Khon Kaen - The future crossroads of Isaan

Siem Reap Airport, lost waterfronts of Singapore, proposal for a Disneyland in Ho Chi Minh City, and more construction and transport news in Southeast Asia.

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

News

🇰🇭 Cambodia

🇮🇩 Indonesia

🇱🇦 Laos

[Updated: Laos-China railway]

🇲🇾 Malaysia

🇵🇭 Philippines

🇸🇬 Singapore

“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

[Updated: Thai Land Bridge]

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

[Updated: Pattaya Monorail]

“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).”

[Updated: One Bangkok]

🇻🇳 Vietnam

Reply

or to participate.