Buangkok station
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TRAVEL ADVISORY | !
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NE15 Buangkok 万国 புவாங்கோக்*Graphic From SGTrains/Wikipedia/LTA | |
Statistics | |
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Address | 10 Sengkang Central Singapore 545061 |
Line(s) | North East Line |
Structure | Underground |
Connections | |
Abbreviation | BGK |
Buangkok (NE15) is a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station on the North East Line.
History[edit]
Date | Event |
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15 January 2006 | Station officially opened |
First white elephant incident[edit]
On 27 August 2005, during Minister Vivian Balakrishnan's visit, a resident, displeased with Buangkok's disuse, erected a series of white paper cut-outs of elephants, which were drawn in a cartoon-like style, symbolically calling the unopened Buangkok station a 'white elephant'.[1] Soon after, police started an investigation on it as a case of a public display without permit, on the grounds that a complaint was received and that they may have been in violation of the Public Entertainment and Meetings Act. It raised controversy because many people saw it as a harmless, trivial case not worthy of investigation. It also highlighted the general displeasure over the non-operation of the MRT station after it was built with public funds. It also raised questions on how much freedom of expression the government is willing to tolerate.
On 6 October 2005, the police closed the investigation without pressing charges but issued a stern warning to the offender.[2] This led then-Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng to comment to the media, "We cannot apply the law to some and turn a blind eye to others. If we do, then the law becomes the real white elephant."
Second white elephant incident[edit]
On 13 January 2006, during a carnival celebrating the opening of the MRT station, some 27 students from Raffles Girls' School were preparing to sell T-shirts bearing "Save the White Elephants" to raise funds for a charity Youth Guidance. This prompted a warning from the police that they needed a fund-raising permit and that "wearing of T-shirts en masse may be misconstrued by some as an offence under the Miscellaneous Offences (Public & Order & Nuisance) (Assemblies & Processions) Rules."[3]
The girls said that they had always taken a strong interest in current affairs and Buangkok incident inspired them to start what they called "Project White Elephant" aiming to "galvanise the youth of today to rise up from the apathy they are stereotyped with and take an active role in airing their views". Punggol South grassroots leaders were impressed by their "entrepreneurial spirit and derring-do", and invited them to set up a stall at the opening ceremony of the station to sell the T-shirts.
On 21st January 2006, Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng apologised for the way the police had overreacted to the group of school girls' plan to sell and wear white elephant T-shirts at the opening of Buangkok station.[4]
Artworks[edit]
North East Line: Water, Nature & Contemporary by Vincent Leow
Bold colours and graphic patterns fused with old black-and-white photos of life in Singapore are embellished with dots, graphic motifs and bands to create an experimental commentary on the vitality of Buangkok New Town.[5]
Layout[edit]
L1 | Street Level | |||||||
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B1 | Concourse | Faregates, Ticketing Machines, Passenger Service Centre | ||||||
B2 |
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Platform A/B | ||||||||
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Exits[edit]
Exit | Disabled-Access | Location/Nearby |
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A | Sengkang Central, Palm View Primary School, Compassvale Ancilla Park | |
B | Sengkang Central, North Vista Primary School |
Transport Services[edit]
First/Last Train Timing[edit]
Destination | First Train | Last Train | ||
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Mon − Fri | Sat | Sun & P.H. | Daily | |
North East Line | ||||
NE1HarbourFront | 05:46 | 05:46 | 06:06 | 23:32 |
NE17Punggol | 06:13 | 06:14 | 06:34 | 00:25 |
Bus[edit]
- More travel information: Alternative Travel Method
Bus Stop | Exit | Bus Service | |
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Buangkok Stn Exit A 67609 Sengkang Ctrl |
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27 43 43e 43M 102 114
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Buangkok Stn Exit B 67601 Sengkang Ctrl |
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27 43 43e 43M 102 114
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References[edit]
- ↑ "Residents bring up 'white elephant' Buangkok MRT during minister's visit" Hasnita A Majid (Channel NewsAsia, 28 August 2005). Archived on 9 January 2006.
- ↑ "Conclusion of Police’s Investigations into the White Elephants Placards". Singapore Police Force. Archived on 7 June 2007.
- ↑ "Teens' white elephant T-shirt venture gets police attention". TODAY (14 January 2006). Archived on 16 January 2006.
- ↑ "Police overreacted to white elephant T-shirt incident: DPM Wong". Julia Ng (Channel NewsAsia, 21 January 2006). Archived on 30 September 2007.
- ↑ "Art in Transit". Land Transport Authority.
North East Line | [ V • T • E ] | |
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Stations | HarbourFront • Outram Park • Chinatown • Clarke Quay • Dhoby Ghaut • Little India • Farrer Park • Boon Keng • Potong Pasir • Woodleigh • Serangoon • Kovan • Hougang • Buangkok • Sengkang • Punggol North East Line extension: Punggol Coast | |
Rolling Stock | 751A • 751C • 851E | |
Depots | Sengkang | |
Others | Bridging Service |