Pavements of Pattaya

The Future Southeast Asia Newsletter features transport and urban development news in Southeast Asia, edited by James Clark.

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• Pattaya construction and transport report (Premium)

Trip report from January 2025: Walkability and bad street layouts, Pattaya construction notes, the ghost tower, future high-speed railway and monorail, Jomtien Beach as a future apartment hotspot, and air quality.

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• How to fix Sihanoukville

Sihanoukville should be a booming beach resort comparable to coastal cities in Vietnam. Instead, it's better known for its abandoned towers, scam compounds, and shady casinos. Here is how to fix it.

• Sri Racha Trip Report (Premium)

The Little Osaka of Thailand, bad design of Sukhumvit Road (like Bangkok), sea view apartments (shame about the beach), and the future high-speed railway to 3 airports.

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News

🇰🇭 Cambodia

• Record-setting bridge opens to public for KNY [The Phnom Penh Post]

"Cambodia’s tallest bridge was temporarily opened to the public this morning at 6am. The 90-metre tall structure will be open during the day from April 11 to 17, for the traditional Khmer New Year period."

• Take from the poor, give almost all to the rich, then ask the poor to be thankful for the scraps [Cambodia Unfiltered]

"Has the sell-off of Boeung Tamok been worth $2.5 billion?"

• Preah Sihanouk authorities reiterate ban on use of coastal sand in construction [The Phnom Penh Post]

• Dara Sakor airport in SW Cambodia opens to domestic regular flights for 1st time [Khmer Times]

🇮🇩 Indonesia

• Government to lift spending freeze in future Indonesian capital, minister says [The Jakarta Post]

• Minister of Transportation meets French Trade Minister to discuss financing LRT Bandung to BRT Medan [VOI]

• Ubud Sidewalks are an olympic sport 🏋️‍♂️ [@ubudstorywalks]

I am seeing more young Southeast Asia urbanists who are sidewalk shaming their local governments, and I’m here for it.

🇱🇦 Laos

• China-Laos Railway transports over 480,000 cross-border passengers in 2 years [Xinhua]

🇲🇾 Malaysia

• Construction of 665km rail link enters final leg [New Straits Times]

• Mounting calls for int'l airport in Sandakan [The Star]

• Running on rails: KTMB aims for new trains, 80pct track utilisation by 2030 [New Straits Times]

• Penang govt the ‘loser’ in tunnel project, witness tells Guan Eng’s trial [FMT]

"Businessman Zarul Ahmad Zulkifli says his company received ‘full payment’ despite not fulfilling its obligation to deliver the tunnel’s detailed design."

 🇲🇲 Myanmar

• Scarcity of construction materials in Myanmar slows rebuilding after quake [Myanmar Now]

'Prices for cement, steel, and other supplies have soared this month due to earthquake damage as well as trade barriers imposed by the military regime since 2023.'

• Urgent removal of at least 2.5 million tonnes of debris needed in Myanmar following earthquake, says UNDP [United Nations Development Programme]

🇵🇭 Philippines

• Construction of Bulacan airport terminal set 2026 [SunStar]

• DOTr chief orders fast-tracking of Manila-Bulacan NSCR portion [Philippine News Agency]

• ADB approves $1.45-B final financing for Malolos-Clark Railway [Inquirer]

• NAIA operator to start building Terminal 5; PH Village hotel set for demolition soon [ABS-CBN News]

• Demolished NAIA Terminal 4 gone for good, cargo terminal to be converted [GMA News]

• PNR South Long Haul project attracts new potential funder [Philippine News Agency]

• Robust PH growth entails fast-tracking infra projects, logistics reforms—ADB [Manila Bulletin]

🇸🇬 Singapore

• Singapore Changi Airport named world's best airport in 2025, 13th time receiving award [CNA]

• Improved drone detection sought at Changi Airport; 3rd runway estimated to open around Q4 2027 [The Straits Times]

• Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore to undergo S$40 million upgrade [CNA]

🇹🇭 Thailand

• The costs of no control [Bangkok Post]

"The collapse of the State Audit Office (SAO) building in the March 28 earthquake continues to uncover the rot within the construction industry."

• Suriya confirms bt20 flat fare for eight Bangkok rail lines starting Sept [The Nation]

• Bangkok council urges swift payment of Green Line rail debt amid interest rate fears [The Nation]

• Bypassing Malacca? China, India and the UAE vie for Thailand’s land bridge [ThinkChina]

🇻🇳 Vietnam

• Vietnam, China ink seven transport cooperation deals [The Saigon Times]

"Four of the seven agreements relate to railway development. These include a memorandum of understanding to establish a joint committee for Vietnam–China railway cooperation and technical support from China for feasibility studies and planning of several standard-gauge rail lines, including Lao Cai–Hanoi–Haiphong, Dong Dang–Hanoi, and Mong Cai–Ha Long–Haiphong."

• Tân Sơn Nhất Airport's new terminal ready for first flights from April 17 [Viet Nam News]

• US tariff policy turns Ho Chi Minh City’s development plans upside down: chairman [Tuoi Tre News]

• Lego opens a toy factory in Vietnam it plans to run entirely on clean energy [AP News]

• Metro Hà Nội serves nearly five million passengers in Q1 [Viet Nam News]

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