News: 20 September 2023

This week’s main article is about an island in Indonesia that I had hitherto not heard of before. There are over 17,000 islands in Indonesia, and I could probably name and place 30 islands off the top of my head.

Rempang is part of the Riau Islands, below Batam (which I visited last year). Rempang has been in the news this week as they want to turn the island into an industrial and tourism area. The project involves removing everyone from the island, which has been the cause of conflict.

The islanders of Rempang have been told they are being moved to the neighbouring island of Galang. This was another island I had not heard of, so I looked it up. It turns out that Galang was home to a refugee camp for boat people from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos from 1975 to 1996. More recently it was a quarantine island.

There is very little information about Rempang Eco-City(which is an odd name for an island that will house the second-largest glass factory in the world), so I have started a fact sheet to gather information about it.

Latest posts at Future Southeast Asia

Rempang Eco-City

Rempang Eco-City is a proposed industrial, service, and tourism area on Pulau Rempang, Riau Islands, Indonesia.

News

🇰🇭 Cambodia

• Cambodia-Thailand Stung Bot-Ban Nong Ian international border crossing more than 90 percent completed

• Watch: Exploring the Techo International Airport project in Cambodia

🇮🇩 Indonesia

• Indonesia hands early years of high-speed rail operation to China Railway

• Indonesia urged to study feasibility of extending China-backed rail line as Japan mulls exit

• New Indonesian industrial park on Borneo, feted as ‘green,’ will be powered by coal, report says

• Nusantara to get buses, BRT as first public transportation mode

• The government's seriousness in overcoming air pollution should be questioned

🇱🇦 Laos

• On the China-Laos border, a cautionary tale of hot money and wild dreams

“Chinese investors have poured money into the small Lao town of Boten, believing a new railway would bring massive growth. But the hoped-for boom has yet to arrive.”

• Development in Laos risks extensive deforestation

🇲🇾 Malaysia

• Government committed to both MRT3 and Penang LRT, says MoT

• PM Anwar: Govt approves ECRL Integrated Land Use Master Plan 

• HSR revival promises catalytic developments for Malaysia, Singapore, says business council chairman

• Johor Bahru traffic jam is getting worse, say residents, travellers

• Johor can be like Shenzhen if special economic zone takes off, says MB

🇵🇭 Philippines

• DOTr: Five firms bid for NAIA privatization

• NAIA to be ‘world-class’ airport anew under PPP scheme modernization, says transport chief

• DOTr urged to prioritize expansion of existing airports to enhance air travel, tourism

• Yamsuan prods DOTr to pursue PPP mode to ensure ‘Bicol Express’ revival

• Major infra projects face delay

“The completion of several major infrastructure projects may be delayed due to right-of-way issues, the transfer of utilities and budget constraints, according to the Department of Transportation (DOTr).”

• 35 e-jeeps to arrive in Bacolod within the year

🇸🇬 Singapore

• How to cool down a city

“Singapore is rethinking its sweltering urban areas to dampen the effects of climate change. Can it be a model?”

• Singapore is the world's 6th Blue Zone — and a look at its urban planning helps explain why

• 34.4km of new cycling paths to be built in Jurong West, Bukit Batok, Clementi, Queenstown

• Singapore replaces Hong Kong as world's freest economy

🇹🇭 Thailand

• No payout for Hopewell over abandoned Bangkok railway

• Ex-Bangkok governor found at fault for contracting BTSC to operate Green line extensions

• Bangkok set for $14bn redevelopment spree led by top conglomerates

• State Railway of Thailand told to speed up handover of land for high-speed rail line

• Chiang Mai executives outline plans for northern capital to soar

“Business executives in Chiang Mai urged Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin to build a second airport in the northern capital and extend the operating hours of the current one”.

• Nan Airport plans runway extension to welcome more flights

• Call for more low-cost airports

• Phuket pushes health hub plan

🇻🇳 Vietnam

• Hanoi to spend $2.7b on metro line to connect with satellite urban areas (Line 5)

• Never-ending construction of Hanoi metro roils city

“The Nhon-Hanoi Station metro line, meant to be a beacon for traffic connectivity and economic development, has been delayed seven times over the last 17 years.”

• China Railway Group expresses interests in building Việt Nam's railways

• Nha Trang coastal road to see makeover

• Australia funds study project on inland waterway infrastructure upgrade

• Phu Quoc dismantles more illegal villas on public land