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Transport and urban development in Southeast Asia. Dispatches from my travels in the region, and news about future city development, transport, and infrastructure.

News: 31 May 2023

Update from Asia Pacific Rail 2023, Can Gio Tourist City, Penang LRT to be extended, Trans-Borneo Railway, free rides on Bangkok Yellow Line, and more

James Clark

May 31, 2023

Greetings from Bangkok! I am here this week for Asia Pacific Rail 2023. This is an industry conference that brings together railway operators and suppliers. The event was opened by Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt. He was previously the minister for transport, and he is an advocate for public transport, so he was well-received here.

This is day 1 of a 2-day event, so I will post more about the outcome of this meeting later.

Speaking of railways in Southeast Asia (which is often on this site), my monthly Southeast Asia Railways newsletter goes out today. This is more of a travel newsletter than construction news, so if that interests you then sign up!

Latest posts at Future Southeast Asia

• Can Gio Tourist City

A news article came out this month showing new images of the Can Gio Tourist City in Ho Chi Minh City. It's such an outlandish proposal that I had to map it out to understand it. I have compiled a fact sheet for this project and I was planning to do a separate editorial. After reading more about it I will go to Can Gio when I get back to HCMC and file a trip report. Become a subscriber to get the article.

“The construction of twin towers in the National Monument (Monas) area, Jakarta, is part of a plan to make the area the new city center amid the shifting of the national capital to Nusantara, East Kalimantan.”

• Indonesia challenges Thailand's title as the 'Detroit of Asia'

“Rich mineral resources for batteries give archipelago leg up in EV shift.”

• BYD signs agreement to explore EV opportunities, build plant in Indonesia

• Indonesia: how Australia’s biggest and closest neighbour uses our aid

• Indonesia scraps two-decade ban on sea sand exports

🇱🇦 Laos

• High-speed rail to China a 'source of pride': Laos president

• Vientiane capital mayor visits Bangkok governor to exchange city development plans

• Laos' heritage town needs preservation

🇲🇾 Malaysia

• Penang LRT project set to start by year-end

• Phase 1 of Penang LRT will now stretch from airport to Tanjung Bungah

• Premier: Sarawak proposes construction of Trans-Borneo Railway

• Penang bans short-term rentals such as Airbnb & homestays in all residential properties

• Gurney Wharf is now officially called Gurney Bay

• KL Sentral LRT station snags a rebrand, now known as “KL Sentral redONE”

• As Malaysia eyes renewable energy exports to Singapore, can it stick to its ambitious energy goals?

🇲🇲 Myanmar

• Resumed development of Yangon commercial multiplex risks funding military junta, activists say

“The US$700m transformation of the former railway headquarters is moving forward with domestic developers supported by international financial institutions.”

• Japanese rail projects helping Myanmar junta to move troops: JFM

• India opens Myanmar port with wary eye on China

🇵🇭 Philippines

• PNR starts construction of Clark-Laguna railway project

• Japan lends P6.9B to bankroll MRT-3 rehab

• Davao eyed to become logistics hub of Southern PH

• Proposed motorcycle taxi law will give commuters more transport options—Grab

🇸🇬 Singapore

• The risks and realities of migrant labour in Singapore

“Singapore is built on the backs of foreign workers. Today, there are about 1.4 million Work Permit holders. They often bear harsh treatment and the lowest wages, existing within a system with an inherent power imbalance.”

• New eco bridge for humans & wildlife to be built across Upper Bukit Timah Rd by 2026

🇹🇭 Thailand

• Elevated Yellow Line to start offering free rides from Saturday

• Construction of three suburban Bangkok electric train lines almost complete

• Bangkok's Airport Rail Link still suffering big losses from drop in passenger numbers

• Agency hopes Thailand's new govt will continue funding 4 key regional projects

• With one eye on neighbours, Thailand sets its sights on hi-tech cooperation with China’s Greater Bay Area

• Builder of high-speed railway to get more land

“The State Railway of Thailand will provide additional land to the builder of the high-speed rail system linking three airports by October, in a bid to speed up construction of this key transport infrastructure in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).”

• Pattaya business sectors urges new government to speed up construction of U-Tapao Airport

🇻🇳 Vietnam

• Vietnam’s Power Development Plan 8: A bold step towards a net-zero future

• Is Ho Chi Minh City in decline? by

Vietnam Weekly

• HCMC will mobilize hundreds of trillion dong for development: City Chairman

“Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Phan Van Mai announced in the next five years, Ho Chi Minh City will mobilize hundreds of thousands of billions of Vietnamese dong for the city’s development.”

Hundred trillion dong = 4.2 billion USD.

• Hanoi's second metro line delayed again to 2027

• Can Tho 2 Bridge to be built before 2030

• Illegal construction of nearly 500 houses in Vietnam’s Dong Nai under investigation

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