Sentosa sky lantern festival attendees who file reports with Case to get full refund

SINGAPORE – All attendees of the botched Singapore Sky Lantern Festival who file a report with the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) by March 31 will receive a full monetary refund.

Case president Melvin Yong said in a statement on March 27 that the association has reached an agreement with the festival’s organiser Asian Couture and Boutique to refund all consumers who lodge their complaint with Case by 11.59pm on March 31.

To date, 68 consumers have filed a report with Case, he added.

This comes more than a month after hundreds of attendees, who each paid up to $50 each,

made their way to Sentosa

for the festival on Feb 21. They then learnt upon arrival that there was no food, nor were there lanterns taking off that night – both of which had been promised in the event’s publicity.

Earlier in March, Asian Couture and Boutique director Shiermie Bautista told The Straits Times that

no full refunds will be made for the event

as other segments of the programme, such as the music festival, went ahead and many participants had attended the event.

Mr Yong said the agreement for refunds was reached after Case actively represented complainants and engaged the event organiser. Case also waived its fees for affected consumers so that more can file their complaints.

He added: “We will continue to protect consumers’ interests and work closely with businesses to achieve the best possible outcome.”

Affected consumers can contact Case via its hotline on 6277-5100 or its website at

www.case.org.sg.