▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁the ▁town , ▁much ▁like ▁G ey lang ▁today , ▁was ▁inf am ous ▁for ▁its ▁vice , ▁being ▁home ▁to ▁some ▁of ▁Singapore ' s ▁largest ▁crime ▁synd ic ates ▁and ▁gang s . ▁Notable ▁cases ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁hor r ific ▁To a ▁Pay oh ▁rit ual ▁mur ders ▁of ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁brought ▁the ▁town ▁w ides p read ▁attention . ▁As ▁such , ▁To a ▁Pay oh ▁has ▁also ▁been ▁co ined ▁by ▁the ▁media ▁as ▁the ▁" Ch icago ▁of ▁the ▁East " ▁and ▁the ▁" Ch icago ▁of ▁Singapore ". ▁ ▁Queen ▁Elizabeth ▁II ▁visited ▁the ▁area ▁in ▁the ▁years ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁( Bl k ▁ 5 3 , ▁To a ▁Pay oh ) ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 6 ( ▁Bl k ▁ 7 , ▁To a ▁Pay oh ▁Lor ong ▁ 7 ). ▁ ▁In frastr ucture ▁ ▁The ▁layout ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁town ▁follows ▁urban ▁planning ▁principles ▁of ▁the ▁time . ▁The ▁housing ▁estate ▁is ▁self - cont ained ▁and ▁has ▁a ▁town ▁centre ▁acting ▁as ▁a ▁foc al ▁point ▁for ▁the ▁sho pping ▁and ▁entertain ment ▁needs ▁of ▁the ▁residents . ▁ ▁Indust rial ▁develop ments ▁were ▁also ▁built ▁within ▁the ▁town ▁to ▁provide ▁residents ▁with ▁job ▁opportun ities ▁close ▁to ▁home ▁while ▁schools ▁were ▁built ▁within ▁the ▁neighbourhood s . ▁ ▁To a ▁Pay oh ▁Central ▁ ▁The ▁town ▁centre ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁prototype ▁in ▁Singapore .