Mid-Autumn lantern decoration mishap in Chinatown disrupts double-decker buses

SINGAPORE: Just last week, Singapore’s vibrant Chinatown, affectionately known as “牛车水,” came alive with a dazzling array of Mid-Autumn Festival decorations.

However, keen-eyed members of the public soon observed that a row of Mid-Autumn Festival lanterns adorning Upper Cross Street came loose on Thursday (21 Sep) evening, leading to significant disruptions for double-decker buses and resulting in traffic bottlenecks that left commuters exasperated.

The main attraction, the “花好月圆” (translated as “Beautiful Flowers, Full Moon”) lantern decorations, had become an unintended obstacle for public transportation.

Eyewitnesses reported that the decorations tumbled from their lofty positions, effectively barricading the passage for double-decker buses and leaving them unable to traverse the area.

Eric Toh, a finance professional, on Thursday shared a video of the situation on TikTok, drawing attention to the sagging “花好月圆” lantern decoration that should have been gracefully suspended high above Upper Cross Street.

@erictoh.et

decorations dropping at chinatown #midautumn #chinatown #fyp #Singapore #sbstransit

♬ Oh no, oh no, oh no, no no – Hip Hop

Speaking to 8World News, Mr Toh recounted the chaos he witnessed.

According to Mr Toh, around 6:50 pm on the evening of Thursday, he was riding a bus through the area when the bus driver abruptly asked passengers to disembark due to the sagging lights obstructing the bus route.

“I was on my way home and had to switch to a non-double-decker bus, as the taller buses couldn’t get through,” said Mr Toh.

He also mentioned that while he waited for another bus, he witnessed a double-decker bus attempting to “force its way” through, causing the already sagging lights to droop even further.

“I’m unsure if the decorations fell further after I left or if they were repaired,” he added.

The incident not only inconvenienced commuters but also raised concerns about the safety of such decorations during public events.

Safety concern

Some individuals, commenting on 8 World News and Lianhe Zaobao, not only ridiculed the situation but also expressed their worries about safety issues.

Others questioned why every year, Chinatown’s decorations become hot topics, whether due to the design of the Mid-Autumn decorations or the perplexing Chinese blessing phrases.

One netizen made a playful pun: “Mid-Autumn has descended”.

“Every year there are problems, and they don’t seem to be embarrassed about it.”

Another individual proposed that the loosening lantern decorations might have been caused by strong winds. This netizen drew attention to a separate incident on Orchard Road where a tree fell onto a car. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in either case.

A comment highlighted the safety issue for all road users, implying that some necessary costs should not be cut when people’s lives are at stake.

Meanwhile, other netizens have recently shared images of the vibrant night scenes at Chinatown’s Mid-Autumn lantern decorations.