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SMRT captain Tan Ming Hui pleasantly surprised by viral video

SMRT train captain Tan Ming Hui, 23, poses for a photo on the driver's seat of a train.

Young SMRT captain Tan Ming Hui, 23, has been revealed to be the friendly voice behind the cheerful announcements delighting MRT commuters on the North-South Line in recent weeks.

Tan, a Nanyang Polytechnic graduate who joined SMRT last September, said he got a shock when a video recorded by Yahoo Singapore went viral last week.

"Actually, when my friend first told me about the video online, I didn't believe it. But when I saw it myself I got a shock," said the neatly groomed bespectacled captain as he was unveiled to the local media on Wednesday morning.

The video showcases some of his gems such as “Since its a Thursday today, what you do today will determine whether tomorrow will be a ‘thank goodness it’s Friday’ or ‘oh goodness, it’s Friday’".

Tan says he has a specially crafted message for each day of the week.

"If you take my train daily, you'll notice that there will be a different announcement for different days of the week. On Sundays, I have a message for people to combat the Monday blues!"

Asked how he landed himself a job as a train captain, Tan said he always had a passion for trains.

"When I was young, I used to be one of those kids who would kneel down on the seats and look out the window as the MRT moved along."

While the video recently put a spotlight on his efforts, it's not the first time Tan has received recognition.

"Before the video went viral, some passengers have come up to me and gave me the thumbs up after their ride."

Although the announcements were his own, Tan said it's part of SMRT's "service excellence training" to be creative and that his bosses knew about his PA announcements with a twist all along.

The video published last week by Yahoo Singapore attracted close to 8,000 recommends on Facebook.

"I was on the same train and I felt like the flight captain was addressing us! Something different! It's good to know and hear who's at he helm. And I must say, he did sound like a pilot announcing too... good English," read a comment by Win Power.

"It is truly refreshing to have the driver doing that. I definitely welcome more of such commentary from our drivers. Good job," read another comment.

With Christmas coming up, we asked if he has a special lineup, to which he cheekily replies, "Maybe?"

Here's a video reenactment of his announcement: