A planned monorail to connect Mactan Cebu Airport to Cebu City

Jakarta MRT Phase 2, a recycled road in Thailand, preserving the villas of old Saigon, and more transport and infrastructure news from around Southeast Asia.

April 28, 2021

Apparently, hopefully, if all things go to plan, the Hanoi Metro will finally begin operation of the first line on May 1. Given how many years it’s been delayed, I won’t believe it until the first paying passenger passes through the ticket barrier. If it does open as planned, I will be booking a trip to Hanoi in May to review it.

Meanwhile in Saigon, another section of Le Loi Street (one of the main downtown roads) is about to be returned to public use after years of being sealed off for metro construction.

[Metro construction next to the Rex Hotel.]

I have urban railways on the brain as I continue to highlight the various provincial transit systems that are planned in Southeast Asia. This week is Cebu.

I went to Cebu in 2012, and unfortunately, I didn’t write about it so I don’t remember much of the trip. I do remember trying to get in and out of crowded Jeepneys, so I would welcome a transit system that travels above the traffic.

[Jeepney in Cebu, 2012.]

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Thailand

Vietnam

“Many Binh Thuan residents are living in fear after their homes were flooded with muddy sand from an uphill real estate project during a downpour. Almost a week after flood waters mixed with sand and mud from the Goldsand Hill Villa real estate project spilled over and into the Manta Sail Training Center”.

Other News

Cambodia

“The Mondulkiri Provincial Administration has requested the Ministry of Interior to allocate more than 3,000ha of land in the Nam Lear Wildlife Sanctuary, which is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Environment, for the construction of a new border gate and administrative infrastructure.”

Indonesia

“Senior archaeologist in the National Cultural Heritage Expert Team (TACB), Junus Satrio Atmodjo, opined that the MRT Jakarta Phase 2 construction project would possibly erase a lot of historical data of the city. Thus, he underlined that cultural heritage found during the construction must be protected.”

Laos

“Laos is getting a new round of aid and investment offers this year as foreign governments hope to dilute China’s increasing influence over the poor, landlocked country, observers in the region say.”

Malaysia

“If one missionary school tradition in Kuala Lumpur was maintained last week with the rescue of Convent Bukit Nanas, murmurings of discontent rose afresh in Seremban over another Convent that was destroyed 27 years ago.”

Philippines

Singapore

“Blackstone Group Inc. is seeking to invest in more properties in Singapore to capitalize on rising demand for office space among technology firms expanding in the city-state.”

Thailand

“The ongoing saga began with a rail contract in 1990 which was hampered by corruption in acquiring land, a coup, a government suspension and finally the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis before it was cancelled by the cabinet in 1998.” 

“The road is about 3km long and made from 10,270kg of single-use plastic waste.”

Vietnam

“Integrating national and inter-regional railways with an urban transport system is a direction that can be chosen by megacities like Hanoi.”

I’m not surprised that this is in Sapa, though Phu Quoc would have been my other guess. I’m still working on my Phu Quoc trip report, so stay tuned!

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