News #195: Southeast Asia Airport Report (2024 Edition)

Hello from Bangkok and Happy New Year!

This week I published an airport report for the last year. I keep track of news about airports every week, and putting it in an annual report is a good way to take stock of air transport in the region. I also do an annual report for railways (here is 2023), so it’s interesting to compare which countries are prioritising air travel over rail travel.

Latest posts at Future Southeast Asia

• Southeast Asia Airport Report (2024 Edition)

This is a summary of airports planned, under construction, and other airport news in Southeast Asia over the past year.

News

🇰🇭 Cambodia

• J-Tower 3 (320m) No1 in Cambodia groundbreaking marks new beginning in realty segment

“Once completed, the 77-storeyed building standing at a height of 320 metres and covering an area of 98,480 square metre, will be the tallest structure in Cambodia and the eighth tallest in the Asean region.”

Here is the website.

• Funan Techo project calls for joint approach to Mekong development

• TIA invites investment by Japanese companies

"Some 22 Japanese companies are considering investing in projects within or surrounding the under-construction Techo International Airport (TIA), Cambodia’s largest once completed."

🇮🇩 Indonesia

• Dirgantara told to work with Hyundai on flying cars in new capital

• Experts warn new HSR station in Bandung will slow down Whoosh speed

"Building a new high-speed rail (HSR) station in Bandung city, West Java, would dampen Whoosh’s operational speed, experts say, warning that this could result in a much longer travel time."

• Bali traffic nightmare, travelers abandon cars, walk to Bali airport

🇱🇦 Laos

• Over 170 domestic and foreign companies invest in Special Economic Zones in 2023

🇲🇾 Malaysia

• MRT Corp seeks fourth extension to finalise tenders for Circle Line

• Penang to give priority to mega projects in 2024

• Malaysia sees surge of megamalls with more to come

• Sarawak Metro speeds up rail contract awards

• Foreigners feel the stress of Johor Bahru’s traffic congestion

• Labuan-Sabah bridge: Harris calls for joint petition

“The Labuan Chambers of Commerce are urged to jointly adopt a resolution to petition the Federal Government to approve a proposed construction of a Labuan-Sabah bridge through a Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) model, a strategy that has been successfully employed in Malaysia before.”

🇲🇲 Myanmar

• Myanmar junta ‘sweetens deal’ for China in US$ 8 billion SEZ and port in Rakhine State

🇵🇭 Philippines

• DOF secures $6.5-B financing for big-ticket infra projects

• Bataan-Cavite bridge link faces complex environmental issues

• Lines drawn, battles fought: The Makati-Taguig land tussle in 2023

“For decades, the border between Taguig and Makati was more than just a line on a map – it was a source of simmering tension.”

• Filipino jeepney drivers make last stand

“Drivers and passengers continue to rail against the government’s phase-out of the iconic vehicles.”

🇸🇬 Singapore

• Thales will digitalise depot signalling equipment for Singapore’s oldest MRT lines (North-South and East-West)

• Singapore remains world’s port of call

🇹🇭 Thailand

• Direct Thailand-China rail cargo service launches

• Key progress achieved in China-Thailand High-Speed Rail Project

• Yellow alert: Another monorail mishap 

“Wheel falls off Yellow Line train and hits taxi, just 9 days after Pink Line conductor rail incident.”

• Minister says Mo Chit 2 to undergo urgent repairs”The Transport Ministry is planning to urgently renovate the run-down Bangkok Bus Terminal (Chatuchak), or Mo Chit 2, said Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit in response to a complaint by an opposition MP.”

🇻🇳 Vietnam

• Legal issues keep prime land plots undeveloped in downtown HCMC

• Vietnamese Government, JICA signs $292m ODA loan for Bến Thành - Suối Tiên urban railway line

• $32mn arch bridge opens to traffic in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta

• Da Nang to set up semiconductor and AI research center