News: 13 September 2023

The troubled new urban area of Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta transport report, flat-rate train fares for Bangkok, reproposed railways of Vietnam, and more transport and urban development news...

Hello from Chiang Mai. This week I have put together a timeline of the massive new urban development in Ho Chi Minh City. The Thu Thiem New Urban Area was supposed to be “The Pudong of Southeast Asia”, but it has been plagued with all kinds of troubles, which are listed in the article.

I also have a trip report from Jakarta for paid subscribers. When I was in Jakarta I was pondering the report that predicted that Jakarta would overtake Tokyo as the world’s most populous city. What won’t be overtaken is Tokyo’s amazing transit system. Jakarta is building out a transit system, so I had a look at what is there.

Latest posts at Future Southeast Asia

Thu Thiem New Urban Area

Thu Thiem New Urban Area is an urban redevelopment project in Ho Chi Minh City.

Dispatches from Southeast Asia

Jakarta transit report (2023 edition) [Update for paid subscribers]

Reviewing the urban railways of Jakarta, and other transport observations.

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News

🇰🇭 Cambodia

• Tycoon’s company receives 1,247 hectares along Kep coastal waters for satellite city development

• Construction of Cambodia-Korea Friendship Bridge to begin soon

🇮🇩 Indonesia

• Indonesia says China has pledged $21B in new investment to strengthen ties

• Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway to become operational on Oct 1

• Chinese Premier Li Qiang takes a test ride on Indonesia’s new high-speed railway

• Japan reluctant to join Indonesian high-speed rail project, citing need to protect its ‘brand’

• New capital may not learn from Jakarta’s transportation mistakes

• Indonesia's per capita coal emissions are growing faster than any G20 country

• Indonesia's Gojek to replace all gasoline-powered two-wheelers by 2030

🇱🇦 Laos

• China-Laos land port has handled over 1 million people this year

• Social media users in Vientiane Capital raise alarm over poor state of roads

🇲🇾 Malaysia

• Abang Johari says Sarawak is embarking on trans-Borneo railway study and development project

• Anwar: Eleven new transportation, logistics projects introduced

• Penang LRT project included in 12MP

• Cement company wins appeal to evict century-old Perak monastery

• Gemas-JB electrified double-tracks to complete by 2025

• Country Garden's Malaysian project in focus amid contagion worries

• What would a Johor-Singapore economic zone entail for Malaysians and Singaporeans?

• ART engineering run, Stage 2 proof-of-concept exercise begins at Kuching Isthmus

🇲🇲 Myanmar

• Kohima-Myanmar Rly Connect In The Offing

🇵🇭 Philippines

• Status of Manila Bay reclamation murky as groups press for written suspension order

• Philippine US$3 billion airport project attracts 3 more potential bidders before roadshows in Singapore and Paris

• Seek PPP over China loan for Bicol train project, gov’t told

• Angry Philippine islanders are trying to stop the great nickel rush

• Rappler’s PWD train accessibility report sparks inclusive mobility talks in Congress

🇸🇬 Singapore

• NS Square at Marina Bay floating platform site targeted to be built by 2027

• New teal-coloured Jurong Region Line trains being put together & tested in South Korea

🇹🇭 Thailand

• AOT prepares to soft-launch new Suvarnabhumi terminal

• Govt to pilot 20 baht flat-rate city train fare over New Year

• First expressway tunnel pondered

”The Expressway Authority of Thailand (Exat) has proposed an underground route to replace a controversial section of the N1 Expressway development following a 17-month initial feasibility study.”

• Elevated monorail Pink Line to offer free rides in November

• Bangkok Air keen on Phangnga airport

• Bangkok improves narrow sidewalks

• Wanted former Pattaya mayor reportedly flees Thailand to evade arrest in waterfront condo case

• Thai billionaire family looks to up Bangkok’s profile with One Bangkok, the country’s largest private sector property project

🇻🇳 Vietnam

• Vietnam Airlines orders 50 Boeing 737 MAX jets

This announcement was made during the US President’s visit to Hanoi.

• PM seeks Japan's assistance in developing North-South hi-speed railways

If you have been following the saga of the proposed North-South high-speed railway, you might think that this headline sounds familiar. Here is a headline from 2007:

Vietnam to build high-speed rail with Japan aid

I’ve added the most recent report to the pile of proposals.

• Planning underway for 440-kilometer railway linking Hanoi with northern provinces

"Designed for a speed of 160 kilometers per hour, the railway will start in Lao Cai Province, traverse Yen Bai, Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, Hanoi, Hung Yen, Hai Duong, Haiphong, and end at the Cai Lan Port in Quang Ninh."

This is also a recycled proposal with a new twist. The Lao Cai - Hanoi - Haiphong railway upgrade has been talked about for years. There is also a plan to rebuild the Hanoi - Ha Long Railway, which was abandoned. Building a railway from Haiphong to Ha Long (Cai Lan Port) makes more sense than the old Hanoi Ha Long route. It would be a shorter line to build, and it would have the bonus of connecting the cities of Ha Long and Hai Phong, This line could then be extended to Mong Cai and connect with the new railway that China is building to the border.

• Mekong Delta erosion: Is authorities' lack of determination to blame?

• Can Gio Port requires 90 ha of protective forests to be cut: HCMC

• E-taxi service launched in HCM City

• Be drivers supported in switching to VinFast electric vehicles