The maestro of a hotel on Beach Road, Michael Tay Fook Meng, has found himself in a legal tango today. The 51-year-old Singaporean got slapped with a charge for turning his hotel into an unintended love nest for certain professionals.
Mr. Tay, bestowed with the title of “hotel keeper”, allegedly breached the sacred Hotel Licensing Regulations, reported Channel News Asia.
Now, according to the Hotels Licensing Board, a hotel keeper should be someone holding a prestigious position like CEO, general manager, or something equally posh.
The charge sheet spills the beans on Tay’s receptionist, Do Thi Tuyet Nhung, who apparently played cupid and allowed three individuals she knew to be sex workers, to set up camp at the Lion Peak Hotel Bugis on April 26, 2023.
And you thought managing a hotel was all about fresh towels and a hearty breakfast, right? But here comes the real kicker – under the Hotels Act, managers are on the hook for any shenanigans their employees pull that go against the licensing rules.
Tay’s alleged crime? Flouting Regulation 24, which declares that no licensee (that’s fancy talk for the boss) should let anyone they suspect is a “sex worker, catamite, or bad character” take residence in their hotel.
Tay is set to strut back into court in January, where the saga will continue. If the judges decide he’s guilty, he might be hit with a fine up to S$1,000 for a first-timer, or double that if he’s a repeat offender. Oh, and there’s a chance they might yank away his hotel license.
