15, according to 8world.
Many of those were forced to queue at Courts as no queuing was allowed outside at the Apple store just a stone's throw away.
Some of those in line were tourists who brought along their luggage, as they intend to fly back to Vietnam after getting the phone.

Image via Courts/FB.

Image via Courts/FB.

First in line flew in from Kuala Lumpur​

A large group of eager buyers, some with luggage in tow, were also seen outside the Apple store at Marina Bay Sands.

Image via Danny Antau/FB.

The Apple store at Orchard Road also saw at least 500 customers waiting outside, reported 8world.
There were two lines, one for those who planned to purchase the device on the spot, and another for those who had pre-ordered and were waiting for collection.
First in line for collection was a man from Kuala Lumpur who made his pre-order for the iPhone 14 a week ago.
He said he slept at the airport the previous day, and was also the first in line for another Apple release in Singapore four years ago.
"I think it is worth it, even though sales for the iPhone 14 in Malaysia start next week. I still think coming to the physical store is exciting. There isn't a physical Apple store in Malaysia, so this is a different experience," the man told 8world.
To mitigate the crowd, the staff took down the personal information and order number of each customer, and requested that they return to the store at a specified pick-up timing.

Image by Joshua Lee.

Image by Joshua Lee.


According to the Apple website, the iPhone 14 Pro starts from S$1,649 and the iPhone 14 Pro Max starts from S$1,799.
As of 3:30pm, a long queue can still be seen outside the Apple store at Orchard Road.

 

[FUNCHOI]

KNN

And the long queue to seee doctors and

for hospital beds too.

 

[laksaboy]

If I visit a hawker centre I'm unfamiliar with and don't know what to eat, I make my decision based on the length of the queues.

Avoid the stalls with no queues during peak hours and their hawkers' faces all look gloomy or sour or bored.

 

[mahjongking]

Why can't the kids cycle to school that's what I did from sec 1 onwards.

Alternatively the authorities should lift the PMD ban for school children so that this cheap and convenient mode of transport can be utilised to solve the current traffic woes.

i fucking walked 7 busstops to and from school everyday. to save money..knn, kids in spore are so soft nowadays they kill themselves over nothing

 

[mahjongking]

If I visit a hawker centre I'm unfamiliar with and don't know what to eat, I make my decision based on the length of the queues.

Avoid the stalls with no queues during peak hours and their hawkers' faces all look gloomy or sour or bored.

same here, but sometimes i support those with no q.....quite pitiful some of them

 

[laksaboy]

same here, but sometimes i support those with no q.....quite pitiful some of them

And they stare at you with hungry eyes, with yearning and desire. "Be my customer please".

 

[mahjongking]

john tan should organise a national queueing competition for all the chobolans cabinet and Mps
cheebye loong can flag off the 2 day event with his 2 inch prick

 

[laksaboy]

john tan should organise a national queueing competition for all the chobolans cabinet and Mps
cheebye loong can flag off the 2 day event with his 2 inch prick

Too bad, still didn't manage to break David Beckham's record of queueing for 12 hours to pay respects to the coffin.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Queues, crowds at Changi Airport on first day of relaxed travel measures​

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Travellers queue at the check-in counters at Changi Airport Terminal 3 on April 1, 2022. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
Clement Yong and Kolette Lim

APR 1, 2022

SINGAPORE - Queues in front of check-in counters - not seen since the pandemic hit in 2020 - made a welcome return to Changi Airport on Friday morning (April 1).
In the previously mostly empty terminals, travellers towed luggage and checked flight schedules on the now-busy display screens. Crowds formed along the walkways and cafes enjoyed brisk business.
On the first day of Singapore's doing away with vaccinated travel lane flights and on-arrival tests for quarantine-free travel, a tentative sense of normality returned to Terminals 1 and 3.
Mr Franklin Tang, 44, queued for an hour to check in, despite reaching the airport at 7.45am for a 10am flight to the Maldives.
The line was completely unexpected, the chief executive of a property technology company said. He and his family are visiting one of the newly opened Maldives resorts, and had booked tickets before the announcement to scrap VTL flights was made last week.
"It's nice to hold an actual plane ticket in my hand. There were quite a few flights in the morning to different places but only one row for check-in was open. Some automated check-in machines also could not be used so we had to get in line," he told The Straits Times.
"I read that operations are being ramped up now so maybe this is the transition period. It's certainly exciting to travel again."

According to Changi Airport Group data, 703,000 people used Changi Airport in February, up from 118,000 in the same period a year ago. Transport Minister S. Iswaran has said that more travellers are expected in the coming months, with Terminal 2 slated to be reopened in phases.
Airlines caution that it is too early to speak of an upward trend, with the number of flights each day yet to change dramatically, but the removal of the VTL cap on passengers has had an instant effect at Changi.
The authorities' target for airport traffic to return to 50 per cent of pre-pandemic levels this year now seems more within reach. It was at about 13 per cent last month.

The crowd on Friday included those who had not travelled in a long time, and families who finally have a chance to reunite. Malaysia also reopened its borders and loosened travel restrictions on Friday.
Ms Nicky Chan, 26, a hairstylist who works in Singapore, booked her flight to Penang after learning of the loosening of travel measures last week.
She had not seen her family in Malaysia for more than a year, and did not manage to book a flight back home during Chinese New Year.
"It was too much of a hassle," she said. "VTL flights are harder to arrange and I might not be able to get one back to Singapore. (Flying on a non-VTL flight), I would have to miss many weeks of work and quarantine away from my family, which defeats the purpose of returning home."
Malaysian Jamunah Krishnan, a 40-year-old production operator for a wafer company, was setting foot here for the first time in two years of working from home in Kuala Lumpur for a Singapore company.
"It feels so good to be back. I miss the food here," she said.

Travellers queue at the check-in counters at Changi Airport Terminal 3 on April 1, 2022. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

Cafes and restaurants in the Changi Airport terminals said they are enjoying more business.
A spokesman for Coffee Club at Terminal 3 said the number of customers has doubled in recent weeks and his outlet is now short of staff,after many employees returned home to Malaysia during the pandemic.
Mr Piyara Singh, a supervisor at restaurant TGM & ROOT98 in Terminal 1, is now more upbeat about prospects. The eatery serves about 200 tables on weekends and 150 on weekdays, compared with about 100 daily last year.
"Usually when I start at 11am, we will no longer have any customers after the morning flight crowd dies down, but today we still have five tables. Management is looking into hiring more people after we lost some staff in the last two years," he said.

Ms Fang Ping, a 29-year-old sales assistant at Bengawan Solo in Terminal 3, said the bakery had more patrons than usual on Friday.
"Usually, the crowd in the departure hall dies down at 8am to 9am, but it's 11am, and the queues are still long," she noted.
About 90 per cent of tenants in the public areas of the terminals and 65 per cent of those in the immigration halls have reopened, ST understands.
Global passenger volume has now returned to 55 per cent of pre-Covid-19 levels.
The region is closely watched by observers, who have said that intra-South-east Asian flights post-pandemic should grow at a rate of 6.7 per cent, higher than the global average of 4 per cent, and emerging as the fifth-largest market in the world.