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News: 2 August 2023
Surabaya light rail proposal, Bangkok's new mass rapid transit master plan, construction projects in Timor-Leste, and a new canal in Vietnam
Hello from Rantau Prapat in Sumatra. The only thing that I knew about this city was that it was at the end of a railway line, which was enough reason for me to visit. It’s going to take an entire day to travel to my next destination, so I am staying here for a day to get some work done. Here are some photos of the Medan-Rantau Prapat train, and I will be posting articles about the railways of Sumatra here and at Nomadic Notes (subscribe for travel updates).
I arrived in Sumatra via Medan, which I haven’t visited for about 13 years. I will post a summary of Medan construction projects, and paid members should expect a Medan trip report next week.
Latest posts at Future Southeast Asia
News
• As regional cities expand, urban poor risk being left behind
• Southeast Asia moves closer to economic unity with new regional payments system
• Southeast Asia's economic outlook is only brightening
🇰🇭 Cambodia
• Siem Reap Angkor International Airport to officially open on Oct. 16, confirms SSCA
• Government signs an agreement to close the old Siem Reap International Airport
• In a first, Royal Railway operates rail link with Thailand
• Laos route to China for the Kingdom’s goods explored
🇮🇩 Indonesia
• Indonesia soon to get its long-delayed high-speed train by
• Jokowi bags $13bn in investment pledges after meeting with Xi
• The fossil fuel subsidy hampers green energy initiatives
• Land Bank Agency completes IKN Nusantara airport boundary installation
• Prevent floods, Medan city government begins to fix drainage along 16 thousand meters
🇱🇦 Laos
• China-Laos Railway passenger service speeds up by over an hour
🇲🇾 Malaysia
• Nearly 30 firms sign up to buy the RFI documents for Malaysia’s bullet train project
• Concern in Gombak Utara over ECRL project
“Residents worry for their homes, which will be demolished to make way for the mega rail project.”
• A revised MM2H will help address issues in Johor's Forest City?
• Several roads in KL to be closed for a year from Aug 5 for renovation, bridge construction
• Klang to be given city status
• Airport relocation likely to happen in 2030, if Sabah cabinet approves
• KKIA and Tawau airport set to undergo RM 19.4 mil facelift
🇲🇲 Myanmar
• Yangon circular rail section to get two new stations: Okkalapa and Thamine Myothit
• Myanmar, China discuss express train network to Ruili
🇵🇭 Philippines
• DOTr studies MRT-3 privatization options
• LRT-1 Cavite Extension Phase 1 reaches 88 % progress rate
• DOTr spending P600m on rail feasibility studies
• Top firms urged to help revive ‘Bicol Express’
• Albay-CamSur train trips resume after 6 years
• Abandoned Philippine Village Hotel: How it threatens NAIA operations
• DoJ: Airport authority barred from spending P1.2B in terminal fees
• House panel revives bill establishing Bulacan Airport Zone
• Master plan on flood control sought to end Bulacan flooding
🇸🇬 Singapore
• Construction on new Brickland MRT station along North-South Line to start in 2024
• Singaporeans turn empty spaces in public housing into libraries, gardens
🇹🇭 Thailand
• New transport master plan ready for Bangkok metropolis
M-MAP 2 (Mass Rapid Transit Master Plan in Bangkok Metropolitan Region) has been released.
“M-MAP 2 comprises eight routes included in the M-MAP 1 that have not been constructed, 14 new routes, and 11 extensions of existing routes.”
This news report has a small version of the map. I’m looking for a larger version, which I will share here.
• Supreme Court rules Ashton Asoke-Rama 9 project illegal
• Thai joint venture hails homegrown rail carriage
• Clear-up crew put on job after pics of 'rubbish' railway go viral
• 'Green lung' of Bang Kachao holds much promise
• Krabi airport expansion 87% complete
• New pier for Koh Samet ferry under construction
🇹🇱 Timor-Leste
• Construction of 23-story building of TMS slated to begin September 2023
🇻🇳 Vietnam
• Vietnam aims to have north-south high-speed rail plan approved in 2025
• $100M canal enters service to boost cargo transportation in northern Vietnam
• Lotte opens Vietnam's largest shopping mall in Hanoi
• 30,000 beachfront villas, shophouses on the shelf
• Foul-smelling wastewater discharge continues polluting Nha Trang beach pending costly solution
• Đà Nẵng makes efforts to thoroughly address wastewater polluting the sea
• Life in the vicinity of HCMC's largest waste dump-landfill