Poipet has plans to transform this border town associated with casinos and scam compounds into an enthralling civilized city to attract national and international tourists. I spent a night in Poipet to see what it was like. Border cities in Southeast Asia have a reputation for being dodgy, and Poipet in Cambodia is no exception. […]
Trip Reports
Ho Chi Minh City construction report
The HCMC Metro and Transport Oriented Development, the many boxy blue towers, Saigon is getting a Nobu, the Thu Thiem New Urban Area is showing signs of life, and bridges update. This is the annual Ho Chi Minh City construction report, covering updates on major construction and transport projects over the last year (2024). The […]
Hue construction and transport report
Wandering with cows in abandoned new urban areas, a new megamall, how the high-speed rail will make Hue and Danang commuter cities, and the case of the proposed tramway. The historic city of Hue is renowned for its ancient citadel and other historic relics from its time as Vietnam’s imperial capital. Beyond the historic buildings, […]
Hoi An/Quang Nam province construction report (2024)
Visiting the new urban areas, abandoned resorts, ghost towns, and haunted castles of the Hoi An-Danang resort coast. Quang Nam province is in the South Central Coast region of Vietnam, south of Danang. Quang Nam is home to Hoi An, and there is a 30km stretch of beach between Hoi An and Danang that is […]
Dong Hoi construction update – 2024 edition
Dong Hoi is the capital of Quang Binh Province in the North Central Coast region of Vietnam. The city aspires to be a major tourism destination, but many high-profile construction projects remain unfinished. This construction report is from my visit in August 2024. I previously visited Dong Hoi in August 2019, so it was good […]
Singapore construction update: 2024 edition
This is an observation of construction and urban development in Singapore from my visit in April 2024. Functional footpaths and drainage I arrived in Singapore via the shuttle train from Johor Bahru. I wrote a construction report for JB, and the biggest frustration about JB (and Malaysia in general) is how hard it is to walk in […]
Johor Bahru construction update – 2024 edition
An update on construction projects in Johor Bahru, including the RTS Link to Singapore. I previously visited Johor Bahru in 2022 to report on construction and transport projects. There are now plans to build a 3-line light rail system, and Johor has dreams of becoming the Shenzhen of Southeast Asia. I made a metro concept map that JB […]
Kuala Lumpur construction update – 2024 edition
This is a summary of the major construction projects in Kuala Lumpur that I visited in April 2024. Merdeka 118 Merdeka 118 Merdeka 118 topped out in November 2021 at 678.9 metres, though it is still not quite ready to open. Merdeka 118 is close to the Chinatown area (a few minutes’ walk), so there will […]
Da Nang construction update – 2024 edition
Updates on construction in Danang, including current and stalled projects in the city and along the coast. I’ve been a regular visitor to Danang over the last decade, and I have been watching the city’s rapid growth. While tourism numbers are now recovering after the pandemic, numerous big projects around the city have not restarted […]
Nha Trang construction update – 2024 edition
