News: 12 July 2023

The railway for the new HCMC airport and Vung Tau, two airport railways for Hoi An, Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville railway, massive railway network for Nusantara, KL-Singapore high-speed railway revival

Hello from Ho Chi Minh City. This week I have been doing a deep dive into railway proposals in Vietnam (apart from the North-South line). These articles are supporting articles for a future article I am writing about Greater HCMC.

While researching this I found some other proposals that haven’t been mentioned in the English news outlets, so I have translated and reposted them. One proposal is for a double airport railway that would give Hoi An the option of 2 airports. Another is a 4-line urban railway in Haiphong.

I will be travelling again next week, so my focus for the next month will be on Malaysia and Indonesia.

I had more links for Thailand lined up but the Bangkok Post website has been down all day, so I will post them next week.

Latest posts at Future Southeast Asia

• Thu Thiem – Long Thanh Light Rail

The Thu Thiem – Long Thanh Light Rail is a proposed railway connecting Ho Chi Minh City to the under-construction second airport of Ho Chi Minh City.

• Bien Hoa – Vung Tau Railway

The Bien Hoa-Vung Tau railway is a proposed new railway from Trang Bom station to Cai Mep-Thi Vai port terminal. The line connects the North-South railway of Vietnam to a seaport in Vung Tau, passing through industrial areas of Dong Nai province east of Ho Chi Minh City.

News Posts

• Quang Nam plans urban railway line connecting Da Nang and Chu Lai airports

This double airport link includes Hoi An in the middle.

• Hai Phong plans to build 8 new railway lines

“Hai Phong plans to build four new national railway lines; 4 urban railway lines, including an elevated route combined with underground passage through the area of ​​Cat Bi Airport.”

News

• From Bangkok to Manila, Southeast Asia metro rail expands rapidly

Street life

• For urbanists, safe streets are lively streets

“City planners in Phnom Penh often point to busy, bustling streets – such as those frequented by informal vendors – as contributing to public risk or disorder. But research from cities around the world suggests the very opposite is true.”

• Hanoi's sidewalk business: A trait from the past

“Informal employment is critical in countries with a large population and a rising economy, such as Vietnam, as it contributes significantly to job creation and income generation for workers.”

🇰🇭 Cambodia

• Study underway for Phnom Penh-S’ville high-speed rail

The plan is for train speeds up to 160km/h, which is not high speed. This is the same speed as the Laos-China Railway, and that would be an ideal speed for PP-S’Ville.

• Cambodia-China rail link under government’s radar

“The Royal Government of Cambodia aims to transform the country’s current railway system into high-speed railways and connect it with the Pan-Asia Railway Network, facilitating train journeys from the Kingdom to Laos, China, Thailand and Vietnam, said Sun Chanthol, Minister of Public Works and Transport, yesterday.”

• Techo airport Phase I passes halfway mark

• Siem Reap new international airport construction 98% complete

• South Korean firm helps enhance public transit with 1K buses

• Two island projects worth $37.7M okayed in H1

“Koh Muoy and Koh Totoeng projects in Preah Sihanouk and Koh Kong provinces”.

🇮🇩 Indonesia

• Transportation ministry plans massive railway network for Nusantara

"Risal said the ministry was currently conducting an environmental impact analysis for three railway lines that would connect Nusantara with East Kalimantan's capital Balikpapan, with the Sepinggan Airport and one commuter line that would link downtown Balikpapan with the planned new capital's administrative center."

• Concerns over construction delays, accessibility issues ahead of soft launch of Indonesia's high-speed rail

• Gov’t invites public to trial latest commuter train LRT

• Bali to build LRT by learning from Jakarta, Wayan Koster says

🇱🇦 Laos

• Vientiane’s first pedestrian footbridge faces construction delays

🇲🇾 Malaysia

• Malaysia calls for fresh proposals for Kuala Lumpur-Singapore HSR project

• Penang Intl Airport facilities can still handle passenger, cargo demand, says MOT

• Four new Penang ferries to begin service next month

• Country Garden ramps its marketing for Johor's Forest City

• BCCK 2 to add 10,000 seat arena space for Kuching

🇵🇭 Philippines

• Metro Manila Subway to be fully operational in six years – DOTr

• 'Bataan-Cavite bridge needs $1.95B'

🇸🇬 Singapore

• LTA gives early look at seven new stations along eastern stretch of TEL

• Bicycle Infrastructure in Singapore: Will more bicycle paths encourage more people to cycle?

• Singapore braces for the return of hazy skies

• Singapore exploring master leases of up to 60 years for black-and-white bungalow estates

• Conservation shophouse on Sago Street for sale at $10 mil

🇹🇭 Thailand

• Death toll rises in collapse of under-construction Bangkok highway

• AOT announces expansion plans for Don Mueang Airport

• Effort underway to breathe new life into Bangkok’s ageing trees

🇻🇳 Vietnam

• Binh Duong proposes railway connection with Ba Ria Vung Tau

• Singapore's garden city could answer Vietnam's urban problems

• Construction driving away merchants at iconic floating market