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Turning Hat Yai into a great southern metropolis

Turning Hat Yai into a great southern metropolis

[News: 8 Oct 2025] Avoiding another Sihanoukville, Laos-Vietnam brotherhood projects, Panay-Guimaras-Negros mega bridge, high-speed rail through Isaan raises hopes and questions, HCMC-Can Tho Railway

James Clark
October 08, 2025

The Future Southeast Asia Newsletter features transport and urban development news in Southeast Asia, edited by James Clark.

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Latest article

• Hat Yai construction and transport report – 2025 edition (Premium)

Turning Hat Yai into a great southern metropolis, apartment living comes to Hat Yai city, the tallest building in Southern Thailand, the Hat Yai Monorail plan, Hat Yai-Songkhla Railway revival, and double-tracking the railway to the border.

Recent articles

• Chiang Mai construction and transport report – 2025 edition (Premium)

The big Night Bazaar redevelopment, turning the old women’s prison into a park, an unusual abandoned mall waiting for a developer, a modern apartment tower in a potential future hotspot, the light rail plan, the two airports plan, and waterway rehabilitation.

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News

🇰🇭 Cambodia

• Preah Sihanouk incentive group approve $280 million in projects [The Phnom Penh Post]

• Avoiding another Sihanoukville: Why Cambodia’s coastal provinces must transform into a blue economy hub [Cambodianess]

• Cambodia needs over $3 billion to boost river transport, water logistics [Khmer Times]

• New Kampong Cham tourism port expected to drive urban development [The Phnom Penh Post]

🇮🇩 Indonesia

• Ministry reveals latest update on North Bali airport construction plan [Tempo]

• Indonesia sets aside 62.9 hectares for Nusantara diplomatic zone [Antara]

• Satellite images show IKN has very limited water area of only 0.51 percent (archive) [The Jakarta Post]

"The future capital has a very limited water supply area, with only 0.51 percent of its total area considered high-water areas, 20.41 percent vegetation water areas and the remaining 79.08 non-water areas."

"Once completed, the PGN Link Bridge will connect Panay, Guimaras, and Negros Islands through two major sections — a 13-kilometer Panay-Guimaras segment with a 4.97-kilometer sea-crossing bridge, and a 19.47 -kilometer Guimaras-Negros segment with a 13.11-kilometer span."

• Zubiri pushes for airport upgrades for top destinations to drive tourism [Manila Bulletin]

"Zubiri has been fighting for a whole-of-government plan for top tourist destinations such as Camiguin, Siargao, Coron, El Nido, Bohol, and others, as this will greatly contribute to the country’s economy when done right."

• Overloaded trucks may have caused Piggatan bridge collapse, 7 hurt [The Philippine Star]

• Collapsed flood control project in Laoag blasted [Daily Tribune]

🇸🇬 Singapore

• Singapore’s Circle Line MRT loop will finally be complete with three new train stations opening in 2026 [Time Out Singapore]

• Did you know Marine Parade’s HDB flats & condos are all built on reclaimed land? [Uchify]

"From sand to skyline, Marine Parade’s HDBs and condos all stand on reclaimed land. Here’s a look back at how this East Coast gem came to be."

🇹🇭 Thailand

• SRT speeds up Red Line, southern double-track, and Thai-China high-speed rail projects [The Nation]

• Transport minister denies cancellation of high-speed rail contract linking three airports [The Nation]

• Long-planned high-speed rail through Isaan raises hopes and questions [The Isaan Record]

• Demolition begins at Samsen police station after landslide worsens building subsidence [The Nation]

• Villagers take aim at Land Bridge plan [Bangkok Post]

"Residents of Chumphon's Phato district opposing the government's Land Bridge megaproject say it brings no clear benefits to locals while endangering their livelihoods, the environment, and community ties."

🇹🇱 Timor-Leste

• In East Timor, U.S. retreats from plan to build ‘lifesaving’ sewage plant (archive) [The New York Times]

"A U.S. aid agency had committed hundreds of millions of dollars to the project, which could help provide clean water. Now its board wants to pull out of the agreement."

🇻🇳 Vietnam

• THACO partners with Spanish, S.Korean consultants to design metro linking Tan Son Nhat, Long Thanh airports [Tuoi Tre News]

• ACV proposes early construction of 3rd runway at Long Thanh airport in southern Vietnam [Tuoi Tre News]

• HCMC–Can Tho Railway proposed to start construction in 2027 [SGGP]

"The My Thuan Project Management Board has submitted a pre-feasibility study report for the Ho Chi Minh City–Can Tho railway project, proposing to begin construction in 2027 and put the line into operation by 2035."

• Ho Chi Minh City plans $7M underground reservoir beneath football field to fight flooding [VnExpress]

• Vingroup proposes sea-crossing bridge linking Can Gio, Vung Tau in Ho Chi Minh City [Tuoi Tre News]

• HCMC pledges to clear obstacles for Lotte to advance Eco Smart City project [SGGP]

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