While most modern post offices are now located in the new towns’ centers or shopping malls, there is one still standing proudly at the interception of Upper Thomson Road and Mandai Road. However, it is no longer functioning as a post office and is largely being used as a storage place instead.
Officially called Nee Soon Post Office, the colonial-styled building has served the nearby old Nee Soon community well for decades. Nee Soon Village was named after one of Singapore’s pioneers Lim Nee Soon (1879 – 1936)
There is a distinctive orange and white postal box at the front of the post office. The design was a trademark of Telecommunication Authority of Singapore (TAS), the former body of the present-day Singapore Telecom and Singapore Post. Introduced in 1982, the once-familiar postal box was used all over the island for 10 years.
The postmaster used to live on the second floor of the post office with his family, while the first level served as the office area.
In 2003, Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) intended to turn Mandai Post Office into a visitor center to showcase local natural and socio-cultural history, but the plan did not materialise.
Before 1971 when the rectangular letter boxes were introduced, cylinder-shaped pillar boxes were used for the public to deposit their letters. Made of cast iron, each pillar box weighs 400kg and is about 1.5m tall. These pillar boxes were the products of British colonial days, appearing as early as 1900. The one located in front of Singapore Philatelic Museum is the only operational pillar box in modern days.
Near Hong Lim Park, there is a similarly designed building formerly known as Kreta Ayer Post Office. It has been converted to Kreta Ayer Neighbourhood Police Post, also a registration center for anyone who wishes to give speech at the Speaker’s Corner.
The former post office of Jalan Kayu used to stand at the junction of Yio Chu Kang Road and Jalan Kayu. After its role as Jalan Kayu Post Office ceased, it served as a kindergarten for several years before taken over by The Hiding Place, a Christian organisation that was founded in 1978 to help inmates of drug rehabilitation centres. However, it was left vacant for many years and was demolished in early 2012.
Published: 18 December 2010
Updated: 10 April 2012
There was never a Mandai Post Office. The office had always been Nee Soon Post Office.
Also, the current Kreta Ayer NPP was previously North Canal Road Post Office. Kreta Ayer Post Office is a completely different office which was at the HDB block behind the Kreta Ayer CC.
Thanks for the info!
I have added some amendments to the article.. However, for Kreta Ayer Post Office, I have retrieved the info from the URA website:
Hong Lim Park is located at the gateway to the Central Business District and is close to Singapore River and the Chinatown Historic District. It is an island site bounded by busy roads – North Canal Road, South Bridge Road, Upper Pickering Street and New Bridge Road. At present, part of the site is occupied by Telok Ayer Hong Lim Green Community Centre, as well as a ‘Modern’-style multi-purpose stage built in the 1950s. There is also a neighbourhood police post, which is housed in the former Kreta Ayer Post Office building, as well as an entrance to the future Clarke Quay MRT Station at the northern corner of the site. The site has several large mature trees as well as a green open space.
Hong Lim Park is a site of historical and national significance. It is Singapore’s first privately-owned public garden and is named after Cheang Hong Lim, a wealthy Chinese businessman, who bought the land in 1876.
Regarding North Canal Road Post Office, you can refer to the link at http://pictures.nl.sg/d43f9a71-2906-4203-a3f4-cf37dbd72ebf.aspx for a picture of the Post Office
Victor is right , Nee Soon post office ,at Mandai junction.
My dad had P.O. Box no. 1 , from 1963 until the post office closed in the 90′s
Wow, any old envelopes from there? I collect postal history items
can anyone remember the happy cafe bar in old nee soon circa 1957 -1963.i used to go the//re when i was based in hms terror at sembawang. many happy memories i visit singapore often my last big trip due to advancig age is going to be in october 2012 for one month.can the site of the old bar still be identified
Alot of changes in Nee Soon . i believe it was opposite Transit Road, well Transit Road leeds to Nee soon camp. Nee Soon Road has been change from a two lane to a four lane road, so all the shops are gone . A few shop along transit road are still around the rest burned down in the 80′s.
For landmark use Nee Soon Camp, Transit road and the post office at Mandai Junction in order to get your bearings around the place.
Have good trip.
Passed by Mandai Road and saw the whole building fenced and covered up…
Not sure if they are going to refurbish the post office or demolish it
The building will be undergoing major renovation to its facade, the annex single storey building next to it had been demolished