Bidding for NDP 2007 tickets starts on Saturday

By Valarie Tan, Channel NewsAsia
17 May 2007 2243 hrs

This year's National Day Parade will be different from all others - for the first time the event will be held on a floating platform entirely over water.

Bidding for tickets start this Saturday and organisers are expecting an overwhelming response.

The stage is set for NDP 2007 - and the entire show will be over water.

The theme is "City of Possibilities" with a spanking new logo to fit the new parade format.

Blue has taken over the traditional red to symbolise the water around the Marina Bay area.

This is the first time Singapore will be celebrating her birthday on water and audiences can expect special effects making use of that element and pyrotechnics to light up the city skyline around the Marina Bay.

There are the usual ways to bid for tickets.

The public can call, go online, SMS or visit the AXS or SAM machine and tickets will be balloted electronically.

Major Tan Chin Tuck, Chairman, Seating Committee, NDP 2007, said: "Traditionally, NDP tickets have been high in demand. Especially for years when we have it at Padang, which is of similar capacity to where we are right now at the sitting gallery for this year. We do not discriminate previous year's ticket winners from getting tickets this year. This is a brand new location, a brand new venue and we'd like to let everyone have the same chance of winning the tickets."

The lucky ticket winners will be notified from June 10-19.

Winners can then collect their tickets at Marina Square Shopping Centre.

For those who cannot get a seat inside the stadium, organisers say there's standing room for some 150,000 people along the waterfront.

Colonel Teo Jing Siong, Chairman, Executive Committee, NDP 2007, said: "With such a large influx of people into the Marina Bay area, there will not only be traffic congestions but human congestions as well. Parking will be a challenge, that's why we encourage even from the onset many people coming here to take public transport instead of driving here. These are areas we ought to be working at to try our best to minimise...inconveniences as well as all these congestions."

NDP 2007 will also be driving people to get the best views from nearby hotels and buildings.

Those who are interested can apply online at www.ndp.org.sg.

To apply via the telephone, the number to call is 1900 112 4242 to apply for tickets to NDP Preview 2007 and 1900 112 4243 for tickets to NDP on Aug 9, 2007.

To apply via SMS, send a text message beginning with "NDP" for the actual parade or "PREVIEW" for the preview show and NRIC number to 42422 for two tickets, 42424 for four tickets, and 42426 for six tickets.

Tickets are not given on a first come, first served basis.

Bidding begins on May 19 and ends May 28. - CNA/ch