Speculating on World-Class Transportation Infrastructure in Ho Chi Minh City

Abstract

In this article, I explore the challenges faced by planners, official development assistance (ODA) organizations and governmental organizations who propose and build transportation infrastructure in Ho Chi Minh City, and explain how narratives of both success and failure often hinges on a false dichotomy between the ideal plan and a purportedly fragmented and unplanned city. This dichotomy, I argue, conceals the competitive and speculative nature of world-class city-making, and the structure of international finance for transportation infrastructure.