The State Propaganda persistent attempts to portray our neighbours as incompentent and inferior is easily foiled by the internet. The States Times takes every oppourtunity to portray them badly but those who have travelled there know otherwise.
http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/singaporeseen/viewContent.jsp?id=28547
Check out my earlier post on a trip to taiwan in 06. My only regret is that i didnt take photos for the things i mentioned.
http://www.sgforums.com/forums/10/topics/225768
Last month i went to Taipei, a under a supposed "inferior form
of governance" for a short holiday, I was surprised that it was
better than Singapore in many ways.
1.The streets are relatively free of litter despite the fact it
does not have fines for littering.
2. The transport system is relatively good and cheaper than
Singapore.
a) The bus has a Flat fee of 15 Yuan ($0.70) which you can take
from one end to another end.
b) MRT fare starts from 20 Yuan ($0.95)
There can be further discounts if you use an Ez link card like
Singapore.
3. The service standard is better. The sales staff are polite and
every 7-11 Store you go, they would greet you with "Huan Yin Kuan
Ling" This could be due to cultural influence from Japanese.
4. The Taiwanese give seats to elderly readily. When using
escalators, people naturally keep to one side, to give way to those
who want to climb. When entering the MRT doors, the people give way
to passengers who are leaving.
5. Because Taiwanese do not legislate laws at their whim and
fancies, the authorities are better at persuading its people to
change. They get celebrities like Jolin Tsai and Lin Yilain to
record Radio ads to persuade people to give seats to elderly.
6. Taiwan has a more entrepreneur friendly environment. Because
they are a little more chaotic, its easier to set up a street
stall and be rich from doing small business. In Singapore, the
hawkers and shops owners give most of their takings away in rent.
Its also easier and cheaper to make your business known as
billboards are plastered all over the country.
7. Taipei is the first Asian city that has a comprehensive wireless
nationwide network while Singapore is playing catch-up.
Can good governance produce these results? Or when the day good
governance cannot fine our people, the country will be filled with
litter?
oh, cos u neber see the way the can step on one another during sales
we is no fight wor
ya, I was surprised the last time I went Taiwan.
But to be fair, it is usually the elder generation, or the very small kids, or what I saw before, some Banglas, that still block the way when pple exit. Can't blame them though... the elderly might not even hv read the 'teachings', the kids might not even have bothered, and the banglas might not understand the language properly... Other than that, I can usually see people giving way to exiting passengers at train stations, so overall still not too bad la.
don't line up nevermind, worse part is before commuters inside has a chance to alight, some will block the entrance, while others will try to rush in already.
so most of the time the door is shrunk to half it's size.
if you want to make them line up, impose a fine lor. ![]()
all confirm line up in straight line.
taiwanese is taiwanese, singaporeans are singaporeans... emulate people for what. although there is need to be more "orderly".
But one thing that puzzles me in taiwan is that the private bus companies in Taipei can make a profit charging a flat rate of $0.70 cents for a bus ride. The $0.70 cents allows a passenger to take from one bus Terminal end to the other. On the other hand, our Public Transport Council have to hike our fares time after time. One wonders why.
In a study by Mercer, it shows the average cost of Bus/Subway ride for
Singapore ($1.26),Korea ($1.06), Hong Kong ($0.72), Taiwan ($0.63). Singapore has the most expensive public transport after Japan.
Source :Mercer Study, Business times

Originally posted by kilua:But one thing that puzzles me in taiwan is that the private bus companies in Taipei can make a profit charging a flat rate of $0.70 cents for a bus ride. The $0.70 cents allows a passenger to take from one bus Terminal end to the other end. On the other hand, our Public Transport Council hike our fares time after time. One wonders why.
In a study by Mercer, it shows the average cost of Bus/Subway ride for
Singapore ($1.26),Korea ($1.06), Hong Kong ($0.72), Taiwan ($0.63). Singapore has the most expensive public transport after Japan.
Source :Mercer Study, Business times
That is because they have to be accountable to the shareholders.
Originally posted by kilua:But one thing that puzzles me in taiwan is the private bus companies in Taipei can make profit charging at a flat rate of $0.70 cents for a bus ride. The $0.70 cents allows a passenger to take from one bus Terminal end to the other end. On the other hand, our Public Transport Council hike our fares time after time. One wonders why.
In a study by Mercer, it shows the average cost of Bus/Subway ride for
Singapore ($1.26),Korea ($1.06), Hong Kong ($0.72), Taiwan ($0.63). Singapore has the most expensive public transport after Japan.
Source :Mercer Study, Busines times
Who do you think profits from the super normal profits?
SMRT, SBS, Taxi Companies.
Ultimate shareholder is Temasex.
It's interesting to note that countries like Australia, maybe Hong Kong also, have monthly fare cards where fares are charged lower than what commuters would have to pay daily (they are priced much lower to help the working class commuters). SMRT has not implemented such a scheme. Why? Simple, it will erode their profits, the main objective of Temasex is to make lots and lots of money.
wat has stomp's cbcb gotta do wif here? ![]()
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First time seeing a reasonable article in STOMP..
I went Taiwan before , also asked myself "if taiwanese can queue in orderly way why cant singaporean queue properly?"
I have to add.....
If Taiwanese can demonstrate(protest), why can't S'poreans?
If Taiwanese can have free elections and democracy, why can't S'poreans?
If Taiwanese can have checks and balances, why can't S'poreans?
If Taiwanese can have human rights, why can't S'poreans?
If Taiwanese can bash straying wifes(legally), why can't S'poreans?
Because taiwan is taiwan, singapore is singapore.
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I'm a Taiwanese...thanks a lot!!
If there are no these comparisons, I don't know that I live in such a lovely country...![]()
Culture probably
wo ai tai mei!
this one I totally agree with TS. I was in taiwan and I was really impressed. the courtesy is there.. be it at train platforms or even in shops.
stop the singapore is singapore, taiwan is taiwan... this is a good aspect we should learn from.
*edit* at macdonalds, clearing your own trays and also the waste are disposed as classified to recycle-able or not.. can see that they have environmental-friendly efforts in their culture..
singapore is singaproe, taiwan is taiwan. Fact.
"If Taiwanese can queue in orderly way, why can't S'poreans?"
Tat is something ALL singaporean should learn.
Just asking hor... is lining up one side of the elevator really efficient for a massive crowd... is queuing up for MRT forcing u not to sit on the seats around...
Originally posted by Pitot:singapore is singaproe, taiwan is taiwan. Fact.
if u see something that's good for singapore, u'll wish that it's how it is in singapore. although its a fact, I don't deny. But we're talking about good things we can learn from.
since you say that, means that we shouldn't use anything that's non-singaporean inspired, isn't it? then even chinese pop or what, can don't watch taiwan dramas or jacky shows liao. just watch the channel 8 or what lo. watch what epl or world cup? watch s league lo. standard lousy? singapore is singapore, other country is other country. is it?
I guess that it's the education when we start to receive as kids. Teachers tell us that being a high level citizen, we have to oblige and do those ways. Also our free media helps a lot. Import many concepts and view of opinions to us everyday....
U have ur own advantage...we also admire that u can have english as ur official language which makes u more competitive. Most Taiwanese English are fair or poor.
Originally posted by Nica_TW:I guess that it's the education when we start to receive as kids. Teachers tell us that being a high level citizen, we have to oblige and do those ways. Also our free media helps a lot. Import many concepts and view of opinions to us everyday....
U have ur own advantage...we also admire that u can have english as ur official language which makes u more competitive. Most Taiwanese English are fair or poor.
yeah.. their english isn't that good, but u can tell they're friendly and they can tell u're foreign and will find all the chance to practise their english talking to u.
True...
maybe our english is not so good but it seems that most of taiwanese are very friendly to foreigners as long as u speak in english or chinese in strange accent. we always try to give u a hand and solve ur problems as well as we can. sometimes too zealous...i think
when i went to sg, i found that people are cooler than tw. but i think that it's just the culture difference. and that's ur character.
Originally posted by Nica_TW:True...
maybe our english is not so good but it seems that most of taiwanese are very friendly to foreigners as long as u speak in english or chinese in strange accent. we always try to give u a hand and solve ur problems as well as we can. sometimes too zealous...i think
when i went to sg, i found that people are cooler than tw. but i think that it's just the culture difference. and that's ur character.
yeah.. it's not a bad thing for your country. the friendliness is so welcoming.. :) why are you in sgf anyway?
Originally posted by cuddles:yeah.. it's not a bad thing for your country. the friendliness is so welcoming.. :) why are you in sgf anyway?
hmmmm
because the system did not ask me to show passport when i was logging in...
is there anything wrong??![]()