“The Pudong of Southeast Asia.” That’s what they call Thu Thiem. It is a bold comparison. Right now we are standing in Thu Thiem Ward in Ho Chi Minh City. This area is envisioned as the new financial heart of the city.
Thu Thiem New Urban Area is an urban redevelopment project. It sits on the Thu Thiem Peninsula. This peninsula is now part of Thu Duc City, a city within Ho Chi Minh City.
New urban areas are often built far from the city center. Thu Thiem is different. It’s directly across the Saigon River from District 1. District 1 is the historic heart of Ho Chi Minh City. This location gives Ho Chi Minh City a unique chance for urban development.
The Saigon River loops around Thu Thiem. This creates a peninsula ripe for development. The vision is to relieve pressure on the old Saigon. The plan is to shift financial activity to this modern district.
Shanghai built Pudong across the Huangpu River from old Shanghai. Saigon, like Shanghai, was once called “the pearl of the orient.” Thu Thiem is now Saigon’s new city.
Pudong was mostly farmland until 1993. Then it became a Special Economic Zone. Thu Thiem was also underdeveloped. Both sit on the east bank of their respective rivers. But there are crucial differences. Thu Thiem isn’t a Special Economic Zone. It hasn’t received the focused investment that China poured into Pudong.
Plans for Thu Thiem stretch back decades. French colonialists first drew up maps. More plans emerged in the 1960s and 70s.
Modern planning began in the late 90s. Land clearance started in 2002. An international design competition followed. Sasaki Associates’ master plan won in 2003.
The project has faced many delays. Thousands of homes stood in Thu Thiem. Resettling these landowners proved difficult. Land title maps even went missing. Corruption among developers and officials further slowed progress.
Until December 31, 2020, Thu Thiem was part of District 2. On January 1, 2021, Districts 2, 9, and Thu Duc merged. They formed Thu Duc City. The Thu Thiem ward doesn’t cover the entire peninsula. These boundaries may change as Thu Duc City redraws its wards.
Despite the challenges, development continues. Empire City is one of the area’s signature projects. It stands on prime riverfront land next to the Thu Thiem Tunnel. The Empire 88 Tower is planned to be over 300 meters tall.
Thu Thiem Square will be the central point of the new urban area. It will face Me Linh Square in District 1. A pedestrian bridge will connect the two. Riverside Park will run between the Ba Son Bridge and Thiem Bridge 3. The square and park could hold up to 500,000 people for events.
The City Planning Exhibition Center was intended to inform the public. It would display urban development plans. However, this project is stalled.
An opera house is proposed near the Ba Son Bridge. Ho Chi Minh City approved over US$64.3 million for the project. The project was put on hold. A news report in August 2023 states that the project will go ahead.
Sala City is the largest development by land footprint. It covers the lower half of the peninsula. Half of this area is the Southern Delta ecological park. This park will help with flood control.
The Thu Thiem Parish Church remains. It is one of the few buildings left from the old settlement. The church fought eviction and was allowed to stay.
The Thu Thiem Ferry once connected this area to District 1. It stopped running after the Thu Thiem Tunnel opened in 2011.
Thu Thiem is transforming. It faces challenges but its potential remains vast. This “Pudong of Southeast Asia” is slowly rising across the river.