Future Southeast Asia News #262

Update from Quy Nhon, Penang Turf Club redevelopment, Cambodia to China by train, Manila MRT7 update, Tan Son Nhat Terminal 3 opens

Author

James Clark
April 23, 2025

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

Hello from Quy Nhon, Vietnam. This is my last stop on this coastal Vietnam trip. I’m heading back to Saigon next, which is in preparation mode for the 50th anniversary of Reunification Day on April 30.

Quy Nhon has a city beach like Nha Trang and Da Nang, but it gets very few international visitors (there are no regular international flights).

Quy Nhon is trying to become the next big thing, but there are many unfinished construction projects in the city. There are also abandoned beach hotels and new urban areas. I rode a motorbike along the coast to see what is being built. I saw a tori gate in the distance, so I went to have a look.

James in Quy Nhon

There is a Japanese-themed city being built here, but it appears to have been abandoned already.

Japan city project in Quy Nhon

I’ve been to a few fake European city projects in Vietnam, but this was the first Japan-themed new city I have seen. I will post a report on the coastal projects of Quy Nhon soon.

Future Southeast Asia articles

Latest article

The closure of the Penang Turf Club presents a rare opportunity to redevelop a large area of land on the island. Penang should look to Singapore for inspiration for racecourse redevelopment before building another uninspiring car-dependent development.

Recent articles

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.

Upgrade to Premium to read the articles. It’s $5 a month or $50 a year, and your subscription helps support this site.

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.

News

🇰🇭 Cambodia

🇮🇩 Indonesia

"The Indonesian government officially disbanded the infrastructure task force of the Nusantara Capital City (IKN). The task force was formed during former President Joko Widodo’s administration."

🇱🇦 Laos

🇲🇾 Malaysia

 🇲🇲 Myanmar

🇵🇭 Philippines

"Environmental groups, advocates filed a petition Monday, April 21, before the Supreme Court to stop the construction of Chinese-funded Samal Island-Davao City connector."

🇸🇬 Singapore

🇹🇭 Thailand

• BMTA to replace fleet with EVs [Bangkok Post]

"The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) will replace its natural gas-powered (NGV) buses with electric-powered (EV) air-conditioned buses, with the first batch of 500 EV buses set for delivery this year."

🇻🇳 Vietnam

"From desolate swamplands to a skyline of skyscrapers, Ho Chi Minh City has dramatically evolved over the past 50 years, a transformation vividly captured through rare archived photos."

"The Southeast Asian nation has emerged as a promising alternative for tech suppliers diversifying from China, but that comes with risks."

Thanks for reading the Future Southeast Asia Newsletter. Feel free to leave a like or comment on the topics of this week’s news.

Reply

or to participate.