How about a trip back in time? We are standing in Tai Seng. It seems like a staid industrial estate today. But it once held a vibrant kampung.
Tai Seng has transformed over the years. It went from a gang-ridden area to an industrial hub. Today, it is home to major brands. BreadTalk, Charles & Keith, and DHL all have headquarters here.
Let’s delve into the history of Tai Seng. Once Upon A Tai Seng Village tells its story. The Singapore Memory Project sponsored this heritage book. Ann Phua, the co-author, spent two years collecting material. She realized that even Google had little on Tai Seng.
The name Tai Seng means “big accomplishment” in Chinese. Entrepreneur Ang Yong Huat built the Tai Seng Rubber Factory in 1917. The area was named after this factory.
Imagine Lorong Tai Seng at night. Taxis refused to enter. Gangsters from Geylang came to fight. Residents watched these street brawls. It was like a movie. Ang Mia Chaw, a turtle soup hawker, remembers those days. He was shot in the face stopping a robbery. He still carries the scars.
Dr. Stephen Chee ran a clinic here for 20 years. One night, gangsters blindfolded him. They took him to a hut. He had to stitch up a comrade. The man had a deep cut on his scalp.
Tai Seng was not all crime. It had a bustling marketplace. There was also an outdoor cinema.
Government resettlement changed everything. From 1977 to 1999, the kampung’s population moved. The area industrialized.
Today, little remains of the old Tai Seng. Only the Hong San Temple in Defu Lane is left. Memories of former residents are scattered across Singapore.
But even the MRT station has a story. Upper Paya Lebar Road was realigned for its construction. The station was initially named Upper Paya Lebar. It was renamed Tai Seng to reflect the area. The station opened on April 17, 2010. It connects to the Paya Lebar industrial hub via an underground walkway.
The artwork in Tai Seng MRT station is also significant. Circle Line: Equilibrium by Francis Ng uses triangles. It explores the relationship between commuters. It represents the dynamic movements of businesses in the area.
So, while modern Tai Seng bustles with industry, remember its vibrant and tumultuous past. The memories live on.