250th edition of the Future Southeast Asia Newsletter

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

Today is the first day of the Year of the Snake, so Happy Lunar New Year for those who observe.

Today is also the 250th weekly newsletter for Future Southeast Asia. This weekly roundup goes out every Wednesday, and I haven’t missed a Wednesday yet (though my current hotel is conspiring to delay it with slow internet).

I have a publishing calendar that I plan my travels around. I usually avoid long travel days on Wednesday, but if it can’t be avoided I will prepare the newsletter in advance. After 250 weeks, I still enjoy putting the newsletter together to discover interesting news. For example, this week I found out that Cebu has proposed a 67.5-kilometre subway (read more about that in the Philippines section below).

This week I started my reports for paid subscribers of last month’s Cambodia trip, starting with the border city of Poipet.

Latest posts at Future Southeast Asia

• Poipet trip report: Construction and urban development in Cambodia's wild-west casino city

Poipet plans to transform this border town associated with casinos and scam compounds into an enthralling, civilized city that will attract national and international tourists. I spent a night in Poipet to see how it is going.

Become a paid subscriber and support Future Southeast Asia News. It’s $5 a month or $50 a year, and your subscription will help keep this site running.

News

• Southeast Asian cities among world's most polluted, ranking shows

A strong breeze has blown through Thailand to cleanse out what has been an awful week for air quality across the region. Bangkok, Phnom Penh, and Ho Chi Minh City have been fighting it out to claim the title of most polluted city.

🇰🇭 Cambodia

• Private sector laud Manet’s plans to fast track rail connections

• Sihanoukville revival project extended

“An initiative to breathe new life into Sihanoukville’s abandoned buildings, with the extension of a project that will see $564 million pumped into 42 projects.”

• Construction of Techo International Airport stands at an impressive 94 percent completion

🇮🇩 Indonesia

• The last time it was legal, exports of sea sand destroyed dozens of Indonesian islands. Now, the ban is being lifted

• Japan OKs 83 bil. yen in extra loans for new Indonesia international port

• Construction of Manggarai LRT station commences

• Indonesia aims to put airports on global top 10 list

• Batam businesses worried investors will flee to Johor SEZ as gas, electricity prices surge

🇱🇦 Laos

• PM​ meets Japan business leaders, encourages investment in Laos

There was also talk of direct flights between Laos and Japan.

• Laos works on traffic reform to improve urban safety

🇲🇾 Malaysia

• Loke announces modern transportation hub Ipoh Sentral

• Terengganu leads in ECRL progress, Dungun station nears completion

• Large scale projects alone will not resolve Penang traffic woes, says transport engineer

• Sarawak’s proposed deep-sea port at Tg Embang to be modeled after Japan’s Kobe Port, says Premier

 🇲🇲 Myanmar

• Russian ambassador visits Myanmar’s south to discuss Dawei SEZ

🇵🇭 Philippines

• Sunk costs: a mega-airport in the path of climate disaster

“Our new investigation reveals evidence suggesting that the $15 billion New Manila International Airport (NMIA) is a “disaster-prone project” that leans on a drastically optimistic environmental projection.”

• DOTr eyes more airport privatization

• DOTr takes first steps in building Cebu subway

• Excavation of Philippines longest tunnel road done by Q2

🇸🇬 Singapore

• Hume MRT station on Downtown Line to open on Feb 28, ahead of schedule

• Changi Airport poised for growth in 2025 and beyond, but challenges to its hub status loom

• Changi Airport to focus on e-commerce, pharmaceutical shipments as cargo capacity tightens

• Construction demand could reach $53b in 2025: BCA

🇹🇭 Thailand

• AWC breaks ground on Bangkok Chinatown’s largest mixed-use development set for 2029

“Bangkok’s historic Chinatown is set for a transformative new chapter with Asset World Corp (AWC) breaking ground on Woeng Nakornkasem Yaowaraj, a 16 billion baht (US$$474 million) mixed-use development near MRT Samyot station.”

• State emphasises logistics projects

"Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has ordered the high-speed rail, double-track railway, and Land Bridge projects be expedited to position Thailand as the "logistics hub of Asia"."

• Bangkok Port 'a viable casino site'

“Regarding Bangkok Port in the Klong Toey area, Mr Suriya said the location has great potential, given it is a sizeable plot of land with scenic river views and the capability to be transformed into a yacht marina.”

• Ayutthaya high-speed rail still on track

"The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) will reduce the height of the Ayutthaya High-Speed Rail Station's roof structure to preserve the value of the original Ayutthaya Railway Station, following the advice of the World Heritage Committee's advisory body."

🇻🇳 Vietnam

• HCMC approves detailed planning for $9 bln Can Gio marine tourism-urban area

• Officials must take responsibility for slow progress of Long Thanh airport project: PM

“Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, head of the State Steering Committee for national important transport projects, on January 25 said that higher-level officials must take responsibility and be punished for the slow progress of of the Long Thanh international airport project.”

• Vietnam seeks int’l insights on global financial hub development

• Hanoi determined to revitalize “green lungs”

• Caution ahead! Vietnam’s drivers are suddenly following the rules. (archive)

"Steep new fines — more than many people make in a month — have made the streets of Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi less freewheeling than they used to be."

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