Singapore is an awesome country – it is safe, clean and the people are friendly. But this comes at a price because there are some laws that may seem slightly bazaar, but breaking them can have steep consequences. So, if you’re travelling to Singapore, it’s good to be aware of these so you can avoid them!
Stealing the internet: Hopping on someone else wi-fi may seem innocent enough, but it is illegal and you can be issued a S$10,000 fine and even be sent to jail.
Littering: This is good, because littering is bad. Hold on to your unwanted wrappers or items otherwise you will be slapped with a S$1,000 fine.
Spitting: Although this is pretty normal in other Asian cultures, in Singapore you will be fined S$1,000.
Jay Walking: This is so hard not to do because sometimes you will be waiting to cross a road for ages for no reason, or you will have to walk the long way around just to avoid it (maybe I am just lazy and impatient?) You can have a S$20 on the spot or S$1,000 and 3 months in prison. If you’re caught doing it again, you’ll be walking towards S$2,000 fine and 6 month in prison.
Musical instruments: If you use a musical instruments that can annoy someone publically you can be fined S$1,000.
Love: Same-sex relations are sadly not allowed in Singapore. Although there are some movements trying to change this, at the moment having sex with a member of the same-sex can mean you will be facing a 2 year jail sentence.
Obscene material: This includes singing obscene lyrics, inappropriate material of any kind (photographs, documents, films) etc, you may be sentenced to jail time, fined, or both!
Not flushing it down: Flushing a public toilet after using it will help you avoid a S$150 fine.
Peeing in public: When you gotta go, you gotta go… just don’t go in an elevator. Sounds obscure, I know, but some elevators have urine detection devices which will be set off if you pee in the elevator. This trip to the ‘bathroom’ could cost you S$200.
Feeding pigeons: Becoming overly friendly with these little birds will cost you S$500!
Feeding yourself: If you’re travelling on the MRT you will frequently hear that you are not allowed to eat or drink whilst being on the train or at a station.
Graffiti/Vandalism: Here, it is not viewed as an art as you can go to jail for it. In 1994 an American teen was sentenced to jail time for defacing public property.
Selling gum: This is illegal and can cost you S$100,000 or 2 years in prison.
Cycling: Cycling on pedestrian only paths is super annoying (if you have ever been to Vietnam or China, you will definitely feel me). Here, in Singapore, you will get punished for it with a fine.
Cigarettes: Similar to the law in England, you are not allowed to smoke in public places and can be fined between S$150-750.
Vaping: This new trend is not allowed and frowned upon in Singapore.
Nudity: Whether you’re in public or in the privacy of your own home (or accommodation) if you strut around in the nude it could cost you S$2,000.
Playing games: If you’re playing a game in public that interfers with traffic, expect to have a S$5,000 fine delivered.
Drugs: This fairly common law can leave you with a S$20,000 fine, 10 years in prison, or the death penalty. Random drug searches can be done on arrival into the country, so be aware that even taking them before is not safe, either.
Wanderlust Lucy 