Greetings from Saigon, where we have had another two weeks of social distancing added on top of the last two weeks. While the virus isn’t out of control compared to neighbouring countries, Vietnam is at the bottom of the ASEAN table when it comes to the percentage of population that has been vaccinated.

[image via aseanthai.net.]

With this extra time on my hands I’m continuing to expand this site. This week I have another proposed metro system in Phnom Penh, and I have now made a landing page for urban rail transit in Southeast Asia.

While expanding the site I’ve been thinking about my future and this site. Among other things, I want this site to be an authority on urban rail transit systems, and once the world opens up for travel again I will pitch to do presentations at related conferences. Basically I want to be the go-to Southeast Asia urban rail guy.

And once travel is open again I will be going full-time nomad for a while. My plan is to slowly travel around Southeast Asia to collect stories for this site. Looking at those vaccination rates that is probably not until late next year.

Latest Posts At Future Southeast Asia

Urban Rail Transit of Southeast Asia

This is an index page for urban rail transit in Southeast Asia, and you find it on the main menu bar. I’ve linked to every post I’ve written about urban railways, and it also includes current metro systems and every proposed urban railway. There is a Google Map where you can visually search, or search by country.

Phnom Penh Metro – An ongoing history of the proposed urban rail transit system in Phnom Penh

Some form of urban railway has been proposed for Phnom Penh over the last few years, but nothing has come of it yet. This page is an archive of news related to a potential metro system.

Updated Posts

Indonesia

Indonesia, South Korea explore cooperation in transport infrastructure

“Indonesian Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi met with the South Korean Ambassador to Indonesia, Tae Sung Park, on Monday to discuss cooperation in the construction of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) infrastructure in Bali.”

Added to Bali Railway.

This report has some more details of the route which hasn’t been published before:

Phase 1-A: Airport - Central Park Station (5.3km).

Phase 1-B: Central Park Station - Seminyak Station (4.16 km).

Phase 2: Seminyak - Mengwitani.

Like every good Australian, Ive been to Bali several times but I don’t know where they are referring to with this Central Park Station (are there even parks in Bali?) Google only shows a hotel with this name, so do I have any readers from Bali here who would know where this is in between the airport and Seminyak? Leave a comment below.

Malaysia

Penang wants it but do Penangites? Explaining the contentious PSR project

Added to Penang South Islands.

Philippines

SMC’s P 735-B Bulacan Airport is a go

“The Philippines’ largest infrastructure project, so far,—San Miguel Corp.’s (SMC) P735-billion “airport city” in Bulacan province—will start construction not in the country but in a factory offshore, said Ramon Ang, president of SMC.”

Added to New Manila International Airport.

Vietnam

Ambitious railway development plan in Vietnam until 2030

"Among the nine new routes, top priority is given to the North-South high-speed railway project, with plans to build the first two routes: Hanoi-Vinh and Nha Trang-Ho Chi Minh City."

Added to North–South express railway Vietnam.

Other News

Asia

Pandemic prompts Asian cities to face reality and push for a low-carbon, resilient future

“Asia’s cities have been at tipping point for years, but the global pandemic may just be the catalyst for meaningful progress in areas such as green building, digital infrastructure, and urban planning.”

Cambodia

Cambodia: Construction workers face unpaid wages while COVID-19 pandemic and flooding cause disruption of construction activities

Tools out for Preah Sihanouk’s transition

“The government is looking to unleash the immense economic potential of southwest Cambodia’s Preah Sihanouk, the Kingdom’s most important shipping gate.”

“Malaysia needs to cast its worrying politics aside and speed up the development of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), if it does not want this RM50bil landbridge project to be made irrelevant by a similar Thai southern plan.”

Sarawak Metro seeks rolling stock vendors — Report

“Companies have been invited to register as rolling stock vendors by June 28 to supply a fleet of rubber-tyred hydrogen-powered trains for the two-line light metro to be constructed here.”

Philippines

Tugade says 38-km PNR Clark Phase 1 project on track

“The construction of the 38-kilometer Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark Phase I project is on track with overall progress rate of almost 50 percent, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade said on Monday.”

Singapore

Commentary: Foreign labour shortages in construction sector is a wake-up call for change

“Delays and stop-work orders because of COVID-19 shows this is the right time to re-think the way we do business, says labour economist, Kelvin Seah.”

Where trains used to halt

“Scenes at iconic Tanglin Halt estate will soon be history as it makes way for redevelopment.”

Thailand

Motorway 7 extension speeds up

“The Ministry of Transport is moving forward with its plan to extend Motorway 7 (Bangkok-Chon Buri-Map Ta Phut) to connect with U-Tapao International Airport, to accommodate an expected surge in passenger numbers in the future.”

Deputy PM hopes to solve Pattaya’s flooding problems

Govt refloats national shipping line plan

“The Port Authority of Thailand (PAT) will conduct a feasibility study into setting up a "National Maritime Navigation Line", Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob said on Saturday.”

Vietnam

Hanoi advised to follow Japan’s urban railway model

“The Tokyo-Tshukoba urban railway line was funded by converting land in 18 projects along the route. The land price in these areas soared from $1 per square meter to $5,000.”

Major transport projects in Mekong Delta to be prioritised: MoT

The 'tube houses' that dominate Hanoi's streets

[Photos] Hanoi architects grow creative ecosystem inside slender tube house

Future Southeast Asia

Mapping every urban rail transit in Southeast…