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Straits Times
01-08-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Would you mind? Some tourists unbothered staying in hotels near Singapore Casket
There are at least nine hotels in the surrounding area near Singapore Casket. PHOTO: TNP Would you mind? Some tourists unbothered staying in hotels near Singapore Casket Seah Jun De TNP Aug 1, 2025 Fancy spending the night near a funeral home? Lavender might be just the place for you - even if not everyone relishes the prospect. A Taiwanese tourist who brought her two young daughters to Singapore in early July had a nasty surprise when she discovered that the hotel she booked was located beside well-known funeral service provider Singapore Casket. "As a tourist who is unfamiliar with the local surroundings, I felt deeply uncomfortable and misled," Shannon, who was unsuccessful in her attempt to get a refund, told Stomp. Neither the booking platform nor the website for Arton Boutique Hotel had mentioned its proximity to the funeral home, she added. "How can hotels in Singapore be allowed to hide such important location information?" A hotel in the area starts from $95. SCREENGRAB: But the hotel that Shannon booked is far from the exception - a search on hotel booking platform listed at least nine hotels in the surrounding area of Singapore Casket. In addition, the storefront of Direct Funeral Services, offering funeral service packages, is located next to the Singapore Casket building. There are at least four funeral homes and service providers in the Lavender area, alongside temples, coffee shops, and other commercial buildings. But not all may be aware of its storied history, or that Lavender was not always known for funeral homes. The two funeral service providers are located beside each other. TNP PHOTO: SEAH JUN DE Not-so-fragrant history Despite its fragrant name, Lavender used to be occupied by Chinese vegetable gardens fertilised with nightsoil and a gasworks plant releasing strong-smelling gases. According to The Urbanist Singapore founder Ho Yong Min, residents proposed the name "lavender" ironically, and the municipality officially accepted it in 1858. "It was associated with working-class trades, clan associations, and community schools. Over time, the neighbourhood grew into a mixed-use zone - part industrial, part residential, and part religious or communal," the 41-year-old heritage educator told TNP. Mr Ho reckoned that the presence of funeral parlours in Lavender today is more likely related to zoning regulations, commercial leasing, and availability of space. "These businesses are typically allowed in commercial or institutional zones, and Lavender's mixed-use landscape makes it a feasible location." The area's mixed-use character and central location have attracted hoteliers as it is a "sweet spot" with easy access to public transportation, heritage charm, and slightly lower operational costs, he added. Do you mind? A convenience store employee said that while there were many tourists in the area, not many knew about the nearby funeral parlours. The presence of funeral homes near their hotel indeed came as a shock to two Chinese nationals who had booked a room at Hotel Yan, a two-minute walk from Singapore Casket. The two women in their 20s, who declined to give their names, told TNP that they were not aware of the presence of a funeral home when they made the booking online. "In China, such things will not be located in an obvious space," one of the women said in Mandarin. However, other tourists did not mind the location. A 25-year-old Indonesian who only wanted to be known as Ms Katut has been visiting Singapore for the past three years to see her sister. It was her first time staying in Lavender. While she admitted that Indonesians are superstitious, she was not disturbed by the nearby funeral parlours, and was not even aware of their presence. A woman in her 20s from the Philippines, who declined to give her name, was staying with her family of three at a hotel in Orchard but had gone to a coin laundry along Tyrwhitt Road. She told TNP that back home, there is no aversion to places associated with death, and the family had no problems with staying nearby. "In the Philippines, there are hotels near cemeteries, so it's just fine," she said. 'Closely integrated with everyday life' Mr Ho of The Urbanist Singapore shared that historically, places linked to death were often closely integrated with everyday life. He cited Sago Lane in Chinatown as an example, where the "street of the dead" was home to funeral parlours, coffin shops, and shophouses that housed the terminally ill. "Rather than being hidden away, these services were visible and embedded in the community fabric." Today, Mr Ho noted, Singapore's urban planning framework is governed by clear zoning laws, public health standards, and land use controls. Funeral parlours are thus subject to many more planning considerations. Muhammad Fariz Daud, a 22-year-old student visiting from Malaysia, told TNP he would have no problem with staying at a hotel beside a funeral home. Nevertheless, most Malaysians would avoid hotels near cemeteries, which are considered more taboo. But Mr Fariz added that he will do research on the hotel's location and public transport connectivity before making a booking. "It's not really the hotel's fault for not informing the customers that there's a funeral home nearby - you can do that research yourself." Click here to contribute a story or submit it to our WhatsApp Get more of Stomp's latest updates by following us on:
Straits Times
17-07-2025
- Straits Times
Jurong minimart manager thought business dwindling, realises worker pocketed $57k for gambling
Seah Jun De TNP July 17, 2025 A Malaysian woman working at a minimart in Jurong was caught pocketing nearly $57,000 to fuel her online gambling habit. The embezzlement began last April and went on for about five months, as the minimart's manager had initially thought the decline in daily sales was down to worsening business. Kon Chin Sia, who was considered to be hardworking, was eventually found out thanks to CCTV footage. On July 14, the 37-year-old was jailed 17 months after pleading guilty to one count of criminal breach of trust. A second count was taken into consideration during sentencing. Pocketing cash while on duty Shin Min Daily News reported that Kon had worked at the Block 651 Jurong West Street 61 minimart for seven years. Last September, the minimart manager noticed that whenever Kon was on shift, the sales would decrease by $600 to $700. The manager then reviewed surveillance footage from Sept 30 to Oct 27 and discovered that when customers paid in cash, Kon would put the cash into a drawer instead of the cash register. When the manager confronted Kon, she admitted that she had been misappropriating $500 to $600 every time she was on shift. She would put the money in her pocket before leaving the shop and later deposit the sum into her bank account. Kon was given a chance to make restitution, but failed to do so. The manager then called the police and sacked Kon. According to bank records, a total of $56,797 was deposited into Kon's account. She admitted that the money came from the minimart and said that most of it was spent on online gambling. The prosecution argued that Kon could not be considered a first-time offender as she committed a crime every time she was on shift. It was also highlighted that most of the money stolen was gambled away. Click here to contribute a story or submit it to our WhatsApp Get more of Stomp's latest updates by following us on:
Straits Times
26-06-2025
- General
- Straits Times
Woman narrowly escapes injury after toilet ceiling collapses in 58-year-old Queenstown flat
Seah Jun De The Straits Times June 25, 2025 A woman narrowly avoided injury last Sunday when a chunk of concrete fell from the toilet ceiling in her flat at Block 81 Commonwealth Close in Queenstown. After reading a report about spalling concrete last week, Ms Ho Ai Ling, 52, began keeping a close watch on a crack in her toilet ceiling and avoided standing directly beneath while showering. She told Lianhe Zaobao that she escaped injury as she was standing close to the wall when the concrete collapsed. "I read a report on Saturday about a home in Yishun where the ceiling collapsed and the man had to get more than 10 stitches on his head. I reminded myself and my roommates to be careful, and it saved my life the next day." The livestreamer and actress added that she was fortunate the ceiling fan was off, as falling debris could have struck the blades and caused a more serious incident. The flat was built in 1967 and is 58 years old. Since moving in 14 years ago, she has repeatedly dealt with cracks and peeling paint on the toilet ceiling, she said. On June 18, she called the Housing Development Board (HDB) after discovering that the toilet ceiling had bulged again. The ceiling had clear signs of damage before part of it collapsed. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO However, before an inspection could take place, the ceiling collapsed. Ms Ho said that HDB had helped to repair the toilet ceiling in 2012, and she has repaired it herself many times since then. She also installed a ceiling fan to keep the toilet dry, but it did not have the intended effect. "I saw that the bulging was serious and I couldn't fix it myself anymore, so I contacted HDB." During a call with HDB last week, the agency agreed to bear half of her repair costs under the Goodwill Repair Assistance Scheme, said Ms Ho. "After the concrete collapsed, the authorities said they would come back on July 3 to see if there were any other parts of the ceiling that needed repair too." Chairman of the Institute of Engineers Singapore (IES) civil and structural technical committee David Ng, told the Chinese daily that such repairs are complex and should be handled by professionals. He added that the homeowner's repair work may provide temporary relief, but if the real cause of the peeling is not found, the problem may persist. Residents can regularly check the ceiling surface for signs of damage, and take waterproofing measures such as applying waterproof paint or sealants. Keeping the toilet well-ventilated can also help prevent damage to the ceiling, he added. According to the HDB website, homeowners are responsible for preventing and repairing cement spalling in their homes. However, if the affected area is large, a contractor should be hired to repair it as soon as possible. Click here to contribute a story or submit it to our WhatsApp Get more of Stomp's latest updates by following us on:
