French Teen Fined $465 for Singapore Straw Stunt

The Update

A 19-year-old French student has been fined S$600 (approximately $465) in Singapore after pleading guilty to a public nuisance charge. The incident involved Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien licking a straw from an orange juice vending machine and then placing it back in the dispenser. He posted a video of the stunt on Instagram with the caption “city is not safe.” The teen’s lawyer stated he was “truly sorry” for causing trouble, and the vending machine company replaced all 500 straws in the machine following the incident.

Why It Matters

This case highlights Singapore’s strict approach to public order laws and how they’re applied to foreign visitors. The fine, while relatively small, demonstrates the city-state’s commitment to maintaining public hygiene standards. Public nuisance offenders in Singapore face up to a S$2,000 fine, three months in jail, or both, showing the potential severity of such charges.

What to Watch

Will this incident affect tourism relations between France and Singapore? How will Singapore authorities respond to potential copycat incidents? What preventive measures might vending machine companies implement after this incident?

Sources

• aljazeera.com — Initial reporting on the fine and incident
• bbc.co.uk — Additional details about the defendant's apology and machine replacement