March 03, 2008

Vibrant Geylang

The two IRs, the F1 Formula and the Youth Olympics are part of the Government's master plan to build a vibrant city. Hahaha, Geylang could be part of the plan too; so the Government does want not to come down too hard on the vice activities going on there. I believe it is also hard to stop the women coming in on the pretext of work, studies, etc.

A prostitute from China said that Hong Kong is more strict with them - a week's jail straightaway. Maybe we can do that. Amend the law if necessary.

I think the authorities are doing their best to manage the situation. Otherwise it could be worse.

As it is, besides vice and illegal activities, some of the problems created are:
1. Traffic congestion mainly along Geylang Road, between Lorong 22 to Lorong 4, from late afternoon to late at night
2. Illegal parking - evening to late at night
3. Jaywalking along Geylang Road
4. Littering - plastic bags, empty cans and bottles, food wrappers and containers left behind by the prostitutes standing along the roads
5. Urinating in the back-lanes, particularly those with the casino activities. You can smell the stench walking there.

How about installing lights and video cams at some back-lanes.

Now what does Geylang IR offer?


24-hour convenience shops and eateries


Budget hotels from $10/hour. There are also former brothels offering short time usage.

Casinos, day and night - this picture was taken early in the morning. At night there can be more than a dozen tables in operation.

Cheap cigarettes - Lorong 14/Geylang Road junction


Some of those operating casinos and selling cheap cigarettes look like foreign talents, or maybe they are illegal immigrants.And the main attraction are prostitutes. To be more correct, the China prostitutes as they form the largest group. (The 'legal' brothels and Thai dens have been around for a long time already.) They draw the crowds. Without them, the casino operators and the cigarette entrepreneurs will not stay long, coffee-shops and eateries will not open 24 hours and hotel business will decline.

A man can get a prostitute any time of the day. Of course he cannot be choosy during odd hours.

Legal brothels - around 12.30pm to about 10 or 11pm

Legal Thai whorehouses - same operating hours as the brothels


Street-walkers from China - all over the area

Early morning, mainly Chinese with a few Thai and Indonesians at Lorong 10, 14 and 16. I think a few of them stayed throughout the night. This picture was taken at about 7.30 am.

Afternoon beauties

Evening angels


And the flesh trade comes alive at night. The women are out in full force - from around 7pm to about 6 am or later in the morning.