News: 31 August 2022

Hello from Ho Chi Minh City! Here is this week’s roundup of news related to construction, transport, and infrastructure in Southeast Asia.

Latest Posts At Future Southeast Asia

• Koh Samui Bridge

News

• The China-ASEAN rail map takes shape

• China's ASEAN Silk Road gets slippery as other powers move in

“U.S., Europe, India join battle to build regional supply chains from Thailand to Vietnam.”

• Good luck taking away China’s manufacturing mojo. Vietnam and Indonesia Tried.

“It is harder than you think to move supply chains from one country to another. That’s why there’s still no real alternative to Beijing’s might.”

🇰🇭 Cambodia

• Cambodia attracts construction investment projects worth US$1.2bil in first half of 2022

• Plans for Sihanoukville unfinished buildings in pipeline

• Cambodia needs more buildings purposely designed for Cambodia

🇮🇩 Indonesia

• Minister seeks to integrate railway services in Greater Jakarta

• Jokowi reportedly will to inaugurate Makassar-Parepare railway end of October

"President Joko Widodo or Jokowi will inaugurate the first segment of the Makassar-Parepare Train project at the end of October. The train, a national strategic project, will connect Barru Station with Marros Station with a 71-kilometer railway."

[Updated: Trans-Sulawesi Railway]

• Jokowi struggles to drum up investors for new Indonesia capital

[Updated: Nusantara – New Capital City of Indonesia]

🇱🇦 Laos

• Transport trucks remain stranded at Laos-China border

🇲🇾 Malaysia

• Penang govt loses legal bid to reinstate Penang South Reclamation project

“The High Court here has rejected a bid by the Penang state government to reinstate its Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project.”

[Updated: Penang South Islands]

🇵🇭 Philippines

• Philippines must iron out obstacles to get China on board its railway building spree

• MPIC weighs construction of ₧90-B Cebu-Bohol link

• MRT-7 can be extended to 2 Bulacan towns – DOTr

• Derailed: China-funded project stalls, becomes burden for southern Philippine residents

[Updated: Mindanao Railway Project]

• Civil works on Cebu BRT project to start on October

• Cebu City commission eyes monorail, medium-rise buildings at waterfront

[Updated: Cebu Monorail]

🇸🇬 Singapore

• Tanjong Pagar Railway Station to undergo restoration, completion expected by 2026

• Singapore sees the rise of million-dollar public housing

• HDB launches nearly 5,000 BTO flats for sale in August, including Bukit Merah ununder prime area model

• Statement from the Singapore Ministry of Transport regarding the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail: "Singapore is willing to discuss any new proposal for a Kuala Lumpur – Singapore high-speed rail from Malaysia in good faith, starting from a clean slate. We await details of a new proposal from Malaysia."

• Singapore’s sand problem

“In 2018, Singapore was the world's biggest importer of sand by value. Each year, the country consumes over 5 tons of sand per resident.”

🇹🇭 Thailand

• Bangkok-Korat high-speed railway on course for completion in 4 years

[Updated: Bangkok–Nong Khai High-Speed Railway]

• More cash urged for Red Line work

“'Extension costs have risen,' claims SRT.”

• Airport upgrades for Udon Thani, Buri Ram, Krabi• Demolition of resorts on Chiang Mai's Mon Cham mountain sparks fury

🇹🇱 Timor-Leste

• Signing of Grant Agreement with Timor-Leste: Contributing to the rehabilitation of basic infrastructure and agricultural facilities damaged by floods

🇻🇳 Vietnam

• HCMC sinks by 2cm per year: study

• HCM City seeks to develop electric bus system

• Neighboring Dong Nai Province proposes extension of Ho Chi Minh City’s metro line No. 1

• Work to start on major routes to Long Thanh airport in December

[Updated: Long Thanh International Airport]

• Transport ministry proposes upgrading five highways linking with Laos