Why no Tamil signages in Changi Airport?

Cindyfeh SG

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/forum/story/0,5562,351985,00.html?

After a gap of five years, I had the pleasant experience of using the services of Singapore Changi Airport when I went abroad last week.

Being continuously voted as the best airport in the world, no one can easily find fault with the facilities afforded by our airport.

Neverthless, there was a sore point pertaining to the signboards at the airport. I was very upset that there were no signs in the Tamil language, which is one of our official tongues.

The main sign is in English followed by smaller signs in Malay, Chinese and Japanese. Logically, it should be in Malay, Chinese and Tamil.

It has been the norm that major signboards in all government buildings are in all the four official languages. This includes Tamil. Hospitals, MRT stations, schools etc are examples where Tamil signboards can be found. There shouldn't be any doubt that our airport too is a public place. Where are the Tamil signboards?

I can see the reason for including Japanese in the signboards. In fact, I strongly support having signboards in other prominent foreign languages, but this should not be done at the expense of our local languages.

If you choose to have signs in Japanese, what about French, German, Korean, Hindi, Russian etc. Why the special treatment for the Japanese tourists? In fact, most Japanese can read and understand Chinese characters. So why the need for Japanese signs?

Indian tourists especially from southern Tamil Nadu are coming in increasing numbers and are emerging as big spenders in Singapore.

This implies that it makes good commercial sense to have signboards in Tamil. Although Tamil is only spoken by five per cent of our population, in this present era of globalisation it is fast becoming our gateway to the lucrative South Indian markets.

In Chennai and Colombo airports, signboards carry Tamil translations in recognition of its status as an official language in those places.

Not having Tamil signboards could also be construed as unconstituitional or against the spirit of our Constitution which has granted equal status to all our local languages.

I hope the airport authorities take note of this and rectify the shortcoming as soon as possible.

K. Sabesan
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Indeed, I am as alarmed as Sabesan!

We have many many Indian FT in singapore. How can we not put tamil signages in the airport?!?

What happen if they get lost?

ditzy SG

Someone in forums say they speak well, so they must be intelligent enough they don't need signages. Laughing

Mr Fugue SG

then, there're also people from other countries like thailand, Ireland, Latin living in singapore.....etc.

so might as well put all the 72 language translation of the 72 countries in the world lahz~!!

then a ''No-Smoking'' sign will be at least 1 metre long. Laughing

dragg SG

most people will quit because going through the signs will do more harm than smoking.

SBS9828X SG

stupid n000b... this is a universal language-

Mr Fugue SG

have you heard stories of people from other countries misinterpreting symbols?? Laughing

vito_corleone SG

maybe because mainland chinese, malaysian malays and japanese can't read english? Laughing

nightsky87 SG

Eh I Romanian, why no romanian signs har? Then ah, my friend is the Spanish. Why no Spanish signs har? Discriminate si bo?

No signage, too bad lar, suck it up. Sorry the world don't revolve around you or your language only.

vito_corleone SG

cause romanians have no spending power and the spanish hardly ever come here. Laughing they have better beaches, food and chics in spain. come here what do you have? articicial beaches surrounded by murky waters and hideous sarong party girls?

nightsky87 SG

Wa how can say like that, Romanians invented Dragostea Din Tei ok! Without it you think Guo Mei Mei can come out her new album which remix our old song? Hahaha

sinicker SG

Not all Indians necessarily read Tamil.

SBS9828X SG

misinterprete this as? ur cock ah?

Troy437 SG

Most Indians can read English.
If they dun, they are not shy to ask their own ppl who are around them for directions.

Just like PRC, they dun hesitate to ask local Chinese for directions.

Thai ppl seldom come to Spore for holiday. Their culture is to give what they earn to their family, and not spend it on holidays overseas.

so that explains why there is no language for in Tamil and Thai.

crazy monkey SG

japanese can read chinese because got chinese character ? Laughing

so malay got alphabets can British read them also ?