The bus driver allegedly abandoned 20 Chinese tourists along Race Course Road, Singapore. - Photo: Shin Min Daily News
SINGAPORE: A group of Chinese tourists got more than they bargained for during their vacation to Singapore after a heated argument with the tour bus driver.
The incident on Aug 16 saw 20 tourists abandoned on Race Course Road following a dispute over the purchase of souvenirs.
Video footage of the incident shows a group of unhappy tourists arguing with a bus driver.
One woman can be heard accusing the driver of kicking them off the bus for not spending enough money.
“The driver left us stranded in a foreign country for four hours, in nearly 40-degree heat,” one of the tourists wrote in a now-deleted social media post.
“We wanted to call the police, but our tour leader threatened us.”
The tourist, who identified herself online as Wei Da Piaoliang, alleged that the bus driver had tried to sell them souvenirs earlier in the day, but their purchases failed to meet his expectations.
She claims the situation escalated after lunch when a female tourist, suffering from high blood pressure, attempted to retrieve medication from the bus but was denied access.
Adding fuel to the fire, the driver allegedly hit another tourist with the bus door while departing.
When contacted by Shin Min Daily News, an eyewitness who works at a nearby restaurant confirmed seeing a group of agitated tourists arguing loudly with a bus driver.
“My worker and I heard shouting from outside and rushed out to see what was going on,” said the 37-year-old restaurant owner, who declined to be named.
“We didn’t know what the fight was about, but it seemed like things were getting out of hand.”
The restaurant owner, whose establishment regularly serves tour groups, said that his workers offered drinks and ice cream to the stranded tourists while they waited for alternative transport.
Another tour bus driver, who recognised his colleague in the video, claimed that it was common practice for drivers to sell souvenirs to tourists for extra cash.
“We’ve been doing this for years. It's not a secret, the companies know,” said the 70-year-old driver, who asked not to be named.
“We usually sell small things like keychains and perfume. Nothing expensive.”
He added that drivers were not obliged to carry luggage for their passengers and sometimes resorted to selling souvenirs to supplement their income.
"We do a lot of heavy lifting. Some of those bags can weigh up to 40-50 kg,” he said.
“It would be nice if customers were a bit more understanding."
The affected tourists have since filed a formal complaint with the Chinese Embassy in Singapore.
On Thursday (Aug 22), Stomp reported that The Singapore Tourism Board was investigating the Aug 16 incident in which tourists were allegedly abandoned by their tour bus driver at Race Course Road following a dispute with him over the purchase of souvenirs.
The Chinese Embassy in Singapore also confirmed it received a report of the incident and added that it had sent a car to pick up the tourists, according to Shin Min Daily News.
In the incident that took place at noon at Race Course Road, a group of Chinese tourists was shown in a video arguing with a tour bus driver from a local travel agency.
The tourists claimed they were insulted and cursed at because they did not buy the souvenirs sold by the driver.
They accused the driver of unloading their luggage from the bus and said he was unapologetic.
"As the regulator of travel agents in Singapore, we emphasise that all licensees must fulfil their obligations," said an STB spokesperson.
"STB will not tolerate any behaviour that disrespects or puts tourists at risk. The authority will not hesitate to take action against operators who engage in poor tourism practices.
"We are committed to maintaining Singapore's reputation as a safe and welcoming destination for all travellers."
An embassy spokesperson said it received a report from a tourist in a Chinese tour group in Singapore on the same day of the incident.
The tourist complained that the group was verbally abused by the driver in an argument and he rejected their demand for an apology.
The embassy advised the tourist to make a police report and sent a car to pick up the tourists.
It is reported that the tour group left for Malaysia the next day as planned and returned to China on Aug 19. - The New Paper, Stomp
