SINGAPORE: Some chalet users in Singapore are throwing parties – often including alcoholic drinks – that attract underage teens and the management of these holiday rentals want to put a stop to that.
These events typically require entrance fees and attract large crowds that cause a ruckus.
The chalets said they are working to clamp down on the parties by installing advanced closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs), increasing the frequency of patrols, and being more vigilant with their bookings.
While they have been able to nip most of such gatherings in the bud before they take place, some go undetected until it is too late, and authorities had to be called in.
One operator ramping up measures is the Civil Service Club (CSC). It is upgrading its CCTVs, to those with live recording and night vision capabilities. Currently, the recordings can only be played back.
Its security guards will also perform additional patrols from midnight to dawn.
“If we see any incident happen, we try to control the crowd. If that is beyond our control, let’s say someone is injured, straightaway we call police and SCDF civil defence ambulance,” said security guard Gopal Paliniapan.
ILLEGAL TICKETED PARTIES
CSC’s heightened surveillance comes after management had to deal with at least three illegal ticketed drinking events involving teens over the past year.
One of the incidents escalated into a fight at its Changi chalet. A video that went viral on social media last month showed four girls kicking and pulling the hair of another girl on the ground while shouting vulgarities at her.
Footage showed a crowd at the scene cheering and laughing during the altercation. The crowd, which included minors, was allegedly at the chalet for a booze party before the brawl took place along the road right outside CSC premises.
The police said a 15-year-old female was injured and four youths aged between 14 and 15 are assisting in investigations.
TIP-OFF FROM PARENTS
Heritage Chalet in Pasir Ris told CNA that the party nearly took place on its grounds, if not for a tip-off from a parent.
In an email to the chalet’s management, the parent alleged that two units had been booked for a drinking party organised by underage individuals.
The parent wrote that the organiser “made claims of possessing an alcohol licence, with intentions to sell alcohol to minors”, adding that invitees allegedly owned illegal vaping devices that could be used during the party.
Heritage Chalet’s management said that following the tip-off, it cancelled a suspicious booking. The party was then allegedly moved to Changi chalet.
While Heritage Chalet managed to stop this particular party, there were others that slipped through.
A few weeks later, about a hundred youths created a rowdy fracas on its grounds close to midnight.
“My staff were doing their regular nighttime patrol and to our shock, we found way too many people in a chalet and they were spilling out. There must have been over 100 people,” said general manager Lee Yi Christabelle.
Many who turned up apparently did not know the 19-year-old who booked the unit and gatecrashed the party.
Police were called in by the chalet after the mob refused to leave.
STEPPING UP ON SECURITY
Like CSC, the operator is also in the midst of installing more cameras to improve the coverage of its video surveillance.
“Currently (our CCTVs) cover the entrances, exits and the grounds. We will be installing more CCTVs that face the chalets. Then it will be easier for my staff to monitor, and we will have more records of who’s coming in and out,” said Ms Lee.
The operator gets occasional requests for such parties but said it rejects them.
The chalet also does its due diligence on social media in hopes of catching party organisers before they step foot on its premises.
“Sometimes we do see a massive party (that is going to happen) at our chalet. That’s when I look through future guest check-ins and identify those who are likely to have the party, and send them a reminder of the rules and consequences of having the authorities called in,” said Ms Lee.
The operator warned that those who break the rules face the risk of losing their security deposit.
The management said that before the school holidays, it received a police reminder to keep a lookout for cases of underage drinking.
Even with more video surveillance and patrols, CSC said it is hard to have eyes on 70 units spread out over a site the size of about three football fields at its Changi chalet. So, the operator is finding other ways to address the problem.
It has raised the age limit for booking a unit from 18 to 21 years old. The form now also requires people to reveal their marital status.
“We realised that all these ticketing events were booked by people below 21 years old. Those who cause rowdiness and misbehave are mostly teens. Those who book for their families usually don’t give any problems,” said CSC chief executive Charlie Ng.
He added that while singles can still rent chalets, the management will keep a closer watch on those bookings.
“It is our responsibility to enhance (our guests’) experience and their safety and confidence when they stay in our chalets,” he said.
ORGANISERS HELD RESPONSIBLE
One lawyer told CNA that should a fight or other illegal activities happen at these chalet parties, the organisers would face the brunt of the law.
“If the person renting the chalet intends to host a party that involves ticketing, then technically they are using this venue for a commercial purpose and providing services that are typically provided by establishments such as registered clubs or bars. (This requires) proper licences, such as the liquor licence, from key state stakeholders,” said Mr Narendra Mudaliar, an associate at A W Law LLC.
The legal drinking age in Singapore is 18 years old.
Although there is no law penalising teens who drink while underage, licensed sellers cannot sell alcohol to them.
“By providing alcohol to underage individuals, as well as not having proper safeguards, they are at risk of breaching the Children and Young Persons Act. Ignorance of the law is not an excuse,” Mr Narendra added.