Redditor asks about Singapore misconceptions abroad, gets flood of responses
On Tuesday (12 Feb), a Reddit user took to the local subreddit r/askSingapore to pose a simple yet thought-provoking question:
What misconceptions about Singapore that you have heard?
The OP then shared a particularly surreal experience from his National Service days.
While on an overseas exercise in Germany, he and his fellow servicemen were travelling through the country’s border regions in a “cramped tour bus” when their German tour guide asked their commander why they were visiting.
To the guide’s dismay, the commander refused to answer, simply stating that it was a “secret”. The awkward silence that followed only fueled suspicion.
Later, as the OP disembarked the bus, the guide pulled one of his section mates aside with a serious look and whispered: “Are you guys Chinese spies? And is your commander your handler?”
When the OP clarified that they were from the Singapore Armed Forces, the guide’s expression shifted to disbelief as he asked, “…and you can all speak English over there?”
Much to the amusement of the Singaporean soldiers, this was apparently mind-blowing information.
The post quickly gained traction, with over 200 responses from netizens eager to share their personal experiences and insights.
Netizens share own wild stories
It turns out that the language myth is one of the most common misconceptions about Singapore. Many Redditors shared similar encounters, where foreigners assumed Singaporeans couldn’t speak English.
Source: Reddit
Another classic misconception is the infamous chewing gum ban. One user pointed out that while selling gum is illegal, chewing it is not. Yet, many tourists and foreigners mistakenly believe that simply popping a piece of gum in Singapore will land you in jail.
Some Redditors vented about another recurring myth—people thinking Singapore is part of China.
Source: Reddit
According to one user, Singapore is actually quite popular on German television, but that still doesn’t stop some from assuming all Singaporeans are from China based on their appearance.
Source: Reddit
Another user recalled a moment of utter disbelief in Texas, USA, when someone confidently stated that Singapore’s capital was Kuala Lumpur.
And perhaps one of the most absurd misconceptions? That Singapore publicly canes litterbugs in town squares like some medieval punishment.
Source: Reddit
Also read: YouTuber Calls Tamil ‘Indian Language’ In S’pore Travel Guide, S’poreans Point Out Inaccuracies
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