Samuel Seow, a former entertainment lawyer, has died.

He was 53.

A Jul. 26 statement from his family and conveyed by a close business associate, said he died peacefully in his sleep, according to Stomp.

His cause of death was confirmed by a doctor to be a heart attack, it was also reported.

His family, attending to his death in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, has requested for privacy.

Founded talent agency

Seow, a Singaporean, was also the founder of Beam Artistes, which launched in 2010.

At one point it represented about 20 artistes, including Ase Wang, Shane Pow, Jaymee Ong and Paul Foster.

In 2025, he became the founder of two male pageants, Misters of Nusantara and Masters of the World.

Masters of the World 2026 was set to take place in September 2026.

Legal troubles

Seow was struck off the roll in May 2022.

He had admitted before a disciplinary tribunal in 2019 to eight instances of professional misconduct involving three female employees at his office between March and April 2018.

Seow pleaded guilty and was sentenced in October 2022 to four weeks' jail and a S$1,500 fine for assaulting his niece and using criminal force on another female employee.

Tribute

Local filmmaker Kelvin Sng said in a Facebook tribute that he received the "most shocking news last night that my Godfather Samuel Seow has passed on".

Sng, who directed movies including The Fortune Handbook (2017) and King Of Hawkers (2024) added that Seow became his godparent back in 2010 when he was baptised as a Catholic.

"Despite whatever that happened over the years, I choose to remember the good times and his goodness," he said.

"Rest in peace Sam."

The Embassy of Italy in Bangkok, Thailand, and the Italian students involved in an incident where they were rowdy on a train in Bangkok, have apologised to the Thai public.

This was after a group of Italian teenagers were filmed speaking loudly and behaving inappropriately towards a fellow commuter, a Thai local, on the BTS Skytrain.

Train incident

A video of the incident circulated widely online.

Khaosod English reported that it has attracted over 15.4 million views on X alone.

The video, which was posted by a Thai woman on Jul. 23, showed her attempting to ask the teenagers to quieten down.

However, they reacted rudely.

A boy was seen gesturing by raising a middle finger.

One comment caught on video included: "Sorry that we brought money to your country".

Commuters on the BTS Skytrain typically keep their volumes down as a form of respect and mindfulness for others in an enclosed public space.

Apologies

The video triggered widespread anger among Thais, with the woman involved later filing a police report.

In response to the public outcry, the Italian embassy in Bangkok apologised via a trilingual Facebook statement on Jul. 25.

It criticised the behaviour of the underage tourists who were in Thailand participating in a school educational trip.

The statement read: "The Embassy of Italy in Bangkok expresses its deep regret over the incident and strongly condemns the inappropriate behaviour of a group of Italian underage tourists participating in a school educational trip, as shown in a video circulated on social media."

"The embassy extends its sincere apologies to the people of Thailand and to everyone affected by this incident."

"Italians deeply understand and appreciate the values that Thai society places on respect for others, courtesy and harmonious coexistence – values that are equally cherished and upheld by the Italian republic," the statement added.

It also emphasised that their "inappropriate behaviour" did not in any way represent the Italian people, nor did it "reflect the values of mutual respect, friendship, and courtesy that have long formed the foundation of the enduring relationship between the Italian Republic and the Kingdom of Thailand".

The embassy also released a separate video of four representatives apologising directly to the Thai public.

Admitting that they had initially intended to address the situation on Jul. 24, they explained that they postponed it as they were "worried" and "scared".

They also acknowledged that it was a "wrong decision" to delay apologising for the incident and pleaded for forgiveness from the Thai people.

One representative said: "I'm personally extremely sorry for what has happened."

"I perfectly know that money can't buy respect, and I'm really sorry for all the people offended and for having offended Thai culture."

Another representative said they did not condone such behaviour, noting that the teenagers involved in the incident would be sent back to Italy as soon as possible.

The students involved would also undergo further guidance to ensure strict respect for local cultures in the future, a representative added.

Charges, another chance

The Nation Thailand reported that the group of teenagers and their supervisor later met the woman at the station with an interpreter present.

A video posted by "1234aaawry" on TikTok showed them individually apologising for their behaviour.

One woman said: "I apologise to you, to all Thai people and to your family."

Both sides then reportedly agreed to delete photos and videos of the incident.

Police charged five of the six with insulting another person in their presence and fined each 1,000 baht (S$38), The Nation Thailand reported.

The individual seen making the middle-finger gesture in the video faced an additional charge of committing an indecent act in public, and a 2,000 baht (S$76) fine.

Even though the Thai woman felt the amount might not be a severe punishment for the group, she said she respected the officers' decision.

She also recognised the sincerity and remorse behind the apology and believed those who admitted wrongdoing and apologised should be given another chance.

HarbourFront Centre will cease operations on Monday, Jul. 27, 2026.

Sunday, Jul. 26 is its last day.

The mall made the announcement previously on Jun. 19.

Shutters down

Members of the public have been posting photos and their memories of the place.

HarbourFront Centre opened in 1978 as the World Trade Centre.

It was renovated and reopened in 2003, when it became HarbourFront Centre.

Photos shared online showed that many of the tenants have already moved out before the end of July 2026.

The shutters on many shops have come down when Mothership visited the premises on Jul. 20.

A member of the public Heritage SG Memories Facebook group wrote in his accompanying caption of the photos he shared of HarbourFront Centre: "I will remember in my heart."

While most of the shops have closed, Poh Kim Video was still operating on the final day of the mall's operations.

Other businesses that were still open on the final day, included Seoul Garden, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Starbucks, Pastamania, and Song Fa Bak Kut Teh.

To be redeveloped into 33-storey building

The 13-storey HarbourFront Centre will be redeveloped into a 33-storey mixed-use development featuring office and retail spaces and an elevated park that stretches towards the waterfront.

Redevelopment is expected to be completed in the first half of 2031.

The new Singapore Cruise Centre opened on Jul. 7 after moving from HarbourFront Centre to the new HarbourFront passenger terminal.

Located just 70m away from the existing terminal, the new terminal is in a red terracotta building at 5 HarbourFront Avenue, Singapore 099549.

Are you somebody who used to enjoy going to LAN shops with your friends? Do you remember eating fried nuggets in between a game of Dota or Counter-Strike as your main form of sustenance?

Or perhaps you’ve recently picked up a game with your partner and both of you have been sucked in by it? You might want to check out Elixir Esports’ newest outlet at Clarke Quay.

Located at the space formerly occupied by Haidilao, this is the Singaporean gaming and lifestyle brand’s fifth and largest outlet at almost 9,000 square feet, sporting billiard tables, a food menu with light alcoholic beverages and private rooms for gaming.

The other LAN shops opened by Elixir Esports are located at Beauty World, Lavender, Holland Village and The Cathay.

Alright, you might be thinking – will the Clarke Quay outlet be able to provide an elevated experience of what I used to enjoy at LAN shops?

Here’s what we found when we were given the opportunity to visit it.

Not just any LAN shop

You might be forgiven for wondering if you have stepped into the right place at first glance – visitors will find themselves greeted instead by a food counter and a display rack with various gaming accessories.

You will also be met by billiard tables, with prices starting from S$18 per hour during off-peak periods, bright comfy orange chairs to rest on, lockers to store their cues and even a foosball table.

There’s even a more private VIP room that can fit up to eight pax, starting from S$45 per hour for off-peak hours with a minimum rental period of three hours.

You can also enjoy a free fruit platter, all served to you either in the comfort of your rooms or at your billiard table, regardless of whether you are here to game or play some pool.

Beyond all of these however, what can you expect from the actual gaming rooms themselves?

Well-equipped

Customers will have the option of choosing between playing in a solo room, a room for two, a room for three or even a room for five, as can be seen below.

There’s also the premium solo room which sports unique features such as a charging dock, extra USB cables for your devices and additional monitor screens.

PCs in the rooms for three and five are equipped with NVIDIA RTX 5060 Ti graphics cards, while those who opt for the solo or couple rooms can enjoy PCs that run on the even-better NVIDIA RTX 5070 GPUs.

All stations are equipped with 2K 300Hz monitors for visual clarity, as well as a rotating selection of high-end boutique mice, keyboards and headsets to optimise your gaming experience.

All of the chairs are also fully reclinable, with the chairs in the solo and premium solo rooms in particular reclinable by up to 150 degrees, making it ideal for naps after an intense gaming session.

What’s more, the chairs in the premium solo rooms come with an additional leg rest too.

That’s not all, however.

All of the rooms are also equipped with free sweets, towels and wet wipes, thereby allowing you to freshen up, especially if you played a particularly hard game of Dota that involved a lot of tilting.

For rooms with windows, all of the curtains can be voiced controlled as well to provide you with a secluded gaming environment.

Rates for the rooms and billiard tables are as follows:

• Solo rooms: S$7 per hour (weekday), S$8 per hour (weekend)

  • This rate also applies to each PC in the couple rooms, rooms for three and rooms for five

• Premium solo rooms: S$9 per hour (weekday), S$10 per hour (weekend)
• Billiard tables: S$18 per hour (off-peak), S$24 per hour (peak: 5pm-3am)
• VIP billiard room: S$45 per hour (off-peak), S$60 per hour (peak), minimum rental period of three hours

Half price from Jul. 27 to Aug. 3

Still think about whether you should check it out? From Jul. 27 to Aug. 3, Elixir Esports will be charging half price on both its gaming rooms and billiard tables.

This means you can enjoy a gaming room from as low as S$3.50 per hour and a billiard table from S$9 per hour.

Note that GST and Service Charge applies. For billiard tables, cues are free and there is no limit to the number of players who can participate.

Plus, as of June, Elixir Esports utilises Singpass in the creation of new members’ accounts to ensure their security. Existing members are unaffected by this change and can login as usual.

You can also look out for Elixir Esport’s future community initiatives with both Singapore youth and elderly via their social media.

Not bad.

Elixir Esports @ Clarke Quay

Address: 3D River Valley Road, #02-04, Clarke Quay, Singapore 179023

Opening hours: 24/7

This sponsored article made the author decide to plan an outing to a LAN shop with his friends.

Top photos by Elixir Esports

Some tenants at Orchard Central will have to vacate their units by end-November 2026, as the mall is set to undergo renovation and refurbishment works.

According to a report by The Straits Times, the works are part of an asset enhancement initiative by the mall's landlord Far East Organization.

Tenants to vacate by Nov. 30

ST reported that some tenants received a letter dated Jun. 1 from Far East Organization informing them that they would have to vacate their units by Nov. 30.

In the letter, it was reportedly stated that Far East Organization will be renovating and refurbishing the mall as part of an asset enhancement initiative, and works are expected to begin on Dec. 1.

Based on ST's conversations with some of the mall’s tenants, those affected include tenants on levels five to eight, as well as levels 11 and 12.

The mall’s car park occupies its ninth floor.

The affected tenants are also reportedly on varying lease terms.

Some of their leases expire at the end of the year, while others have been extended till the mall's last day of operations.

Some leases also run beyond Nov. 30.

Earlier on Jul. 10, The Business Times reported that multinational consultancy firm Deloitte had secured a permanent space in Orchard Central, where it will occupy several upper-floor levels.

In an Instagram post that same day, Deloitte said the move is expected to take place in 2027.

In-principle approval granted for offices

In a statement to ST, Far East Organization said the planned enhancements for Orchard Central include new dining options, the integration of new public art, as well as an improved pedestrian link bridge connecting the mall to the future revamped Istana Park.

However, these plans remain subject to approval from the relevant authorities.

While Orchard Central is currently approved for retail, F&B, and lifestyle uses, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has granted in-principle approval for the introduction of office spaces.

Far East Organization's executive director of property services, Marc Boey, told ST that the group believes the next phase of growth for Orchard Road will be driven by a stronger mix of retail and lifestyle offerings, homes and workplaces across the precinct.

He said Orchard Central’s central location and its direct connection to Somerset MRT station put it in a good position to support this growth.

Boey added that the mall will continue to operate as a retail and lifestyle destination, and that Far East Organization remains committed to offering shoppers a mix of retail, dining and lifestyle experiences.

Any works would also be carefully planned and implemented to minimise disruption to shoppers and tenants, he said, with necessary operational and security measures put in place.

Mothership has separately reached out to Far East Organization for comment.

A 62-year-old man was arrested for suspected drink-driving after an early morning accident in Toa Payoh on Jul. 24.

The police said they were alerted to the accident at about 3:10am.

They said the car was believed to have self-skidded along Lorong 1 Toa Payoh towards Lorong 6 Toa Payoh.

A white car apparently crashed into the railing in the middle of the road, photos and a video circulating online showed.

It also hit a lamp post.

The driver was taken conscious to Tan Tock Seng Hospital and later arrested for drink-driving, the police said.

Police investigations are ongoing.

When a customer gave a well-known cake shop in Phuket, Thailand, a one-star review, the business decided to sue her for defamation, seeking 5 million baht (S$191,544) in damages.

On Jul. 23, a court in Phuket dismissed the case, the lawyer who represented the customer said in a Facebook post.

"The consumer wins," he wrote in the caption along with a photo of him and his client.

The cake shop, believed to be called Sharky Eye, has reportedly since closed down.

The 1-star review

In 2025, the customer visited the shop, then wrote online that the cake was not tasty and cost too much, according to The Thaiger.

The review apparently went viral at the time.

In his Facebook post, the lawyer Arm Suwannaraksa said that the cake shop chose to sue the customer rather than listen to the feedback and reach out for clarification.

Following the verdict, the customer, Bootsakorn Plesamoot, shared screenshots of the conversation she had with the cake shop regarding her review.

In one message, the shop allegedly threatened to cause her trouble if she did not delete the review.

"I don't know how you've reviewed other shops, but if you don't want any trouble and want to get out of this uncomfortable situation, I suggest you delete that review, and everything will be over," they wrote.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1125"] Image from Bootsakorn Plesamoot's Facebook[/caption]

Sharky Eye has also posted about the verdict on its Facebook page, stating simply that the case was dismissed.

A lesson for businesses

Suwannaraksa believes this case should serve as a lesson for businesses in Thailand.

"Suing consumers should never be the first option. It should be the last," he wrote in his post.

He said that honest criticism from customers deserves a fair hearing, and businesses should use it to improve or respond with reasons, not with court papers.

"As a lawyer, if I were advising a business owner, I would always say that good communication and proper problem-solving usually deliver better results than taking the matter to court."

According to The Thaiger, such a case is not uncommon in the country — businesses have repeatedly used Thailand's  defamation laws against customers who give criticism.

Legal experts have termed suits like this "strategic lawsuits against public participation", said to be aimed at silencing critics by draining them financially and emotionally.

A fight broke out between two women at People's Park Complex on Jul. 24, drawing the police to the scene.

In response to Mothership's queries, the police said they received a call for assistance at the Chinatown mall at about 4:35pm that day.

A 53-year-old woman was conveyed conscious to the hospital. She is assisting with investigations for voluntarily causing hurt.

Police investigations are ongoing.

Witness accounts

One of the women involved in the fight is believed to be the boss of a massage parlour in the mall, Shin Min Daily News reported.

This was confirmed by an employee in the establishment, who said that the boss was sent to the hospital. They declined to share more details.

Witnesses told Shin Min one of the women looked to be in her thirties, and the other in her fifties.

Someone who worked at People's Park Complex said that the pair had a long-standing dispute with each other.

Third fight in a month

This incident is the third fight that was reported at People's Park Complex this month.

The first happened between two women and a man inside Beijing Royal Massage Parlor on Jul. 2.

About two weeks later on Jul. 15, one of the women from the previous incident allegedly got into another fight with a female masseuse outside the same massage parlour.

A 53-year-old woman was conveyed to the hospital after that, and another 40-year-old woman was arrested for public nuisance.

The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) will introduce three new volunteer roles in the performing arts and entertainment sector under the SG Defence Volunteer Network.

SG Defence is a community in which Singapore residents can volunteer in Mindef and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) to help with national defence.

Speaking at an appreciation event for defence volunteers on Jul. 25, Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing said that the launch comes as part of Mindef's partnership with So Drama! Entertainment.

The three new volunteer pathways are as follows: Volunteer Performers, Live Show Production Support, and Event Support Volunteers.

Performers include dancers, musicians, singers and emcees, who can contribute during Mindef and SAF's productions.

Live show production support volunteers may contribute to sound engineering, live video, multi-camera operations, stage management and live-stream support, while event support volunteers can help support and ensure events run smoothly.

With the new pathways, Singaporeans with creative and technical talents will be able to serve in the area of national defence.

Shared responsibility

The SG Defence Volunteer Network was first announced by Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad on Feb. 27.

It brings all defence volunteers under a central administrative office.

At the inaugural event, Chan emphasised that while National Service remains the foundation of the nation's defence, it must be supported by the rest of society.

“It is with your effort that we have such a strong and credible defence force… The fact that you are not conscripted, and the fact that you do not have to do it but you choose to do it is the most powerful signal that we can have of how Singaporeans, Permanent Residents, and various other people can help to contribute to the defence of Singapore," he said.

Chan added that the ministry is broadening its approach beyond operationally-ready NSmen, including strengthening its "rings of support".

These include former NSmen, families, employers, new citizens and the wider community.

High uptake in volunteer roles

According to Mindef, there has been an encouraging response from the public since the launch of SG Defence in May this year.

The ministry received more than 300 applications within the first two months.

The positive momentum is expected to continue growing, said Chan.

He highlighted some of these roles, such as volunteers who lend their expertise or lead guided tours at the Singapore Discovery Centre, the Air Force Museum and the Navy Museum.

Volunteers at SAFRA, meanwhile, support NSmen and their families through mentoring, community programmes, and engagement activities.

SAFVC volunteers also serve alongside full-time National Servicemen, NSmen and SAF regulars in peacetime operations and training, contributing to the SAF’s operational readiness.

Singaporeans and residents interested in joining the SG Defence Volunteer Network can visit this website for more information.

A man allegedly scammed six Indian nationals out of more than S$14,000 by promising to secure work permits for them in Singapore, only to hand them forged documents instead.

The alleged mastermind, Abdul Raheem Lailathul Sultanil Arebeen, 37, who has since legally changed his name to A. R. Sai, is being investigated by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) for possible offences under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act and Employment Agencies Act, according to The Straits Times (ST), which tracked him down together with Tamil Murasu.

He claims to be a Singaporean.

The police have confirmed a report was lodged and investigations are ongoing.

From rural Tamil Nadu

The six victims come from rural Tamil Nadu, and were hoping to secure work in Singapore to escape poverty.

They come from a community of livestock herders, rickshaw drivers, and daily wage earners, where the monthly income rarely tops S$134 to S200.

One of the victims' fathers, Indian national Vanjur Maideen Syedabthahir, said an acquaintance had introduced him to Raheem, who presented himself as a “famous film producer".

Raheem also showed Vanjur a copy of his pink Singapore NRIC to establish trust.

Vanjur told ST that Raheem had claimed that he could secure employment for his friends and relatives, including his son Sufi.

“He explicitly told me, ‘Trust me completely, I am a Singaporean. Do not pass me any money by cash as that could look suspicious; instead, deposit all the funds directly into a bank account’."

Vanjur arranged for the purchase of six work passes, for his son and five others, which Raheem said would cost S$4,000 per S Pass and S$3,000 per work permit.

He also charged five of the men S$854 each for a "training course", which he said were part of "MOM rules".

Scammed over S$14,000

Between Mar. 6 and Jun. 9, 2026, the men and their families transferred more than S$14,000 via PayNow and ATM cash deposits into bank accounts that Raheem claimed were his wife's.

The six victims, aged between 21 and 49, believed they had secured five work permits, including jobs at J&T Express Singapore, and one S Pass.

They were promised a monthly salary of S$1,300 for work as warehouse assistants.

To pay the hefty fees, the men sold ancestral livestock, pawned their daughters' wedding jewellery, and borrowed from high-interest moneylenders.

On Jul. 12, Raheem sent Vanjur digital copies of four Training Employment Pass (TEP) in-principle approval documents.

The documents stated that the four applicants should get ready to fly to Singapore by the first of July.

But Vanjur's suspicions were raised when he tried to verify the Foreign Identification Numbers (FIN) on the documents against MOM's online portal, only to find that none of them existed.

Asked for more money

In response, Raheem brushed off the discrepancy as a system error.

He told Vanjur to meet an associate known as "Kumar" in Chennai, who insisted the passes were genuine and demanded Vanjur pay a balance of about S$5,000 before he handed over the original documents.

Vanjur then decided to contact the Singapore Consulate in Chennai and emailed MOM directly.

MOM's Work Pass Division confirmed on Jun. 16, 2026 that it had no records of any work pass applications being submitted for the men.

When Vanjur presented Raheem with MOM's reply, Raheem turned aggressive.

He accused Vanjur's family of not trusting him and continued to demand the outstanding balance.

On Jun. 27, Vanjur and his son flew to Singapore and filed a police report at Toa Payoh Police Station, and were called in by MOM for an official inquiry on Jul. 15.

'Justice will be served'

Vanjur, who is almost 60 years old and has worked in Singapore since 2013, told ST he remained confident that justice would be served.

He said had worked in Singapore for many years and trusts the government's strict stance against fraud.

He added that he and the other victims has handed over all bank transaction records and WhatsApp logs to the police.

"I am confident that justice will be served and our community’s dignity will be restored.”

His son said his father used to have a "very good name" in the village and had merely been trying to help the six young men, but his reputation is now in tatters.

He hopes to retrieve not just the money lost, but also his father's lost honour.

As for the victims, their families are now left penniless, with no assets and facing immense pressure from the lenders.

"Everyone in our village works hard just to survive... We believed sending our boys abroad would finally clear our family debts," a relative told ST tearfully.

What J&T Express and MOM said

J&T Express Singapore told ST it was unaware of the case, adding that forged IPAs are sometimes used to lend legitimacy to fraudulent job offers by misusing a real company's name.

It added that all legitimate recruitment is done exclusively through JobStreet, FastJobs, MyCareersFuture, its corporate website and official social media platforms.

MOM reminded prospective workers to use only licensed employment agents and to check the authenticity of their IPA letters through its portal before travelling to Singapore.

Anyone who comes across suspicious documents is encouraged to reach out to MOM directly.

Who is the alleged scammer?

ST managed to reach out to Raheem, who denied involvement in any scam and claimed he was merely a middleman for "Kumar".

Media reports from 2009 and 2019 show that Raheem was previously involved in various criminal offences, including robbing and hitting a taxi driver, and stealing camera equipment.

He is also under investigation for a similar scam involving another group of foreign nationals in 2025.

While Raheem denied that he had changed his name to "A. R. Sai", claiming that the latter has been his name since birth, his wife confirmed via a telephone interview that he had undergone a legal name change.

ST also reported that Raheem’s associate "Kumar" was later identified as Indian national JK Shakti Balaji, who has since been uncontactable.