The proposed railway connecting two islands in the Philippines

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

Hello from Hoi An. I started this week in Nha Trang, and I will publish a construction report next week for this booming coastal city. From Nha Trang, I got an overnight train to Danang (the closest station to Hoi An). I’m compiling this newsletter by the beach, and I will move camp to Danang tomorrow.

This week’s feature article is about a proposed railway in the Philippines. There are not many details about the East Visayas Railway, so I have started a fact sheet for the project.

Latest posts at Future Southeast Asia

• Eastern Visayas Metro Rail System: A railway connecting the islands of Samar and Leyte in the Philippines

News

• China faces US$50 billion shortfall in Southeast Asia as belt and road funds miss their mark

🇧🇳 Brunei

• Brunei company announces Trans Borneo Railway high-speed rail network project

“The first high-speed rail network in Borneo has been proposed, set to shorten the travelling distances between Kalimantan, Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei.

Brunei based Brunergy Utama Sdn Bhd, on its website, announced that the Trans Borneo Railway project would be implemented in two phases involving routes spanning 1,620 kilometres.”

🇰🇭 Cambodia

• Cambodia seeks China’s support to Funan Techo Canal Project

• In Pictures & Video: The second tier of the Morodok Techo Overpass for temporary use from April 1

• Ministry of Public Works plans construction of tourism port in Kampong Cham province

🇮🇩 Indonesia

• RI officials no idea about Bruneian firm's HSR proposal in Kalimantan

"The government has denied any knowledge of a proposal by a Bruneian infrastructure company to build a high-speed railway (HSR) network connecting the three countries on Borneo Island, Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia, dubbed the Trans Borneo Railway."

• Passenger target eludes Greater Jakarta LRT

• Indonesia works to spur use of electric buses

• Beyond the surface: Public-private partnerships in Indonesia’s drinking water supply

• Lost homes, lost traditions, lost habitats: the cost of Indonesia’s brand new city

• Kura Kura Bali Special Economic Zone (SEZ) is now ready to operate

🇱🇦 Laos

• Thanaleng Dry Port celebrates achievement on IFC financing 

🇲🇾 Malaysia

• Cabinet approves Penang LRT project, to be ready in 2030

• Heightened demand for Penang's real estate with LRT, airport expansion

• Trans Borneo Railway: Sarawak has not been officially informed, says Abang Johari

• Sabah to extend railway line to Sepanggar Port

• Jalan Pudu's Plaza Rakyat project revival still in limbo

• Sarawak premier: RM1.08b needed to upgrade state’s pipeline system

• Malaysia’s airport fee hikes leave bad taste in travellers’ mouths

 🇲🇲 Myanmar

• As Myanmar’s civil war halts key India-funded transport project, will China take advantage?

🇵🇭 Philippines

• New body formed to fix right-of-way delays in rail projects

• Marcos gov’t told to turn to Japan for infra funding

• Int’l airport eyed for Vigan

• Mass tourism is fencing off the island I call home

🇸🇬 Singapore

• Two bids submitted by consortium for mega site in Jurong Lake District, slated to be Singapore’s 2nd CBD

• Circle Line rail expansion works completed ahead of schedule; normal operations to resume from Apr 6

🇹🇭 Thailand

• Yellow Line service suspended after parts fall onto street

• Bangkok launches Dutch barge to collect garbage from Chao Phraya

• Bangkok office blocks told to upgrade 'to survive'

🇻🇳 Vietnam

• Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien metro line to officially run in October

“The Metro Line 1 (Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien) in Ho Chi Minh City is expected to start commercial operation in October this year, according to the Ho Chi Minh City’s Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR).”

• Vietnam seeking to learn from China with high-speed rail plan

• Vietnam needs $9B worth of water infrastructure investment: World Bank

• Ho Chi Minh City fells, relocates additional 219 trees for interchange project