Netizens school Chinese tourist who ‘thought she was in India’ in Singapore over cultural ignorance
A Chinese tourist’s remark that she “thought she was in India” while visiting Singapore’s Farrer Park has stirred debate about race, identity, and diversity among Singaporeans online.
- A Chinese tourist’s video claiming she thought she was in India while visiting Singapore sparked debate on Reddit about race and cultural identity.
- The clip was filmed in Farrer Park, an area known for its proximity to Little India.
- Netizens noted that Little India is well known for its vibrant Indian heritage and culture.
SINGAPORE: A video of a Chinese tourist claiming she thought she was in India while visiting Singapore has sparked a heated discussion on Reddit.
The clip, originally uploaded by the tourist herself, was reshared on Instagram by user @whyliddatsg on 28 October.
According to the caption, the visitor made “racist remarks about breathing in Farrer Park.”
The post read, “Visitor from China in Singapore makes a racist post about breathing in Farrer Park. We do not condone racism in Singapore.”
Farrer Park is well known for its proximity to Little India — an area rich in Indian culture, cuisine, and heritage.
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Reddit Users Respond
The incident quickly drew widespread attention on Reddit, where users engaged in a debate about cultural diversity and identity in Singapore.
One user criticised the tourist’s comment as ignorant, pointing out that Farrer Park has always been an enclave for the Indian community.
The commenter noted that the area has long been a place where Indians carry out their daily activities — long before discussions about foreigners in Singapore became common online.
The user quipped, “That’s like going to Chinatown and saying, ‘I thought I was in China.’”
However, another user argued that Singapore’s demographics might explain such comments from a foreign visitor.
“Singapore is known globally as a Chinese-majority country. Seeing a majority of Indians in an area would naturally raise such questions for a tourist,” the user wrote.
Others pushed back, highlighting the area’s long-standing cultural identity.
“That area has always been Little India — long before you were even born,” one Redditor said, adding that the commenter might have had a point if the video had been taken in Changi Business Park.
However, Farrer Park is located within the Little India stretch, which has historically been home to Indian businesses and culture.
Another user remarked, “It’s actually a good thing; it means our Little India is a good representation of the actual country it’s named after.”
“Feeling Like Foreigners at Home,” Netizens Say
Some users joked that they often feel like foreigners in their own country, reflecting growing concerns about the influx of foreigners in Singapore.
One user commented, “These days when I go to Chinatown, especially near the bus stop where they sell all the Chinese street snacks, I get the feeling that I’m a foreigner.”
Another added, “PRCs think this is India, Indians think this is China, while we Singaporeans feel like we are in a foreign land instead of our own homeland.”
Indian Community and Demographics in Singapore
According to data from India’s Ministry of External Affairs, there are around 650,000 overseas Indians in Singapore, comprising 350,000 Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and 300,000 Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs).
As of 2024, Indians made up 7.6 per cent of Singapore’s citizen population, while Malays and Chinese accounted for 15.1 per cent and 75.6 per cent respectively.
