A review of the Laos-China Railway
A review of the Laos-China Railway
Jokowi keen to build electric vehicle ecosystem in Indonesia, South Commuter Railway Project in the Philippines, solving Bangkok’s traffic woes, and more construction and transport news in SE Asia.
Greetings from Saigon. I’m back in Vietnam for a month so I will be doing some construction and metro updates while I am here. One thing that I won’t be doing for years to come is any sort of new railway report for Vietnam. I was thinking about this while compiling this week’s article about the new Laos-China Railway.
I was in Laos at the same time that a Vietnamese Party delegation was visiting Laos. They were in Vientiane, but I was hoping that the Laotians would take them on a day trip to Luang Prabang on the new train, if only to show off. Even though it was Chinese money and know-how that built the railway, it still makes Vietnam look bad that they have spent decades deliberating over how and when to upgrade their aging national railway. It will look even worse if Laos goes ahead and builds the Vientiane to Vung Ang Railway and then completes it before Vietname even starts with their North-South Express project.
In addition to this week’s Laos railway report, I did a travel review on Nomadic Notes.
Latest Posts At Future Southeast Asia
Laos-China Railway review – observations while riding the train from Vientiane to Boten
News
• Japan's "existential anxiety" increases in Southeast Asia
🇰🇭 Cambodia
• Preah Sihanouk voters conflicted by years of land disputes
• JICA working with Kandal administration to upgrade flood prevention systems
🇮🇩 Indonesia
• Jokowi keen to build electric vehicle ecosystem in Indonesia
• Manggarai central station plan inspired by Malaysia, Thailand: Govt
• IKN Nusantara electricity to use new renewable energy
[Updated: Nusantara - New Capital City of Indonesia]
• Palembang LRT connects to BRT and Opelet
[Updated: Palembang LRT]
🇱🇦 Laos
• Lao-China Railway carries over 400,000 passengers to destinations
[Updated: Laos-China Railway]
• Laos to update transportation system with electric vehicles
• Criminal gangs tarnish Golden Triangle
🇲🇾 Malaysia
• How Malaysian politics shaped Chinese real estate deals and economic development
• Vehicles outnumber people in Malaysia
• Airport catalyst for Sandakan development
• Talks to begin soon on HSR link with Thailand
[Updated: Bangkok - Kuala Lumpur High-Speed Railway]
• Abang Johari: Two international hotels to be built in Lundu, Sematan
“Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the state government is committed to develop Sematan in Lundu to be like Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, by building two international hotels there.”
🇵🇭 Philippines
• ADB approves project financing for South Commuter Railway Project in the Philippines
• PH borrows $350 million from China for Samal Island-Davao City bridge
• Metro Manila Subway project lowers first tunnel boring machine
• Earth-balling of trees within Cebu City BRT route begins
🇸🇬 Singapore
• As Chinese buyer drops US$61m on 20 condo units, what’s fuelling Singapore’s home prices?
🇹🇭 Thailand
• Governor Chadchart asks for a year to study ways to solve Bangkok’s traffic woes
• New drainage tunnel to help Bangkok cope with flooding
• Prisoners to start clearing Bangkok’s drainage system on July 1
• New condo supply set to reach 50,000 units
🇻🇳 Vietnam
• “Not worth it”: why Grab is shedding drivers and frustrating customers in Vietnam