Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) will suspend operations with three countries on January 30 for a "mutual green lane (RGL) contract" that allows short-term business travelers to enter the country for up to four days. Announced.
The target is Malaysia, Germany, and South Korea, and the suspension period is 3 months from February 1. (For travelers who are already allowed to travel to Singapore, entry is permitted)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore explained, "It is a measure in response to the expansion of the new corona again in the world," and will decide whether to lift the suspension by looking at the situation at the end of April. The Singaporean government will continue to change immigration control measures as needed to manage the risk of infection and transmission to the community, depending on the global corona infection situation.
The mutual green lane contract will start in June 2020 for some areas of mainland China. Also called a business truck, it is a mechanism that exempts important business travelers from quarantine measures after arriving in the partner country if they obtain certain procedures.
Currently, Singapore continues to have mutual green lane contracts with Brunei and some cities in mainland China (Chongqing, Guangdong, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Tianjin, Zhejiang).
In December of last month, it was just announced that operations between Japan and Indonesia would be suspended. It is said that Japan's state of emergency will be lifted, but the outlook is still uncertain.
[Smoking is prohibited in all hawkers in Japan]
Singapore's Ministry of Sustainability and Fisheries (MSE) has announced a policy to ban smoking in all hawker center dining spaces in Singapore. MSE Minister Grace Fu said in a written meeting on the 4th that the plan is to protect eaters from second-hand smoke and create a more comfortable eating environment.
As of December 2020, 27 of the 114 hawker centers in the country have smoking areas, Fu said. These smoking areas appear to be phased out by repairs and refurbishments.
[Singapore is in the middle of the rainy season]
Even in 2021, the weather continues in Singapore. Rainfall did not stop from New Year's Day to the 2nd, and the rainfall observed in the Changi area exceeded the average rainfall in January in these two days alone.
Heavy rainfall of 210.6 mm was observed from noon to 7:00 pm on January 2.
Prior to the 2nd, the Singapore National Environment Agency (NEA) predicted that the rainfall on the 2nd would be the top 1% of the daily rainfall in the record for the past 39 years. I did.
The low temperature also stands out. According to NEA, the lowest temperature on the 2nd was 7 pm, 21.1 degrees Celsius in Newton. This was lower than expected at around 23-33 degrees. Singapore is a place where you can spend all year long with short sleeves, but recently there have been days when it feels chilly, and many people wear sweaters and long sleeves.
Heavy rains and low temperatures may continue in February and March.
By the end of 2020, the Government of Singapore will strengthen PCR testing and behavioral tracking of infected individuals against coronavirus infections, and that community-infected individuals will remain low. Announced that it may relax one level of behavioral regulation and enter Phase 3. Phase 3 is the final stage in which the resumption of economic activity after the outing restriction measure "Circuit Breaker", which was lifted on June 2, was divided into three stages.
It is currently in Phase 2, and in Phase 3, the number of participants in restaurants and home parties, which is currently limited to 5 people, will be increased to 8 people.
In addition, up to 50 people can gather at events such as museums, religious places of worship, and ceremonial occasions.
It may be possible to have a small party at Christmas ♪
As of September 22, the number of people infected with the new coronavirus in the world is 31.16 million and the number of deaths is 960,000. There are only 27 people.
The mortality rate is 0.05%, which is not only well below the world average of about 3%, but also low compared to countries of similar population, such as Denmark and Finland, which are about 3% and 4%, respectively. It is a number. Also, for the past two months, there have been no deaths from the new coronavirus in Singapore.
The reason seems to be the mandatory wearing of masks, the rapid behavior tracking of infected people, which is common among young people, and the immediate detection and treatment of patients with a high PCR test rate.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most important annual events in Singapore, where more than 70% of the population is Chinese.
In China, family and close friends gather on August 15 of the lunar calendar, and have a custom of eating sweets while watching the moon. Nowadays, as the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, it is customary to give moon cakes to the people who are indebted to them. October 1, 2020 is the Mid-Autumn Festival. From late mid August, department stores and shopping malls will have special sales floors. Even at Chinatown, Chinese restaurants, major hotels, pastry shops and cafes, our proud moon cakes are sold, and opportunities to see lanterns on the streets and storefronts are gradually increasing. Chinatown, which is especially brilliantly lit up, is an annual feature.
At this time, you can enjoy the atmosphere unique to Mid-Autumn Festival.
# The photo is a traditional moon cake at the “Raffles Hotel”, which boasts top class popularity
The Bon Festival in Singapore, which is called "Chuyuan Festival, Koranbushi, Onibushi," etc., will be held for a month from July of the lunar calendar.
In July of the Lunar calendar (August 19th to September 16th in 2020), it is believed that the spirit of the dead, unrelated to Hell's main gate, opens to the earth in China.
Not only for your ancestors, but also for ghosts who wander around the city, you can memorialize and calm the spirits by offering offerings, avoiding contraindications (taboos), and holding various events and events. It is said that you can do it.
# After offering incense sticks, candles, sweets, fruits, etc., burn paper bundles that imitate banknotes and paper replicas that imitate various practical products.
On the 21st, the Singapore government announced that it will ease immigration restrictions for new coronavirus infections from countries and regions with low infection risk. First, New Zealand (NZ) and Brunei will no longer require quarantine upon entry from September. China, Australia (excluding Victoria), Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan and Macau are also "low risk" and the number of days to quarantine when entering the country is shortened from 14 days to 7 days. (Other countries, including Japan, will still require 14 days of quarantine.) However, travelers from NZ and Brunei must apply in advance, and can be accepted from September 1st, and can be traveled after 8th. On arrival you will be obliged to carry out a PCR test at the airport.
On August 17, Singapore and Malaysia reopened the border between the two countries, which had been closed since March, for the first time in five months due to the spread of new coronavirus infection. As the traffic between Singapore and Malaysia resumes, both countries set up two schemes. "Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL)" for short-term stays within 14 days for essential business and public affairs, and "Permanent commuting agreement (PCA)" for residents of Singapore or Malaysia with long-term working visas Has become. There are restrictions on the number of people allowed to come and go and quarantine obligations based on each scheme.
The days when the two countries are free to come and go are gradually approaching, but they are approaching♪
Singapore is ironically called "Fine city" by the word "Fine", which has two meanings, "sophisticated" and "imposing a fine".
It's now a global standard to wear a mask, but if you don't, you'll be fined S$300 for your first offense.
Be careful as you may be fined S$1000 or be prosecuted after the second time.
Please check the latest local information when traveling to Singapore.
August 9th is the most important day of the year for Singapore. Singapore became independent of Malaysia on August 9, 1965.
2020 will be 55 years since independence.
One of the most exciting events of the year, Singapore Independence Day (National Day), but this year, it was held with a different taste than the usual year, not losing to the self-restraint mode in the world.
A huge national flag, a symbol of National Day, was hung on a helicopter, allowing us to see the moment of passing over the sky at home or at our nearest location. A ritual flight dedicated to medical staff by air force fighters was performed, and it flew over almost all Singapore including the main hospital route and it was powerful.
At the tank corps parade divided into several routes, the audience is very excited by the real tanks you can see up close!
The parachute descent of the parachute troops "Red Lions" is also amazing.
In the evening, a performance show featuring popular people was held at the first indoor venue in history, and it was a wonderful production specializing in live TV and online viewing, making full use of lighting, digital animation, and special effects. The fireworks decorating the finale were launched at 10 locations all over the world, closing the curtain.
It was a special day to blow out the self-restraint mode ♪
