News #197: Could a metro turn Johor Bahru into an international metropolis?

Hello from Ho Chi Minh City. I’m back from Thailand and I now have a pile of articles to write about Bangkok which will begin next week.

This week I posted a concept map for a Johor Bahru metro system. Most of the lines have been proposed in one form or another, and I have added lines and enhanced others. See all of my concept maps here.

Johor Bahru wants to be the Shenzhen of Southeast Asia, so I wrote another article to outline how they could do it.

Here is this week’s news round-up for transport and urban development in Southeast Asia.

Latest posts at Future Southeast Asia

• Johor Bahru Metro Concept Map

Johor Bahru needs a metro system if it wants to be like Shenzhen.

• How to make Johor Bahru an international metropolis of Southeast Asia

How a transit system, walkable cities, and more interesting buildings could make Johor Bahru the Shenzhen of Southeast Asia.

News

• Southeast Asia’s falling turboprop numbers create sustainability challenge: report

🇰🇭 Cambodia

• TIA to become ‘inter-regional transport hub’

For some reason the Phnom Penh Post doesn’t work in Vietnam, so here is the archive. This article reports that the airport was formerly Techo Takhmao International Airport, so Takhmao was dropped from the name. Annoyingly, PPP keeps referring to the airport as TIA, which is Tirana International Airport. There isn’t an IATA code yet (eg the current Phnom Penh airport is PNH).

They are not the only ones to do this. Tan Son Nhat (the airport for Ho Chi Minh City) has the IATA code of SGN, but at the airport you see signs referring to itself as

Tan Son Nhat

International

Airport

Ho Chi Minh City is also building. a new airport which they envisage becoming an inter-regional transport hub. They are surely following the progress of this new airport in Cambodia. The one competitive advantage that HCMC has is there is already an established national airline that flies to Europe, Australia, and the US.

The one thing that both new airports don’t have planned is an airport railway.

• French company interested in new railway projects in Cambodia

“A French investment company has expressed interest in building a railway from Phnom Penh to the airport or other areas, during a meeting with Prime Minister Hun Manet.”

• High-powered govt team to iron out SAI issues

“Concerned over negative reviews about the Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (SAI), the government has dispatched a ministerial delegation to check on the daily operations with the view to nip in the bud any shortcomings.”

🇮🇩 Indonesia

• Indonesia revives US$10.5 billion 40-year plan to build sea wall to keep sinking Jakarta afloat• Govt plans 2024 Independence Day celebrations in Nusantara

• China explores autonomous trains project in Indonesia IKN, minister says

• Indonesia, S. Korea to finish Bali LRT feasibility study in April

“We will focus on building the first phase of the Bali LRT project that connects the Ngurah Rai airport and Central Park in Bali”

• Malaysia explores investment in Batam LRT 

🇱🇦 Laos

• Tallest building in Laos to open in March, marking 75th army anniversary

🇲🇾 Malaysia

• Seven consortia comprising 31 firms submit RFI proposal for KL-Singapore HSR project

• Japan firms opt out of Malaysia-Singapore high-speed rail project

• ECRL's first track laying works between Kuantan-Dungun achieves 41 pct progress

• KL-Bangkok HSR more attractive and beneficial to Malaysia

• Transport ministry to prepare Cabinet paper on Penang LRT project

• Malaysia seeks to revive China-backed Forest City megaproject – never mind the stray dogs, crocodiles and day drinkers

• Johor Bahru-Singapore RTS Link passes 65% construction milestone on both sides; connecting span complete

• Relocations, expansions among business plans as Singapore and Johor strengthen transport, economic links 

• Mega project rollouts a boon for contractors

• Malaysia’s ‘pothole vigilante’ takes matters into his own hands

🇵🇭 Philippines

• Jokowi Wants PT PP, Adhi Karya’s railway project in Philippines to start

• Public infra ventures in Davao ‘slow’

• Will the colorful, loud jeepneys of the Philippines soon disappear from the roads?

🇸🇬 Singapore

• Malaysia, Singapore agree to jointly develop special economic zone

• From barges to explosives: How Singapore is building the RTS Link with Malaysia

• Authorities aim to open Thomson-East Coast Line's Stage 4, from Tanjong Rhu to Bayshore, in first half of 2024: Chee Hong Tat

• Is Singapore’s COE system due for ‘significant reforms’ as car prices reignite debate?

• Singapore sets up aviation innovation centre to address operational constraints, carbon emissions

• Istana to undergo major restoration works in second half of 2024

• Eligible households can redeem S$50 public transport vouchers via SimplyGo app, kiosks, ticketing service centres

• Notes from Singapore, a transit mecca

🇹🇭 Thailand

• Rail transport saw 40% increase in commuters, mostly in and around Bangkok

• 20.5% fewer passengers on BTS extensions after start of fare collection

• Electric mass transit seen as answer to PM2.5 woes

"CHIANG MAI: Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin vowed to promote electric mass transit to help solve the nagging air pollution problem in this northern province."

• Second Chiang Mai airport to serve growing demand of visitors in Northern provinces

• Phuket booms as wealthy Russians seek a new home

“Residential sales skyrocket but bring traffic and infrastructure headaches.”

🇻🇳 Vietnam

• District wants to dredge Hanoi icon West Lake at $81M

• Extent of illegal sand mining in the Mekong Delta

• Sand mining sinks vital bridge in northern Vietnam: irrigation department

• Urgent design of Long Thanh airport underground railway station (article translated from local news source)

Speaking of the airport railway as mentioned in the Cambodia section, there was meant to be an underground station for the high-speed railway at the new Long Thanh Airport. This would have been like Amsterdam Schiphol, where there is a railway station that connects to the national railway system. There is also meant to be a light rail connecting Long Thanh to Thu Thiem, but there has been no news of this and seemingly no sense of urgency to get it built in time for the airport to open.

So I wonder who will get a new airport railway first: Phnom Penh or Ho Chi Minh City?

• Hotels in Da Nang plagued by noisy construction

• Houses that breathe: Vietnamese architects turning the tide to tackle climate change