No gambling for MR CASINO
Former president of LA casino returns to set up casino college here, but focus won't be on how to gamble
February 26, 2008
YOU name it, he knows it - baccarat, roulette, poker and even Chinese dominoes.
Dr Alan Soh knows many casino games, but does not gamble.
But Dr Alan Soh, who started at the bottom of the casino ladder as a card dealer some 25 years back, is no gambler.
Said the 60-year-old, who is back in Singapore to set up his own casino college: 'I'm a professional. I don't gamble.'
He explained: 'If you win, people will say, 'Well, you're the expert, it's not fair.' And if you lose, they will laugh at you.'
Dr Soh has worked for about 10 years in the US, where he rose from his humble card-dealing days to become a pit manager, then operations manager and finally, the president of a Los Angeles casino.
More recently, he worked in Malaysia and taught at a casino college in Singapore.
He has a doctorate from Preston University in Wyoming, specialising in service marketing and casino management, and has worked in the hospitality industry for 25 years.
Last October, he set up his own casino college, AGMI International in Bukit Merah.
He and his team of veteran casino staff members have been teaching students about the rules of various casino games, as well as gaming etiquette and ethics, at his school.
It was accredited by CaseTrust late last year and it is believed to be the latest school offering casino-related courses here.
It has about 25 students and he hopes more will sign up in anticipation of the opening of the integrated resorts next year.
Dr Soh said he ended up in this industry by chance.
He left Singapore, where he grew up, for the US in his early 30s, he said.
Fresh from a divorce, he was 'a bit depressed'.
'I wanted to get out of Singapore.'
His first stop: Las Vegas.
He was taking a language course in a community college there.
'I had no intention to work in a casino. But I needed money for my studies,' he recalled.
It turned out to be his lucky break.
He started off as a runner. Soon, he was asked to be a dealer. Then, he moved to Los Angeles where he worked at the Bicycle Club Casino as a croupier. He was picked to become a management trainee.
He was then rapidly promoted to become an Asian Games Manager.
Then he was headhunted to manage a chain of eight hotels in China for a year, before returning to the gaming industry where he was a president of an LA casino.
Dr Soh, who did not want to say how much he was paid in his previous jobs, said: 'In my time, I've seen poor people come in and after gambling, they become rich.
'I've also seen rich people come in and leave the casino poor.'
He said: 'Money never comes easily. So don't be greedy.'
RULES AND ETHICS
He added: 'I don't teach people how to gamble. But I teach the international rules of the game and the ethics involved.'
As president of an LA casino, the Regency Card Club, in 1990, he said he had seen people betting US$200,000 ($281,000) to US$300,000 per hand.
'On a night, they could lose up to US$2 million to US$3 million.'
Many don't recoup their losses.
Said Dr Soh: 'I always tell my students that to work in a casino, you must have good character and integrity.
'It's a privilege as it means you have been screened by the police.'
One of his students, Daphne Teo, 19, called his classes 'practical and fun'.
Ms Teo, who has a diploma in casino management from another casino college, said: 'The classes here are more hands-on and the skills I learn, I'll always have with me.'
Monday, February 25, 2008
Don't call him BOCHAP*
*Hokkien for 'don't care'
Don't call him BOCHAP*
Man rushes pregnant woman to hospital after car accident
WITH blood dripping down her legs, the pregnant driver sat in her car, pinned back by the air cushion that might have saved her life.
The New Paper 21 Feb 2008
Barely conscious after her car veered off and crashed into the railing along the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) last Friday morning, she could only wait for rescuers to arrive and help her.
Although someone had called for an ambulance, it would take many more precious minutes to reach her because a massive jam had formed due to the accident.
Fortunately for the woman, several motorists who saw the wrecked car stopped to offer help.
One of them even drove her to the hospital.
And these selfless acts might saved the unborn child of the six-month-old
The Good Samaritans' help was a stark contrast to the behaviour of another motorist who just stopped to gawk at victims of another accident last month at Old Upper Thomson Road, as reported by The New Paper last week.
This time, the selfless motorist who drove the woman to the hospital was Mr Ng Chye Boon, 38.
'We should help each other because we're Singaporeans. It's a matter of life. If we can take a bit of time to help, it will be appreciated,' he said.
Mr Ng, who works as a driver, was returning to his office at Scotts Road after an errand when he saw the scene at Whitley Road, towards Stevens Road. This was around 10.30am.
The woman's car had crashed into the barrier on the right lane. The car's right side and the windscreen was smashed.
Mr Ng said he was told that the pregnant woman could have suffered an unexpected giddy spell that caused her to lose control of her vehicle.
Apart from Mr Ng, five other motorists also stopped their vehicles to help her.
Together, they helped to carry the woman, who is in her 30s, and her slightly injured front-seat passenger, to the grass verge nearby.
As some called the police and for an ambulance, others helped to tend to her wounds.
'Thank God, they cooperated and helped her,' Mr Ng said.
However, the father of three young children was worried about something else.
The accident, which police said also involved a minor collision between a van and a taxi, had caused a big jam.
As the woman appeared to be bleeding profusely, Mr Ng offered to drive her to KK Women's and Children's Hospital, which was about 15 minutes away, rather than wait for the ambulance.
The woman and her passenger, an older woman believed to be her relative, agreed.
After Mr Ng sent them to the hospital, he left them in the care of the doctors and the anxious husband, who had rushed to the hospital.
Mr Ng didn't ask for the woman's name or her number.
Later that evening, he returned to the hospital, hoping to check on her condition, but learnt that she had been discharged after her condition stabilised.
He hopes she will get in touch with him on how she is faring. She can do so by contacting The New Paper.
For Mr Ng, he was just happy that he had stopped to render help.
He believes that there are many motorists like him out there.
'So far, from what I see, Singaporeans are quite helpful... the majority will help, though there'll be some who will be afraid of trouble,' he said.
Don't call him BOCHAP*
Man rushes pregnant woman to hospital after car accident
WITH blood dripping down her legs, the pregnant driver sat in her car, pinned back by the air cushion that might have saved her life.
The New Paper 21 Feb 2008
Barely conscious after her car veered off and crashed into the railing along the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) last Friday morning, she could only wait for rescuers to arrive and help her.
Although someone had called for an ambulance, it would take many more precious minutes to reach her because a massive jam had formed due to the accident.
Fortunately for the woman, several motorists who saw the wrecked car stopped to offer help.
One of them even drove her to the hospital.
And these selfless acts might saved the unborn child of the six-month-old
The Good Samaritans' help was a stark contrast to the behaviour of another motorist who just stopped to gawk at victims of another accident last month at Old Upper Thomson Road, as reported by The New Paper last week.
This time, the selfless motorist who drove the woman to the hospital was Mr Ng Chye Boon, 38.
'We should help each other because we're Singaporeans. It's a matter of life. If we can take a bit of time to help, it will be appreciated,' he said.
Mr Ng, who works as a driver, was returning to his office at Scotts Road after an errand when he saw the scene at Whitley Road, towards Stevens Road. This was around 10.30am.
The woman's car had crashed into the barrier on the right lane. The car's right side and the windscreen was smashed.
Mr Ng said he was told that the pregnant woman could have suffered an unexpected giddy spell that caused her to lose control of her vehicle.
Apart from Mr Ng, five other motorists also stopped their vehicles to help her.
Together, they helped to carry the woman, who is in her 30s, and her slightly injured front-seat passenger, to the grass verge nearby.
As some called the police and for an ambulance, others helped to tend to her wounds.
'Thank God, they cooperated and helped her,' Mr Ng said.
However, the father of three young children was worried about something else.
The accident, which police said also involved a minor collision between a van and a taxi, had caused a big jam.
As the woman appeared to be bleeding profusely, Mr Ng offered to drive her to KK Women's and Children's Hospital, which was about 15 minutes away, rather than wait for the ambulance.
The woman and her passenger, an older woman believed to be her relative, agreed.
After Mr Ng sent them to the hospital, he left them in the care of the doctors and the anxious husband, who had rushed to the hospital.
Mr Ng didn't ask for the woman's name or her number.
Later that evening, he returned to the hospital, hoping to check on her condition, but learnt that she had been discharged after her condition stabilised.
He hopes she will get in touch with him on how she is faring. She can do so by contacting The New Paper.
For Mr Ng, he was just happy that he had stopped to render help.
He believes that there are many motorists like him out there.
'So far, from what I see, Singaporeans are quite helpful... the majority will help, though there'll be some who will be afraid of trouble,' he said.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Two Australians quizzed over Singapore plane alert
SINGAPORE, Jan 24 - Two Australians were being questioned by Singapore police after the small plane they were flying caused a temporary lockdown of city-state's commercial airspace on Tuesday evening, a local paper reported Thursday.
The plane, a single-engine turboprop Cessna 208, flew into Singapore airspace from Thailand without permission and was intercepted by two Singapore air force fighter jets before landing at Changi Airport.
The Straits Times reported that the plane was bought this month by an Australian woman who owned a travel company. The report did not identify the two people on board.
The closure of commercial airspace affected 23 aircraft, disrupting flights in and out of Changi Airport. Another inbound aircraft was diverted to Senai Airport in neighbouring Malaysia.
The plane, a single-engine turboprop Cessna 208, flew into Singapore airspace from Thailand without permission and was intercepted by two Singapore air force fighter jets before landing at Changi Airport.
The Straits Times reported that the plane was bought this month by an Australian woman who owned a travel company. The report did not identify the two people on board.
The closure of commercial airspace affected 23 aircraft, disrupting flights in and out of Changi Airport. Another inbound aircraft was diverted to Senai Airport in neighbouring Malaysia.
RSAF jets scramble to intercept civilian aircraft
23 January 08 The Strait Times
RSAF jets scramble to intercept civilian aircraft
SINGAPORE'S airspace was shut down temporarily last night when two air force F16 jets were scrambled to intercept a civilian plane heading here without an appro ved flight plan.
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) fighter jets went into action at 6.42pm, said the Ministry of Defence (Mindef). They intercepted the single-en gine turboprop Cessna 208 and escorted it to land at Changi Airport.
The plane 'was heading towards Singapore airspace without an approved flight plan', said Mindef spokesman Darius Lim.
Once the Cessna 208 landed, the police took over investi gations.
It is believed the civilian plane, which typically seats nine passeng ers, was flying in from the Thai resort island of Koh Samui when it triggered Si ngapore's air defences.
The resulting shutdown of commercial airspace affected 23 aircraft, disrupting flights in and out of Changi Airport.
The shut down lasted for 50 m inutes from 7.10pm until 8pm, a Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore spokesman told The Straits Times.
She added that 16 incoming flights and six departing aircraft w ere delayed for between 15 and 40 minutes each.
One more inbound aircraft was diverted to Senai Airport in Johor. A passenger on the flight was 34-year-old bu siness executive Philip Koh, who was flying in from Brunei.
His flight was due to tou ch down at Changi Airport at 8pm, but just before its final approach, the pilot informed passengers that the plane could not land because of an 'interception du e to unidentified aircraft'.
The plane was diverted to Senai and stayed on the tarm ac at the airport for about an hour, said Mr Koh. The plane finally arrived at C hangi Airport at about 9.45pm.
Contacted last night, Singapore Airlines said t here were short delays to a few departing flights between 7.30pm and 8pm because the airli ne was waiting for take-off clearances.
This is not the first time the air for ce has been called into action. In August 2003, two RSAF jets intercepted a Portuguese-registered civilian aircraft that breached Singapore's airspace.
Th e pilot, whose plane had run into electrical problems, tried to land at Tengah A irbase before two A4 Skyhawks were scrambled alongside it.
Under escort, the C essna plane later landed safely at Seletar Airport. The 61-year-old pilot was questioned by the police before he was released.
Aviation experts said that following the S ept 11, 2001, attacks, the RSAF operates an enhanced air defence against airborn e terrorist threats, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Air forces the world over have bee n wary of copycat attacks by terrorists commandeering planes as 'guided missiles '.
Colonel Lim said: 'The RSAF continues to maintain a high state of readiness .'
RSAF jets scramble to intercept civilian aircraft
SINGAPORE'S airspace was shut down temporarily last night when two air force F16 jets were scrambled to intercept a civilian plane heading here without an appro ved flight plan.
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) fighter jets went into action at 6.42pm, said the Ministry of Defence (Mindef). They intercepted the single-en gine turboprop Cessna 208 and escorted it to land at Changi Airport.
The plane 'was heading towards Singapore airspace without an approved flight plan', said Mindef spokesman Darius Lim.
Once the Cessna 208 landed, the police took over investi gations.
It is believed the civilian plane, which typically seats nine passeng ers, was flying in from the Thai resort island of Koh Samui when it triggered Si ngapore's air defences.
The resulting shutdown of commercial airspace affected 23 aircraft, disrupting flights in and out of Changi Airport.
The shut down lasted for 50 m inutes from 7.10pm until 8pm, a Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore spokesman told The Straits Times.
She added that 16 incoming flights and six departing aircraft w ere delayed for between 15 and 40 minutes each.
One more inbound aircraft was diverted to Senai Airport in Johor. A passenger on the flight was 34-year-old bu siness executive Philip Koh, who was flying in from Brunei.
His flight was due to tou ch down at Changi Airport at 8pm, but just before its final approach, the pilot informed passengers that the plane could not land because of an 'interception du e to unidentified aircraft'.
The plane was diverted to Senai and stayed on the tarm ac at the airport for about an hour, said Mr Koh. The plane finally arrived at C hangi Airport at about 9.45pm.
Contacted last night, Singapore Airlines said t here were short delays to a few departing flights between 7.30pm and 8pm because the airli ne was waiting for take-off clearances.
This is not the first time the air for ce has been called into action. In August 2003, two RSAF jets intercepted a Portuguese-registered civilian aircraft that breached Singapore's airspace.
Th e pilot, whose plane had run into electrical problems, tried to land at Tengah A irbase before two A4 Skyhawks were scrambled alongside it.
Under escort, the C essna plane later landed safely at Seletar Airport. The 61-year-old pilot was questioned by the police before he was released.
Aviation experts said that following the S ept 11, 2001, attacks, the RSAF operates an enhanced air defence against airborn e terrorist threats, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Air forces the world over have bee n wary of copycat attacks by terrorists commandeering planes as 'guided missiles '.
Colonel Lim said: 'The RSAF continues to maintain a high state of readiness .'
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