So Singapore is to become Little Las Vegas, no longer the Lion City, more like Dice Island. The Casino Capital of south east Asia.

I can't wait. Wall-to-wall wedding chapels on the Sentosa Strip. Massage parlours in Marina Bayfront. Bare-breasted showgirls doing the Can-Can on the Esplanade. Australian media mogul Kerry Packer slipping one million dollar tips to croupiers.

Quick, deal me in. Get me the number for Valuair but don't tell Mrs Jarrett.

Hold on, though, this is squeaky-clean, chewing gum-free Singapore, the country that has declared itself a no-bad-taste zone.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Singapore tear down Bugis Street to wipe out the memory of the time it was a hangout for drag queens and misbehaving US, Australian and British sailors?

Then it rebuilt Bugis Street in a different place but – search as they may – they couldn't find its soul.

Singapore's casinos, due in 2009, will be the casinos you have when you don't approve of gambling. They will be hidden away in mega resorts where the locals will gain entry only by forking out S$100 a time, or S$2000 per year. And strictly no credit.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has cited Singapore's dwindling tourism appeal as the basis for government's pragmatic decision to introduce casinos. While Singapore's tourism numbers have been increasing, its market share in the Asia Pacific region has been falling from 13.1 percent in 1993 to six percent in 2002.  

Minister mentor Lee Kwan Yew, who still likes to deal the political cards, admits that Singapore took its eye off the ball as rival destinations built iconic tourism product such as Malaysia's Formula One motor racing circuit.

The PM insists Singapore is not aiming to become like Las Vegas or Macau, calling the proposed casino operations "as decent and wholesome" as a local NTUC union bash. Sort of  Macau on Mogadon. Las Vegas without the gas.

(I checked out the NTUC entertainment programme this month: the Amazing Irina and Oleko, face painting and bicycle engraving. Bet the high rollers can't wait.)

By the time Singapore rolls the dice in four years' time, Disneyland will be up and running in Hong Kong and Dubai will have built Dubailand, the world's biggest theme park.

Hong Kong and Dubai are going for mum, dad and the kids while Singapore opts for the high rollers.

Singapore is confident it has made the correct call – but I wouldn't want to bet on it.



IAN JARRETT is based in Fremantle, Western Australia from where he travels frequently in Asia on assignments for travel magazines.

He is a member of the BamBoo Alliance, a group of leading travel writers in the region. He can be contacted at ianjarrett@mac.com