For his wedding two months ago, bank executive Kenneth L., 31, found himself short of a groomsman.

Instead of enlisting one of his not-so-close friends as a “brother”, he decided to pay $800 and hire a fake groomsman for 12 hours.

At the gatecrash, the fake friend performed all the challenges enthusiastically.

During the dinner, he led the “yam sengs”.

In fact, the guy was so convincing that no one except Kenneth’s wife and himself knew he was a hired gun.

“Everyone else, even the other groomsmen, thought he was my army buddy,” Kenneth says.

“I was quite impressed with the service.”

In April, financial analyst D. Tan paid $100 for a two-hour dinner date.

The 32-year-old, who also paid for the meal, says: “I just came out of a long-term relationship and was hoping for some company.

There are some private topics I won’t want to share – even to my friends – but I felt comfortable talking about them with her.”

So who says money cannot buy you friends?

In fact, a Singapore company called Pally Asia is providing friends for hire – the two men mentioned were customers.

The roles for these fake friends range from groomsmen and bridesmaids to sports buddies and fake partners to meet the parents.

According to company lingo, these friends for hire are called “pallies”.

How much does a “pally” cost?

It depends on the service – getting someone to call you on the telephone for 15 minutes will cost $15.

Hiring a groomsman or bridesmaid for 12 hours – speech included – will set you back by $1,000.

Companies offering rent-a-friend services are believed to have started in Japan in the 2000s and are also found in the United States.

In Singapore, besides Pally Asia, there are also freelance friends-for- hire and their services can be found via websites and social media.

Pally Asia seems to be the only company doing so here, operating since earlier this year.

Going through a company is more reliable than an individual, it says, as the company screens “pallies” before selecting them.

If disagreements occur, the company also steps in.

It declines to reveal figures, but says the response has been encouraging and customers tend to be in their 30s or older.

Requests for dinner dates and sports buddies are the most popular.

Pally Asia is co-founded by Ms Chloe Lim, 31, who has a full- time job in the finance industry, together with two of her university friends, Mr Low Xu Yang and Mr Jonathan Chan, both 33.

The idea struck when Mr Low and Mr Chan were asked to be “groomsmen” at a wedding a few years ago where they did not know the groom personally.

Mr Low says: “We got a similar request some years before this. Although we were not paid for both weddings, it dawned on us that this could be a viable business.”

Cynics may say this business cashes in on sad, lonely people who have to pay for companionship, but the founders take a practical view.

Ms Lim says for people with busy lives, their social circles shrink inevitably.

“It can be tough finding the right company for certain activities. Not everyone can afford the time and effort to build, or re-build, relationships, so we want to help.”

“Pallies” are not employed by the company, but are part of its membership scheme.

There is no public catalogue of “pallies” to ensure privacy.

The company matches the “pallies” with customers based on their interests, experience and availability.

Both “pallies” and customers must respect boundaries laid out by the company or risk being blacklisted.

For example, sexual services – including kissing – are not allowed.

Handholding and touching, however, are acceptable in certain instances, such as when the “pally” is posing as the customer’s boyfriend or girlfriend.

Taking photographs of the “pally” is not allowed, except when the “pally” is engaged for an event where photo-taking is expected, such as a wedding.

“Pallies” also cannot travel overseas with customers. Neither can they reveal their telephone numbers.

In addition, engagements cannot be extended on the spot.

Customers pay via PayPal before the service and the “pallies” are paid after the job is finished, with the company taking a small cut, which it declines to reveal.

The company declines to reveal how many “pallies” it has, but says they are evenly split between men and women, mostly aged 21 to 35, and include finance professionals, marketing executives and students.

Ms Lim says: “We interview all applicants and look for personality, open-mindedness and tact. We want to be sure the ‘pally’ is trustworthy and someone you want to hang out with. We also want to be sure our ‘pallies’ keep all engagements confidential.”

Customers say they value the privacy and convenience provided by the service.

They also feel that there is nothing unethical about showing off a fake friend.

As Kenneth the groom says: “Hiring a groomsman is not deceptive. I just needed someone to perform the role and the ‘pally’ could do it.”

Rent a friend

GROOMSMAN

Business undergraduate Marc Lim, 23, will be your most dependable “brother” who is capable of completing the toughest gatecrash challenges. He can also give an amazing speech.

Before the event, he will meet you for two hours to talk about the history of your “friendship” and some embarrassing “events” you may have been involved in to ensure authenticity.

He says: “I was once a groomsman for an overseas graduate who probably did not have enough close friends to call on here.

“The actual wedding day was quite fun and the groom later thanked me for doing the gatecrash challenges with gusto and remaining sober the whole time.”

SPORTS BUDDY

Chemistry undergraduate Kwong Mei Lin, 22, will jog with you and be your pace-setter.

She can also try out a new sport with you even if she is not an expert at it.

She says: “I was a jogging buddy for two hours to a woman in her mid-40s last month. She was trying to train for a marathon, but did not have anyone to run with her.

“It was a good experience and I am glad I managed to increase her confidence in running.”

PARTY BUDDY

Financial adviser Trevor Wong, 28, will show you an unforgettable night out at some of the hottest nightspots in town.

He will tell jokes, dance wildly and even be your wingman.

He says: “Last month, I was a party buddy to two female Japanese tourists and took them to Club Kyo in Cecil Street since it was ladies’ night and the crowd never disappoints.

“Soon, my Japanese friends were hitting the dance floor like seasoned J-pop dancers. I also introduced them to Jagerbombs and tequila shots, which they were excited about because they were different from the sake they usually drink back home.”

The price of friendship

Groomsman or bridesmaid: $400 for four hours (without speech), $600 (with speech), plus two hours of preparation to ensure authenticity

Boyfriend or girlfriend to meet your parents: $250 for one hour, plus two hours of preparation to ensure authenticity

Sports or life coach: $200 for one hour

Party buddy: $160 for two hours (customer pays for club entry and drinks)

Crowd member for parties or product launches: $100 for two hours

Dinner date: $75 for 11/2 hours (customer pays for dinner)

Sports buddy: $40 for one hour (customer pays for venue entry and equipment hire)

Local guide: $50 for one hour to show you around Singapore

Someone to chat with on the telephone: $15 for 15 minutes

bang@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on June 19, 2016.
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SINGAPORE – A woman has been caught on video slapping and stuffing tissue paper into a toddler’s mouth to stop her from crying at a fast food restaurant.

The clip, which was posted on social news site Thelocalsociety on Friday (June 17), also shows the woman covering the toddler’s mouth forcibly while she keeps crying.

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Video screengrabs

The person who filmed the incident said he was heartbroken and could not stand watching it.

He claimed that he stopped later stopped recording and tried to calm down the baby by waving at her and making funny faces.

“The baby stopped crying and keep on staring at me with teary eyes… Thank God she did stop crying!” he said.

Visit STOMP for more stories.

SINGAPORE – A large tree fell across a road along Jurong West Avenue 4 early this morning (June 19), blocking the paths of motorists in both directions.

A resident in the area told The Straits Times that he went to investigate from his window after hearing loud cracking sounds at around 2.30am. He saw a taxi turning back because of the obstacle.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it dispatched a fire engine and a support vehicle to the scene. Officers assisted in cutting the fallen tree before handing the operation over to the National Parks Board.

No injuries were reported, The Straits Times said.

A video of the incident, posted on Facebook by user Jackie Chia at around 5am, shows SCDF officers cleaning the road with water hoses.

In a photo posted by Mr Chia at around 8am, tree branches can be seen strewn by the sides of the road and on the road divider.

Photo: Facebook user Jackie Chia

huizhen@sph.com.sg

Suspect your husband is cheating on you?

Chances are, you might find him at two spas in the Dhoby Ghaut area, private investigators (PIs) tell The New Paper on Sunday.

Among the litany of spas that offer illegal sexual services in Singapore, the PIs claim that these two massage parlours are the most notorious of the lot.

This is primarily because of the number of cheating cases that have led PIs to them, say the two investigators.

Also, one of the spas is supposedly the largest “dirty” massage establishment in Singapore, says veteran PI James Loh from International Investigators.

“Others might have five to 10 girls. This one is very well run and has 20-plus girls, so there are more options for the customer,” says Mr Loh, who has visited both places four times each for separate investigations.

“It is almost like a brothel.”

Another PI, who wanted to be known only as Mr Tan, agrees.

He says the two spas have run these services “for quite a number of years”, and have so far avoided closure.

Says Mr Tan: “They are well known among regulars. For some reason, I have found myself tracking different cheating spouses to these two places more than once.

“There are also other spas there which are shady, not just these two. Dhoby Ghaut has become like a discreet red light district for richer people, it seems.”

Mr Tan reckons that out of every 10 divorce cases he handles, one can be traced to the husband visiting one of the two spas.

The spas are located a block away from each other – one is in Sophia Road and the other is in Prinsep Street.

Both opened in 2012.

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The New Paper

It is illegal for massage parlour operators to conduct such activities in their establishments.

TNPS is not naming both spas so as not to add to their reputation but has forwarded their names to the authorities.

Last week, seven massage parlour operators were charged in court with running a massage establishment without a valid licence.

Some of these massage parlours are believed to have allowed sexual acts within their premises.

UNDERCOVER

TNPS went undercover to these massage parlours over the past two weeks to find out for sure if they offer sex for money.

Despite posing as first-time customers, we were escorted to partitioned rooms where customers could be alone with the female masseuses.

In one spa, there were as many as 20 such rooms.

The session begins like a regular massage treatment, although the term “massage” is used loosely.

The masseuse, who is dressed in a spa uniform, spends the first hour weakly prodding and rubbing the client’s back, while spending a disproportionate amount of time on the thigh area.

It also seems that the masseuse, who says she is from China, makes special effort to repeatedly brush her long hair against the client’s face.

Halfway into the hour-long massage is when things take a sleazy turn.

“Would you like other services?” she coos in heavily accented Mandarin.

What other services?

She hems and haws, before flirtatiously asking: “Do you like me?”

Probe further, and she quotes between $50 and $80 for sexual services.

But flirtatiousness quickly turns to anger once the extra services are declined.

“You came all the way here, you surely must know what this kind of place is,” she sneers as the massage session ends.

Mr Gilbert de Silva, a PI from SecureGuard, says most, if not all, of the women who offer sexual services under the guise of masseuses are foreign nationals, some on tourist visas.

“One of the girls we investigated was a holder of a student permit who attended one of those fly-by-night schools here,” he adds.

It is illegal for those on tourist visas and student passes to seek employment in Singapore.

Mr de Silva adds that the men who frequent these massage parlours come from all walks of life, from lawyers to school teachers.

The former police officer has had his men follow his clients’ cheating husbands into these spas, not only to document their behaviour, but also to find out more about the woman per their clients’ requests.

He says: “Sometimes, our clients want us to gather enough information about these girls and the spas, so they can refer them to the police and get these places in trouble.

“We know quite a lot about some of these girls. Just by acting flamboyant and rich, they give up their phone numbers (to us) easily.”

Mr Loh adds that sometimes, the relationship goes beyond a sensual massage with a “happy ending”.

Some husbands end up in extramarital affairs with the masseuses, such as in one of his cases last year.

“The wife suspected her spouse was cheating on her, and we found out that the mistress worked in the Prinsep Street massage parlour,” he says.

Owners of the two massage parlours could not be reached for comment.

Police conducted checks at both spas

The two massage parlours are known to the police, a police spokesman tells TNPS.

In March this year, the police conducted enforcement checks at the Prinsep Street massage parlour.

They did the same at the Sophia Road massage parlour in May.

Says the spokesman: “Actions have been taken against offenders under the Massage Establishment Act and the Immigration Act.

“We take a tough stand against vice activities and will continue with our regular enforcement checks to deter and detect such illegal activities. Operators found conducting illicit activities in massage establishments will be taken to task.”

Last week, seven unlicensed massage parlour operators were charged in court for carrying on an establishment for massage without a valid licence.

Police officers had targeted massage establishments in Chinatown, Little India, Jalan Besar, Middle Road, Bencoolen Street, Jalan Sultan and Coleman Street that had flouted regulations under the Massage Establishment Act.

The spokesman did not reveal what penalties were meted out to these two massage parlours but confirmed that they were not among the seven charged last week.

Despite the police enforcement, TNPS found that the two massage parlours are back at it.

But why are they allowed to continue?

ACT BLUR

Private investigator James Loh explains that the massage parlour owners can simply deny knowledge of what the girls are doing and the businesses would technically be legal if they followed the regulations under the Massage Establishment Act.

The spas’ counter staff will never acknowledge that they offer extra services.

Says Mr Loh: “By acting ‘blur’, they are not making it easy for the authorities to get evidence. If anything happens, they simply push the blame to the workers and recruit new ones if they get sent back.”

They also keep a muted online presence. Knowledge of these two places are handled like a trade secret and the information is traded only among trusted regulars.

Unlike other spas, they do not actively advertise their services and are tucked away in corners where the public might not see customers entering.

Their names are also never mentioned on commercial sex forums online.

Those who unknowingly post on the forum divulging these locations are quickly chided and made to edit their posts to avoid incriminating the two massage parlours, TNPS finds.

But it is still relatively easy to tell if a massage parlour is vice-free or not.

One telltale sign is whether there are attractive ladies at the door to greet and beckon customers to enter.

Adds Mr Tan: “Of course, if all the customers who enter the spa happen to be male, that is another sign too.

“But if the massage is done in full view of other customers and (the place) has glass doors so as not to hide what happens inside, then it is usually ‘clean’.”

This article was first published on June 19, 2016.
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