Hello from Bangkok.After reading a news article about the Pattaya station redevelopment, I thought it would be good to have a look at the station and other projects in the city.

This week’s article is about Pattaya station, and there is also a trip report for paid subscribers of the newsletter.

Latest posts at Future Southeast Asia

• Pattaya Station Redevelopment: High-speed railway and mixed-use project

Dispatches from Southeast Asia

• Pattaya trip report

The proposed high-speed railway station, an urban railway from station to sea, demolishing the notorious Walking Street, and visiting the retirement beaches.

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News

”Greater Jakarta commuters are at risk of facing worse rush hour struggles when the Commuter Line operator retires 10 trains, about 10 percent of its current fleet, by the end of the year with no replacements yet available.”

• Three SEZs expected to absorb 50,000 workers: Riau Islands Governor

• KCI explains plan to import used trains from Japan

• Indonesia’s president breaks ground on hydroelectric project in Borneo

🇱🇦 Laos

• Deoca, PetroTrade plan $6.3 bln railway connecting Vientiane with Vietnam port

Laos will be eager to build this railway to secure fuel imports, especially after experiencing fuel shortages last year. The article states that the line will be connected to the Laos-China Railway. Vung Ang Port is about 260km northwest of Hue, so it would be then possible to get the train from Vietnam to Laos.

The railway will of course be standard gauge (unlike Thailand, who are building new lines on the metre gauge). When Vietnam eventually builds their new railway, there may come a day when there are direct Vientiane-Hanoi railway services. Considering that Vietnam is still studying the new railway, a more embarrassing prospect would be that the Vientiane-Vung Ang Railway is built before Vietnam even starts building the new North-South Railway.

• Laos’ Luang Prabang may lose Unesco status amid fears dam will cause ‘irreversible damage’

• Laos-China Railway sets record with 10,000 travelers in one day

• US$692 million loan secured to finance region’s largest wind farm in Laos

• Japan donates 52 new public buses worth USD 3.7 million to Laos

• Xaysettha district occupants raise land grab issues at National Assembly

🇲🇾 Malaysia

• Outrage over plans for skyscraper next to heritage site in Penang

• Silicon Island to be project developer for Penang South Islands

• Penang airport expansion this year

• Zairil: Penang planning to implement BLLRT to meet future transportation needs

"The Penang government is planning to implement components of the Bayan Lepas Light Rail Transit (BLLRT) project to ensure that it can meet future transportation needs to support the state’s economic development in addition to solving the problem of traffic congestion."

• Transport Ministry considering plans to bring back iconic Penang ferry

• Advanced works for ART depot in Rembus progressing steadily, says Sarawak Metro

🇵🇭 Philippines

• ADB readying new PH country strategy

“The Asian Development Bank is preparing to update its country strategy for the Philippines, and is looking to provide $3.5 billion in loans annually to support the country's development.”

• PNR says talks for China-backed South Long Haul underway

• PNR appeals for understanding on 5-year pause in operations

• China-funded bridge threatens Paradise Reef in southern Philippines

🇸🇬 Singapore

• Construction on Changi Airport's Terminal 5 to start in 2025

• Will Singapore’s housing supply rise amid rising interest rates, recession fears and tightening wallets?

• JB-S'pore RTS Link on track to be built by 2026, 30% completed

• Going to Singapore is upsetting

“From technological and educational advancements to monetary policies, Singapore is arguably leaps and bounds ahead of Malaysia.”

🇹🇭 Thailand

• Tunnel excavation begins on Den Chai-Chiang Rai tracks

“The State Railway of Thailand has started excavating the 6.2-kilometre tunnel which will connect Den Chai in Phrae with Chiang Rai's Chiang Khong district, which lies on the banks of the Mekong River.”

• Bangkok the center of China’s big train ambition for ASEAN

• Capital Trust Group proposes a $200 billion smart city development along Thai Canal

This is a press release from a private company, and not an official government announcement. There hasn't been any recent updates about the canal project. The same company that proposed this smart city has also proposed a private jet residence project in an undisclosed location in Thailand.

• Thai Smile Bus aims to widen its electric bus routes this year

• I have noticed big plots of land in Bangkok with banana plantations. This is why:

Bangkok to crack down on landowners who avoid paying taxes on vacant plots by growing fruits and vegetables

• An informative video about Bangkok’s big housing boom (& bust), by .

• Solutions sought as North ravaged by toxic PM2.5

• Thailand's tourism future darkened by air pollution

• Bangkok is a ‘war zone’ for Thais with disabilities (Photos)

• “No driving on footpath” sign goes viral in Thailand

🇻🇳 Vietnam

• Trans-Vietnam high-speed railway work to start by 2030

• Hanoi to introduce e-tickets for public transport next year

“The Hanoi Department of Transport is planning to deploy a unified electronic ticketing system for public bus and metro services in 2024.”

• Vignette: The Nhiêu Lộc-Thị Nghè Canal's comeback story

I still marvel that this canal was cleaned up, considering that so many canal rehabilitation projects have stalled in HCMC. This canal is a model for big cities like Bangkok, Jakarta, and Manila, which have canals filled with toxic sludge.

• Investor proposes delaying planned completion of Vietnam’s Long Thanh airport project component

• Vietnam’s richest man launches electric taxi firm

• Infrastructure, the government's 'debt' to the Mekong Delta

Future Southeast Asia

The plan to clean up Pattaya