Mapping every airport in Laos

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

Hello from Ho Chi Minh City. This week I continue profiling the airports of Southeast Asia with airports of Laos. As you would expect, there aren’t many airports in Laos, but I was surprised with how many airports have international status.

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I will be in Bangkok for the next week, and I will be scheduling some meetups while I am there. If you would like to meet to discuss transport and urban development issues over a coffee, reply to this email.

Latest posts at Future Southeast Asia

• Airports in Laos: Map of every commercial airport

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News

🇰🇭 Cambodia

• Cambodia's flagship canal in hot water as China funding dries up

• The Cambodian Ministry of Public Works denies allegations about Funan Techo Canal Project funding issues

• Techo International Airport 90% complete, over $1.3B spent

• PM pushes for Siem Reap-Airport railway to boost tourism

• Kingdom identifies path to improved connectivity

“Cambodia is laying the groundwork to become a regional trade hub in Southeast Asia, through strategic infrastructure investments and policy reforms.”

• PM Hun Manet unveils plans to build a new city

• ‘China is Cambodia’s largest source of foreign investment’

🇮🇩 Indonesia

• North Bali Airport gets $3 billion boost from Chinese investors, targeting 2027 completion

• Batam’s controversial ‘eco-city’ project pushes forward with surprise demolitions

• Government prepares 60 Ha land to build residential housing at Manggarai Station

🇱🇦 Laos

• Laos-China railway boosts trade and tourism, but also Beijing's clout

• Japanese entrepreneur backs development to transform central Laos

“Several projects initiated by a Japanese entrepreneur are set to bring significant changes to Savannakhet province in central Laos.”

🇲🇾 Malaysia

• Dubai’s Bin Zayed International pulls out of RM40b Langkasuka project in Langkawi, says ‘no longer saw its value’ since 2022

(Langkasuka is the proposed land reclamation project with islands forming the shape of an eagle.)

• Penang LRT Mutiara Line to feature 21 stations, connecting island and mainland

• Over a thousand park-and-ride spots planned at nine LRT stations in Penang

• KL-Singapore HSR plans pending approval as Cabinet prioritises existing rail development projects like Gemas-JB line and ECRL, says Amir Hamzah

• Malaysian firm's RM60bil township on Andaman Island set for 2030 completion

• Make Tawau airport international? This depends on study findings, says Liew

 🇵🇭 Philippines

• Sangley Airport development to start within next two years

• Mindanao Railway Project to proceed, MinDA assures

• DOTr drawing up 30-year public transport master plan

• Court urged to void NAIA concession deal, airport fee hike order

• HJSC wins $201m contract to build a new port in Cebu, Philippines

🇸🇬 Singapore

• How Singapore became the ideal testing ground for self-driving cars

"The tiny country has embraced autonomous vehicles as a way to overcome labor shortages and use its scarce land more efficiently."

🇹🇭 Thailand

• Airports of Thailand to pay B12b due to noise pollution from new runway

• AOT to pay King Power THB193m to reacquire rented space at Suvarnabhumi

• Govt to build new bridge to Cambodia

"The government is building a bridge that will permanently link Chanthaburi with Pailin province in Cambodia at a cost of about 15 million baht."

• City Hall ‘sorry’ for cycle lane chaos

"Lane on Sukhumvit 39 reopened to 4-wheel traffic just one day after attempt to promote more bicycle use."

• Songkhla mulling tunnel, bridge options for lake

"The Department of Rural Roads (DoRR) is conducting a feasibility study for a project to develop an alternative route across Songkhla Lake, connecting Muang district with Singha Nakhon district."

• Build: Bali construction ban not on the cards for Phuket

• How Japan contributed to the development of Thailand

🇻🇳 Vietnam

• Lawmakers back investment policy for North-South high-speed railway project

"Lawmakers on November 20 afternoon expressed their strong support for the investment policy for the North-South high-speed railway project, emphasising that it is time to go ahead rather than stepping back as this is a development trend of the country."

• 3 types of trains to operate on Vietnam's north-south high-speed railway

The service types include:

- Express (5h 20m): Hanoi, Vinh, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Long Thanh, Thu Thiem

- Regular (6h 50m) more stops

- Short routes, eg HCMC–Nha Trang

• HCMC to fund 2nd metro line with state budget instead of foreign loans

• French logistics giant eyes to launch electric barges on inland waterways in Vietnam

• Vehicles, industry, crop burning cause Hanoi pollution crisis

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