I hope Singapore has actual enforcement of these fines. In my area there's supposedly a fine if someone doesn't pick up their dog's excrement, but I don't think it's ever been enforced.
this post was submitted on 01 Oct 2026
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This should be everywhere, too many people these days are refusing to use headphones, JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP!! i don't want to hear your music, your videos or your goddamn conversations, headphones are available everywhere and you can find a suitable pair for your needs.
Listen, I am certain that have the best taste in music AND TikToks, so what I'm doing here is actually a public service, and you're all welcome.
/s
You can just tell them to shut the fuck up. It’s free.
You'll be surprised how many people will take offence or retort with 'not illegal what'. Singaporeans are used to being babied by the nanny state so they'd only take action if they have 'official' reason to back it up; we frown upon vigilantism/lack backbone. That's just our style of societal engineering - disbursements for desirable behaviour like recycling bottles and cans (even for reading books!) and fines for vices like smoking
I do it quite often but I hate that I need to do so ...
Also, I have to do a crazy assessment beforehand in case I may get stabbed or something.
You can also fake a headache and then make nasty eye contact.
Finally a bit of sanity in the news.
good
I have a close Singaporean friend and his sister explained to me once that the world gets it wrong about the hand chopping and other extreme punishments people think they heard about. No, Singapore is kept in line through FEES! Chew gum? Fee. Litter? Fee. And boy do they enforce it, haha.
People always told me to never go to Singapore. "Did you know that you get a fee from spitting?" "You can go to jail for spitting out your gum"
Wow now that you put it like that, i really wanna go, that place sounds amazing.
They do have caning.
But yea it's surveillance and fees mostly.
I've been told that Singapore is a rather fine city.
You can only chop off so many hands before your economy collapses. Fines, though? That shit increases your budget.
Still one of only four developed countries that still executes people.
The one thing I dislike is the chewing gum part.
Sure, if you litter with it, get punishment. But just for chewing gum, or using a vape (not like in a crowded area but separate from people where you don't annoy others)?
On the other hand, enforcing social norms this way does make the city more liveable. In the western world, social norms have collapsed these past few years to the point where everyone selfishly can do whatever they want, as acceptable behaviours haven't been codified.
It isn't illegal to possess and consume chewing gum. However littering, sales and distribution of chewing gum is against the law.
It's also illegal to import IIRC - friends who went there had their gum confiscated on arrival at the airport.
That's more or less correct yeah. It's mostly very difficult to enforce at a personal level, similar to anything that happens behind closed doors (that isn't digital, anyway).
I'm all for this.
I'd love to see this in Australia! :)
I've never seen people in my country listening music in any public transport without headphones, i only rarely see a people who watch tiktok or other social without it but usually it's not on high volume.
where is this? i need to move there. I'm including TikTok Tok and YT in this
Australian here and just this year
Australia (all the time).
Thailand (all the time).
Malaysia (not so often).
Cambodia (all the time)
other places in the last two years
The Philippines (all the time).
Laos (not so often)
It's in Ukraine. I only can speak about my city wich is Vinnitsa because i never had to live in other cities but i also never heard about that kind of problem being discussed
Singapore just keeps making up new reasons for me to love it.
Well, except for the chewing gum by prescription only bit.
Honestly I don't care about that. There are other things to chew on. I'm more unhappy about male homosexuality being illegal.
I wasn't even aware of that. Of course, I went to Singapore once nearly 20 years ago. It was a nice place, but the laws felt oppressive.
Now do elevators and beaches.