News

Cambodia

Cambodia Plans Improvement of Thailand and Viet Nam Border Gate Facilities

“Cambodia’s border crossing points with Thailand and Vietnam are crowded with traffic of cross-border transport and tourists. The country wants to develop the necessary infrastructure to manage this traffic flow to ease cross-border transport and boost trade activities.”

Indonesia

Indonesia’s new capital in the Bornean jungle on hold amid COVID-19 crisis

“The Indonesian government’s plan to relocate the country’s capital from Java to Borneo has hit a wall amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with a top official saying they would “evaluate it or something” after the crisis passes.”

Maybe it won’t be built after all.

Philippines

'Build Build Build' to help restart Philippine economy: NEDA chief Chua

“President Rodrigo Duterte's P8 trillion infrastructure program will be an "important part" of the Philippines' recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, his new socioeconomic planning chief said Tuesday.”

Duterte open to dropping infrastructure projects for more COVID-19 funding

“The government plans to spend over ₱1 trillion this year on various construction projects, in keeping with the administration's promise to usher in a "Golden Age of Infrastructure" and fill the country's needs for longer and wider roads, convenient train systems, and bigger airports and seaports, to name a few.

But that plan may now be shelved with the COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc on the local and global economy.”

Going back to my preamble about governments needing to spend their way out of a recession, the Philippines is sending mixed messages here.

Thailand

33 hours for southeast Asia’s “biggest continuous foundation pour, ever”

“In all, 547 trucks delivered 23,725 cubic metres of concrete over 33 and a quarter hours to make the 4.5-metre-deep raft foundation in February.”

This gargantuan amount of concrete was for the One Bangkok project near Lumphini Park.

[One Bangkok.]

Four new BTS stations ready to open in June

“Test runs to four new BTS Skytrain stations beyond Kasetsart University station (N13) have started since April 8, Manit Techa-apichoke, president of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration-owned Krungthep Thanakhom Co, said.”

Vietnam

HCM City speeds up Metro 2 project ground clearance

“The HCM City authorities are speeding compensation in order to start the Metro Line 2 Project in October.”