News #198: Bangkok Urban Railways Report

Hello from Ho Chi Minh City. This week I started working my way through the Bangkok articles I have planned, starting with the annual urban transit report. There are 10 transit lines in Bangkok, which is 10 more than in HCMC. I saw a train doing a test run last week, which was the first time I have seen a metro train here. Hopefully, the HCMC Metro will begin operations this year.

New site (and newsletter testing)

Speaking of metro systems, I have been making mini sites (or micro niche sites) about metro systems in Southeast Asia. Last year I set up hochiminhcitymetro.com, and now I have set up balirailway.com. I keep buying domains, so my new rule is that I am not allowed to buy more domains unless I do something with the last one.

I have set this site up so I can test out another newsletter platform that I am trying out. The newsletter is at balirailway.beehiiv.com. I will post news about the proposed Bali railway there, maybe once a month, who knows? Maybe it will be short-lived if the proposed light rail doesn’t get approved. If the railway does get built I might turn it into a lifestyle site featuring places near each station. If you want to sign up, I will send an email tomorrow (25th January). Sign up here.

Latest posts at Future Southeast Asia

Bangkok Urban Rail Transit Update – 2024 Edition

Bangkok’s urban rail transit system added two new lines in 2023, bringing the total number of lines to ten. Two lines are currently under construction, and more lines are planned in the future.

News Extra

News Extra: Which airlines will use Long Thanh International Airport?

News Extra for paid subscribers, which expands on news stories and some insights into what I am working on.

News

• Wind and solar capacity in south-east Asia climbs 20% in just one year, report finds

🇰🇭 Cambodia

• Koh Rong int’l airport construction begins

• New M’kiri Airport To Boost Tourism, Economy But Deforestation Concerns Linger

• Cambodia, France sign six notable investment MoUs

• Transport Minister: Funan Techo Canal project to begin construction in late 2024

🇮🇩 Indonesia

• Government drives acceleration of Jakarta MRT East-West corridor development• President Jokowi orders Rp 1.3 trillion spending on Central Java roads

• Rethinking the seawall 

“According to estimates from environmental watchdogs and researchers, the GSW megaproject would cost some Rp 207 billion (US$13.3 million) in potential economic losses in the fisheries sector every year.”

• Four Japanese companies Interested In Working On Airport Development Projects In Indonesia

• Jokowi mandates acceleration of ASN transfer to IKN

🇱🇦 Laos

• Laos-China Railway boosts daily trips in preparation of tourism surge

🇲🇾 Malaysia

• Aerotrain back on track but at higher cost

• No immediate need to move KK airport, says Sabah CM

• Fast-tracking RM170mil rail station for Seremban

• ECRL entices 40pc truck drivers, leaving Klang Valley in the lurch

• Focus on ECRL transit service, govt told amid Thai land bridge threat

• Airport road between Limbang and Teluk Brunei touted as future northern Sarawak tourist attraction

🇵🇭 Philippines

• Manila currently holds the ‘world’s worst traffic in metro area’ title

• Ejercito wants railway projects fast-tracked as NCR traffic gets worse

• LRT 2 project linking Recto, Tondo kicking off in 2025

• DPWH, JICA okay flood control projects in Marikina, Cagayan rivers

• PH seeks rival offers for Bohol, Laguindingan airport upgrades• PH airport expansion competing with similar mega projects in Asia

🇸🇬 Singapore

• 'Long Island' reclamation: Imported sand must be sourced from legally permissible areas, says Desmond Lee

• LTA halts transition to SimplyGo, Transport Minister acknowledges commuters’ concerns

• SIT students help improve SMRT processes

🇹🇭 Thailand

• Govt mulls second railway connection with Malaysia• The Kra Land Bridge: Thailand’s white elephant comes charging back

• Phuket seaplane terminal to open up island tourism

• I found a website for the Den Chai – Chiang Rai – Chiang Khong railway project. The website is in Thai but there are some images of stations. Visit www.srt-denchai-chiangrai-chiangkhong.com.

🇻🇳 Vietnam

• Ho Chi Minh City airport’s new terminal expected to become ‘aviation city’ (Tan Son Nhat)

• 1,400 personnel dispatched to build HCMC airport's new terminal (Long Thanh)

• Costs for Hà Nội's Metro No.2 project go up by over $652 million, operational by 2029

"In the proposal from Hà Nội's authorities, the project will be put into operation by 2029 – 14 years later than the original deadline of 2015 – with two additional years for training, operation, and maintenance."

• China’s Pacific Construction to build $2.65 bln metro line in Hanoi (Line 5)

• Vietnam needs urgent guidelines for land reclamation from the sea

• Nha Trang reclaims resort beach for public use

• “It’s as if I had never left China”: Vietnam’s tech worker Chinatown

“As Chinese manufacturers open shop in Vietnam, Bac Ninh has become a cultural hub with Chinese restaurants, bubble tea shops, and language centers.”

I have been curious about Bac Ninh ever since I read that they want to build 12(!) urban railway lines. Now this article is making me more curious about what is going on there.

If you are not subscribed to Rest Of World, they are consistently coming up with interesting stories like this.