Tanah Merah, Singapore
Encyclopedia
Tanah Merah is a region located in eastern Singapore
. It consists largely of private residential properties, country clubs, and some light industrial parks. In this region also lies a segment of the East Coast Park
.
(sea
Gypsies
) in their activities in the region.
The Malay
name for this area is probably derived from British
references to this area based on the various surveys
done. The name is derived from the red lateritic
cliff
s along the coast
that were visible from the sea, hence the name Tanah Merah or "red land". The earliest written reference comes from James Horsburgh
's 1806 chart of "Singapore and Malacca
", which has the name "Red Cliffs". Later, two sets of red cliffs were identified in Franklin and Jackson
's 1830 map: "Large Red Cliff" (Tanah Merah area) and "Small Red Cliff" (present Bedok
area) and "2nd Red Cliffs" (Tanah Merah area). J.E. Tassin's 1836 Map of Singapore refers to the area as "1st Red Cliffs" (Bedok area) and "2nd Red Cliffs" (Tanah Merah area). While the other place names in Singapore were mentioned by their Malay names in the above maps, this area was recorded by its English
reference, which shows that it had not as yet been given a local name. Later, the road leading to "Large Red Cliff" was named "Tanah Merah Besar Road" while the other was named "Tanah Merah Kechil Road". Besar means "large" while Kechil means "little" in Malay.
The presence of weathered
lateritic soil
provided the red-orange colouring of the area that led to its name even before Raffles
' founding of Singapore. The exposed red lateritic soils were probably visible to many passing boat
s and hence the "landmark" was captured in early maps of Singapore.
. The East Coast Parkway
was constructed almost completely on reclaimed land. The location of Tanah Merah Kechil cliff is where Temasek Primary School
now stands. One can still see where the hills abruptly end at the junction of Bedok South Avenue 3 and Upper East Coast Road at one end, and New Upper Changi Road at the other end.
Tanah Merah Besar was a large coastal cliff located approximately at the southern end of Changi Airport Terminal 3
. Its base was exposed to large tidal surges which created a 'thunderous roar' as the waves crashed on its rocky base and the sound echoed in the hollows and cavelets. It was reported that the booming sound was loud enough to be heard at a nearby village, especially during the monsoon
season. Hence the name of that village, Kampong Ayer Gemuroh, or Thundering Water Village. Now, the only reference to the village is a drainage canal sometimes referred to as Ayer Gemuroh Canal, which was once Sungei Ayer Gemuroh, that runs along the West Perimeter Fence of Changi Airport, behind Changi Prison
.
Raised above the middle of New Upper Changi Road is Tanah Merah MRT Station
, a railway station which also operates as an interchange for passengers who wish to travel by train to Singapore Expo
and Singapore Changi Airport
. Its neighbouring stations are Bedok MRT Station
and Simei MRT Station
.
The bus stops next to Tanah Merah MRT Station are usual pick-up and drop-off points for shuttle buses which take passengers to nearby places such as National Service Resort & Country Club and Changi Naval Base
.
By sea, it is also home to the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal with regular service to the Indonesian Riau Islands.
Tanah Merah Country Club (TMCC)
TMCC has one of the most expensive club membership rates in the country. This is justified by its plethora of amenities including golf courses, swimming pools, a gymnasium, a jackpot room, tennis, squash and basketball courts as well as lessons and courses on various interests such as dancing.
National Service Resort and Country Club (NSRCC)
Established to be a recreational spot for full-time National Servicemen, NSRCC abuts the East Coast beach on the outskirts of Tanah Merah.
Laguna National Golf & Country Club
Aside from being a golfing club, Laguna offers spa services, and other recreational activities such as tennis.
Singapore Armed Forces Yacht Club (SAFYC)
Founded by a group of sailing enthusiasts in 1967, SAFYC specializes in sea sports and activities. It offers water sports courses and an array of other amenities for MICE
and private functions.
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. It consists largely of private residential properties, country clubs, and some light industrial parks. In this region also lies a segment of the East Coast Park
East Coast Park
The East Coast Park is a beach park located on the southeastern coast of Singapore. It was opened in the 1970s, when the government completed reclaiming land off the coast at Katong which extends from Changi to Tanjong Rhu...
.
Etymology
The name Tanah Merah is an old name that appears in the seventeenth century (1604) map by Manuel Gomes de Erédia on Singapore, and is referred as Tana Mera. This place name is likely to have been an important reference point for the orang lautOrang Laut
The Orang Laut, or Bajau Laut are a group of Malay people living in the Riau Islands of Indonesia. It also may refer to any Malay origin people living on coastal islands, including those of Andaman Sea islands in Thailand and Burma, commonly known as Moken.-Etymology:The Malay term orang laut...
(sea
Sea
A sea generally refers to a large body of salt water, but the term is used in other contexts as well. Most commonly, it means a large expanse of saline water connected with an ocean, and is commonly used as a synonym for ocean...
Gypsies
Nomad
Nomadic people , commonly known as itinerants in modern-day contexts, are communities of people who move from one place to another, rather than settling permanently in one location. There are an estimated 30-40 million nomads in the world. Many cultures have traditionally been nomadic, but...
) in their activities in the region.
The Malay
Malay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
name for this area is probably derived from British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
references to this area based on the various surveys
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
done. The name is derived from the red lateritic
Laterite
Laterites are soil types rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are rusty-red because of iron oxides. They develop by intensive and long-lasting weathering of the underlying parent rock...
cliff
Cliff
In geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
s along the coast
Coast
A coastline or seashore is the area where land meets the sea or ocean. A precise line that can be called a coastline cannot be determined due to the dynamic nature of tides. The term "coastal zone" can be used instead, which is a spatial zone where interaction of the sea and land processes occurs...
that were visible from the sea, hence the name Tanah Merah or "red land". The earliest written reference comes from James Horsburgh
James Horsburgh
James Horsburgh was a Scottish hydrographer. He worked for East India Company, who mapped many seaways around Singapore in the late 18th century and early 19th century....
's 1806 chart of "Singapore and Malacca
Malacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
", which has the name "Red Cliffs". Later, two sets of red cliffs were identified in Franklin and Jackson
Philip Jackson (surveyor)
Philip Jackson was a British Royal Navy lieutenant, who laid out the city plan for Singapore in 1822. He was a key person in Raffles plans for the settlement. The Elgin Bridge in Singapore was once named in his honour.-References:...
's 1830 map: "Large Red Cliff" (Tanah Merah area) and "Small Red Cliff" (present Bedok
Bedok
Bedok is a neighbourhood in the eastern part of Singapore. Bedok New Town is the fifth Housing and Development Board new town; its development started in April 1973 and continued over some 15 years....
area) and "2nd Red Cliffs" (Tanah Merah area). J.E. Tassin's 1836 Map of Singapore refers to the area as "1st Red Cliffs" (Bedok area) and "2nd Red Cliffs" (Tanah Merah area). While the other place names in Singapore were mentioned by their Malay names in the above maps, this area was recorded by its English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
reference, which shows that it had not as yet been given a local name. Later, the road leading to "Large Red Cliff" was named "Tanah Merah Besar Road" while the other was named "Tanah Merah Kechil Road". Besar means "large" while Kechil means "little" in Malay.
The presence of weathered
Weathering
Weathering is the breaking down of rocks, soils and minerals as well as artificial materials through contact with the Earth's atmosphere, biota and waters...
lateritic soil
Soil
Soil is a natural body consisting of layers of mineral constituents of variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent materials in their morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics...
provided the red-orange colouring of the area that led to its name even before Raffles
Stamford Raffles
Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles, FRS was a British statesman, best known for his founding of the city of Singapore . He is often described as the "Father of Singapore"...
' founding of Singapore. The exposed red lateritic soils were probably visible to many passing boat
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
s and hence the "landmark" was captured in early maps of Singapore.
History
When land reclamation works began in the early 1970s, most of the coastal hills were levelled and dumped into the sea to create the present East CoastEast Coast Park
The East Coast Park is a beach park located on the southeastern coast of Singapore. It was opened in the 1970s, when the government completed reclaiming land off the coast at Katong which extends from Changi to Tanjong Rhu...
. The East Coast Parkway
East Coast Parkway
The East Coast Parkway is an expressway that runs along the southeastern coast of Singapore. The expressway is approximately in length, and connects Singapore Changi Airport in the east to the Benjamin Sheares Bridge in the south of the main island before it links with the Ayer Rajah Expressway...
was constructed almost completely on reclaimed land. The location of Tanah Merah Kechil cliff is where Temasek Primary School
Temasek Primary School
Temasek Primary School is a government primary school in Bedok, Singapore.Sometimes referred to as the Learning Campus, the school has an enrolment of over 2,000...
now stands. One can still see where the hills abruptly end at the junction of Bedok South Avenue 3 and Upper East Coast Road at one end, and New Upper Changi Road at the other end.
Tanah Merah Besar was a large coastal cliff located approximately at the southern end of Changi Airport Terminal 3
Singapore Changi Airport
Singapore Changi Airport , Changi International Airport, or simply Changi Airport, is the main airport in Singapore. A major aviation hub in Southeast Asia, it is about north-east from the commercial centre in Changi, on a site....
. Its base was exposed to large tidal surges which created a 'thunderous roar' as the waves crashed on its rocky base and the sound echoed in the hollows and cavelets. It was reported that the booming sound was loud enough to be heard at a nearby village, especially during the monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
season. Hence the name of that village, Kampong Ayer Gemuroh, or Thundering Water Village. Now, the only reference to the village is a drainage canal sometimes referred to as Ayer Gemuroh Canal, which was once Sungei Ayer Gemuroh, that runs along the West Perimeter Fence of Changi Airport, behind Changi Prison
Changi Prison
Changi Prison is a prison located in Changi in the eastern part of Singapore.-First prison and POW camp:...
.
Transport
Tanah Merah's suburbs has a number of available transport routes in and out of the area, making its accessibility little cause for concern. New Upper Changi Road, which runs through the residential area of Tanah Merah, offers a number of bus services, some of which travel long distances.Raised above the middle of New Upper Changi Road is Tanah Merah MRT Station
Tanah Merah MRT Station
Tanah Merah MRT Station ' is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit station located in the heart of Tanah Merah, Singapore.The station is part of the East West Line and is between Simei and Bedok and is an interchange for trains going to Changi Airport and Expo...
, a railway station which also operates as an interchange for passengers who wish to travel by train to Singapore Expo
Singapore Expo
The Singapore EXPO is the largest convention and exhibition venue in Singapore with over 100,000 square metres of column-free, indoor space spread over 10 halls...
and Singapore Changi Airport
Singapore Changi Airport
Singapore Changi Airport , Changi International Airport, or simply Changi Airport, is the main airport in Singapore. A major aviation hub in Southeast Asia, it is about north-east from the commercial centre in Changi, on a site....
. Its neighbouring stations are Bedok MRT Station
Bedok MRT Station
Bedok MRT Station ' is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit station on the East West Line in Singapore. It is located between Kembangan and Tanah Merah stations, and serves the large neighbourhood of Bedok...
and Simei MRT Station
Simei MRT Station
The Simei MRT Station ', is an above ground Mass Rapid Transit station on the East West Line in Singapore. On the East West Line, this station is between Tampines and Tanah Merah stations...
.
The bus stops next to Tanah Merah MRT Station are usual pick-up and drop-off points for shuttle buses which take passengers to nearby places such as National Service Resort & Country Club and Changi Naval Base
Changi Naval Base
Changi Naval Base is the latest naval facility of the Republic of Singapore Navy and was built to replace Brani Naval Base. Located about 1.5 kilometres east of Changi Air Base and 3.5 kilometres east of Singapore Changi Airport, the base was built on 1.28 km² of reclaimed land, it was...
.
By sea, it is also home to the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal with regular service to the Indonesian Riau Islands.
Recreation
Being home to four recreational clubs, Tanah Merah offers a vast spectrum of recreational choices such as golfing, tennis, bowling, swimming and water sports amongst other activities.Tanah Merah Country Club (TMCC)
TMCC has one of the most expensive club membership rates in the country. This is justified by its plethora of amenities including golf courses, swimming pools, a gymnasium, a jackpot room, tennis, squash and basketball courts as well as lessons and courses on various interests such as dancing.
National Service Resort and Country Club (NSRCC)
Established to be a recreational spot for full-time National Servicemen, NSRCC abuts the East Coast beach on the outskirts of Tanah Merah.
Laguna National Golf & Country Club
Aside from being a golfing club, Laguna offers spa services, and other recreational activities such as tennis.
Singapore Armed Forces Yacht Club (SAFYC)
Founded by a group of sailing enthusiasts in 1967, SAFYC specializes in sea sports and activities. It offers water sports courses and an array of other amenities for MICE
Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions
Meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions. The acronym MICE is applied inconsistently with the “E” sometimes referring to events and the “C” sometimes referring to conventions. MICE is used to refer to a particular type of tourism in which large groups, usually planned well in advance,...
and private functions.