Future railways of Southeast Asia

Hello from Ho Chi Minh City! I’ve been researching railways in Vietnam, which lead me to this week’s article about railways under construction in Southeast Asia. As you can see from the table, Vietnam is the laggard of the pack.

Speaking of railways, last week I launched thenewsletter, which is more travel-oriented than this newsletter. Sign up for monthly updates.

For paid subscribers, I have a construction report for Penang.

Latest posts at Future Southeast Asia

Future Railways: Proposed and under-construction railways in Southeast Asia

Dispatches from Southeast Asia

Penang construction update (2023 edition)[Upgrade subscription to read]

Trip report for my visit to Penang in March 2023. New hotels questionably close to the old town, an endangered historic cinema, and land reclamation mania.

News

• Malaysia’s Anwar urges China to reenergize Belt and Road plan

• Building energy-efficient homes in the tropics requires urban planning and suitable design, experts say

News from my homeland that could be applied to Southeast Asia.

🇰🇭 Cambodia

• Phnom Penh’s new Techo International Airport more than 44% complete

• Chinese state-owned firm picked for study on Siem Reap expressway

🇮🇩 Indonesia

• Jokowi inaugurates railway on Maros-Barru route in South Sulawesi

• Govt to build railway line connecting Makassar, Manado: Widodo

• Jakartans post photos of ‘chaos’ on KRL Commuterline in response to lawmaker’s off-rail comment

🇱🇦 Laos

• China’s economic expansion in Laos

• China, Laos sign MoU to build potash fertiliser industrial park

Related to this news is this short video.

The Laos-Vietnam Railway will bring more convenient transport conditions for Asia-Potash

🇲🇾 Malaysia

• Malaysia's Anwar meets Xi, likely to seek China help for rail link

• Forest City not a failed project, says developer

• Penang in discussions with Putrajaya to fund its Bayan Lepas LRT project

• S’pore-listed property developer Hatten Land plans to restart work on Melaka project after years of delays

• MRL: Progress of construction work of ECRL project in Terengganu has reached more than 50pc

• MOT, Johor agree to prioritise JB-Singapore RTS link, Gemas-JB double-tracking

• PIA new multi-storey carpark begins operations today

I was in Penang last month so I didn’t get to check this out. Commenters are pointing out that there is no bridge to connect the car park to the airport.

• The need for a great city in the east

“Building a new city in east Malaysia can help ensure Sabah and Sarawak do not orbit around Nusantara.”

• PJ residents express frustration over congested inner roads

• Malaysian woman documents daily commute, goes through horrifying walkways 

• Old buildings recall Ipoh’s vibrant past

🇲🇲 Myanmar

• Latest scenes from the Yangon-Dala bridge under construction

🇵🇭 Philippines

• Actual construction of Bataan-Cavite bridge may start early 2024

• Manila’s colorful jeepneys make way for carbon-free minibuses

• Infrastructure spending accelerates to P1 trillion in 2022

• Megaworld unveils Northwin Global City, first-ever CBD in Bulacan

• Panay Railways revival needs masterplan covering other sectors

• ‘Like Singapore’: AI program reimagines Pasig River with parks and open spaces instead of that concrete road we insist on building

🇸🇬 Singapore

• Viva Land selling Singapore office tower at 20% mark-down after Vietnam arrests

• S’porean rides all MRT lines & rates them, both TEL & DTL ranked 1st

• Singapore’s forgotten landmarks explained

• Geylang home owner refuses to sell property, condo developer no choice but to build around it

🇹🇭 Thailand

• SRT and BMTA launch transit tickets for seamless travel on city buses and Red Line trains

• Thailand seeks ASEAN help to combat air pollution

• Chiang Mai air still the worst• Illegal operators removed from Leypang beach

🇻🇳 Vietnam

• Red soil dust from Long Thanh Airport blankets homes, puts health at risk

• Vietnam approves 1 million social housing units

• Ho Chi Minh City seeks to build footbridge in downtown area

• Vietnam’s Da Nang orders dismantling of illicit buildings along stream

• Government wants heliports built near Sa Pa