Pop superstar Taylor Swift's concerts in Singapore have raised a bit of a diplomatic row, as other countries in Southeast Asia are not happy that the city-state made a deal that left them off the schedule.

The US singer is visiting five continents to play over 150 shows, with six in Singapore set to wrap up on Saturday.

Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin claimed that Singapore offered millions of dollars to Swift to be the only tour stop in Southeast Asia. In the Philippines, a lawmaker said that is not something that good neighbors do.

Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong admitted on Tuesday there was an exclusive deal, saying "It has turned out to be a very successful arrangement," adding "I don't see that as being unfriendly."
He also said that sometimes the one country is able to make a deal, and sometimes another is.

Lee says "certain incentives" for Swift were paid for by a fund to revive tourism in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Swift's concerts in Tokyo last month generated an estimated 230 million dollars. Her US tour last year pumped around 5 billion dollars into the economy, or about four times what comes from the Super Bowl.