Greetings from Phu Quoc, Vietnam. With international travel still not on the horizon, I’m making the most of my time in Vietnam by writing new construction reports for 2021.

My plan for the Construction Reports on Future Southeast Asia is to provide annual updates on construction projects in major cities. These are cities I visit frequently, such as Bangkok, KL, and Phnom Penh.

To get the 2021 account started I visited Vung Tau, which is a beach city near Saigon. That was a relatively easy report as the city is compact, and that report is this week’s new article.

I’m now doing a construction report for Phu Quoc, and that is going to take more time to compile. The island of Phu Quoc is about the same size as Phuket, and there is construction happening everywhere. I’m not going to be able to see everything, so I’ve just marked off the main sites on a map.

Many of the projects here are massive plots of land that are built by a single developer, so they end up building these identical villas and shophouses. Here is a sneak preview of what to expect.

The prevailing theme is fake European towns, and there seems to be a massive oversupply of shophouses that would have been an oversupply even before the pandemic. I will be making a Future Phu Quoc post that lists all these projects, and a separate editorial on what is going on here.

Latest Posts At Future Southeast Asia

Vung Tau construction update – 2021 edition

Updated Posts

Indonesia

Indonesia floats idea of Garuda-shaped palace as it revives capital city move

Added to New Capital City of Indonesia

Malaysia

Malaysia pays $76.3 mln to Singapore for termination of high speed rail project

Added to Kuala Lumpur–Singapore high-speed rail

MRL chairman asks Selangor exco to reconsider ERCL route change

Added to East Coast Rail Link

Other News

Cambodia

Island of Gold: Is Koh Meas the latest mega-development of Phnom Penh?

“This week it emerged that Koh Meas, 'Gold Island', could be the latest patch of undeveloped land within a stone’s throw of Phnom Penh to be consumed into the urban sprawl, as the Khun Sea Import/Export Company was granted a 50-year lease for the area.”

Cambodia rejects Naga's plan for resort near Angkor temples

“Ministry cites fear casino operator's project could impact World Heritage Site.”

Phnom Penh contemplates retail space glut as pandemic persists

Malaysia

Debunking 3 myths about Chinese investment in Malaysia

“A close examination of two flagship BRI-related infrastructure projects in Malaysia reveals the complex reality of China’s financial statecraft.”

Coldplay is sponsoring a US$$777,000 watercraft to clean up Malaysia’s river

Philippines

Preparations commence for construction of Philippines' longest bridge

“The Government of the Philippines (GOP) Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has begun preparations for sub-structure works of the 3.169 km Panguil Bay Bridge Project.”

Metro Manila Common Station to be completed in December, will connect various railways to make our commutes faster

Expectation vs Reality be like...

MRT photos via Philippine Association of Railway Enthusiasts (PARE).

I would like to do a round-up post of expectations vs reality of buildings in Southeast Asia. If you would like to make a suggestion let me know.

Singapore

Single buyer buys all 20 units of ultra-luxe Orchard condo for S$293 million

Thailand

Thai designers are giving Soi Nana’s old buildings a new lease on life

Will city's pavement madness ever end?

“Navigating Bangkok's pavements is like walking in a mine field or an obstacle course. But everybody who has ever travelled in the city on foot knows that.”

Old city moat to become new Bangkok attraction

“Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is preparing to turn the historic Phadung Krung Kasem canal into a new city attraction, complete with walkways and a park.”

New vehicle ferry in Gulf to set sail soon

“A new car, truck and passenger ferry service between Chon Buri and Songkhla will start soon, which could later include a stop in Prachuap Khiri Khan, Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob has said.”

Vietnam

Need for high-speed rail arguments continue unabated

“More than 10 years after they were first proposed, high-speed railroad plans remain mired in concerns and disagreement over speeds and cost.”

Vietnam’s coast and economy need less, not more, tourists

“Ill-conceived tourism policies are eroding away Vietnam’s robust socio-economic relationship with the sea, and compromising holistic commercial opportunities that could benefit the country’s development for generations to come.”

Nha Trang hotels sold in droves after Covid-19 blow

Future Southeast Asia

Construction report for Vung Tau, "the beach…