Greetings from Khon Kaen! I’m doing a research trip around the Isaan region, basically following the path of future proposed railways. I got the train here from Bangkok, which took over 7 hours to traverse the 476 km distance (about 65 km/h). This will be a quicker trip when (or if) the Thai-China high-speed railway is built. At a speed of 250km'/h this could put Khon Kaen about 2 hours away from Bangkok.

This week I’ve made a Future page for Khon Kaen. There isn’t much to report yet (apart from a few highrise towers that wouldn’t be out of place in Bangkok), but things are happening here.

[The Houze Lifestyle Condominium, Khon Kaen.]

Khon Kaen is a future city to watch as there are three transport projects that could turn Khon Kaen into the crossroads of Isaan. In addition to the high-speed railway (for trains to Vientiane and Kunming), there is the East-West Economic Corridor Railway(for trains to Yangon and Danang). And to top it off, there is a light rail transit system planned for Khon Kaen City.

I have been walking around the city along the planned route of the light rail. The photos don’t convey anything that suggests a light rail will be built here. I was looking for some kind of cover photo to use, and then I found out that the Isan Creative Festival was setting up a display for the light rail! Unfortunately I am leaving before the festival starts, but I presume there will be displays inside the display carriage.

[Light rail display in Khon Kaen.]

Latest Posts At Future Southeast Asia

Future Khon Kaen

News

The state of construction projects in South East Asia

🇰🇭 Cambodia

In Cambodia’s Siem Reap, $880m airport faces hurdles to success

Away from Angkor temples, historical sites in Cambodia are being neglected in its ‘scramble for development’, with tourism potentially a loser

Cambodia’s first e-tuktuks roll out in Phnom Penh

🇮🇩 Indonesia

A new Indonesian capital city: conflict pending

[Updated: Nusantara – New Capital City of Indonesia]

Nusantara poses threat to Indonesia's China-led high-speed rail

[Updated: Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway]

Indonesia aims to put 2 million electric vehicles on Indonesian roads

🇱🇦 Laos

Laos-China Railway to launch conventional train service

[Updated: Laos-China railway]

🇲🇾 Malaysia

DoE issues notice for Penang housing project to stop quarrying activities

CM declares open Nyabau section of Pan Borneo Highway

🇵🇭 Philippines

Fate of Davao-Samal Bridge project up to next administration – official

Infrastructure projects will give Manila a facelift

🇸🇬 Singapore

Blueprint on making Singapore's air hub more sustainable to be published in 2023

New MRT trains arrive in S'pore to replace 1987 fleet. They're designed in Germany, made in China.

Lost Waterfronts

“Quirky animation retells some little-known history of  Singapore’s former coastlines and waterfronts which now lie under man-made landscapes like Marine Parade, Changi Airport and MBS.”

🇹🇭 Thailand

Thai 'land bridge' project caught in Sino-U.S. tug of war

[Updated: Thai Land Bridge]

Pattaya buys out monorail study contract

"The Pattaya City Council approved a 1.9-million-baht payout to a consultant for the suspended city monorail project."

[Updated: Pattaya Monorail]

Construction obstacles prompt rail routes delay

“The opening of Bangkok's two new electric rail routes, the Yellow and Pink lines planned for the middle of this year, is likely to be postponed to no later than next year due to construction material delays, according to Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc (BTSC).”

Three construction workers killed in Bangkok scaffold collapse

[Updated: One Bangkok]

Threat of new industrial park looms over the heritage of an ancient Khon Kaen town

Bangkok’s Narai Hotel faces demolition after 54 years (Photos)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

Investment capital for Thu Thiem-Long Thanh light railway allocated

US investors want to build Disneyland in Ho Chi Minh City: Vietnamese tycoon

HCMC plans to renovate iconic Ben Thanh Market

Hanoi to speed up construction of Nhon-Hanoi Station metro project