An unprecedented expansion in power transmission assets is expected in Southeast Asia over the next decade. In this issue’s focus article, we look at both national and regional plans, including an integrated power grid to pool resources among ASEAN members. We also consider the regulatory, financial, and technical challenges that need to be overcome.
As the region’s demand for energy continues to rise, we examine the potential, and the challenges, of investing in exploring new sources of oil, particularly deepwater and marginal fields.
Meanwhile, in communication technology, we see an interesting new trend in mobile phone use in the region: the shift from basic cellphones to smartphones, driven by consumer demand for high speed broadband connectivity on the one hand and declining prices on the other. Southeast Asia Infrastructure surveys the region to see where demand is rising fastest and why, and how established and emerging companies are faring in this fast changing market.
The world is shrinking not only because of technology but also because of fast and convenient travel options. In less than 10 years, Southeast Asia’s major cities will be linked by high speed railway. Trains travelling upwards of 200 km an hour will allow for quicker and more affordable movement of people and goods. With a planned investment of $50 billion, the region can expect to see 5,500 km of high speed rail networks by 2022. In this issue of the magazine, we take a look at the planned national and regional links that could transform travel in Southeast Asia.
Despite all the high-tech development this region has seen in the past few decades, some basic challenges remain. One of these is safe and accessible drinking water supply. Only 30 per cent of Southeast Asia’s people are connected to piped water sources. We review good practices in urban water supply management in countries like the Philippines, Thailand, and Singapore. We look also at examples of the successful privatisation of water supply services in Malaysia and the Philippines.