Pingtung

The bridge began as a temporary railway bridge built in 2009 during Kaohsiung’s railway undergrounding project. After trains were moved underground in 2018, the tracks and overhead wires were removed, and the structure was converted into a riverside landscape bridge in 2021. Its planned removal now shows how the THSR extension is not just a regional transportation project, but a major urban construction challenge for Kaohsiung.

Pingtung County Magistrate Chou Chun-mi (周春米) said the agreement marks a new milestone in Pingtung’s international outreach. She said the two counties share similarities, including strong coastal identities, natural resources, and an interest in technology, industrial development, and democratic values.

Pingtung mangoes are already exported to Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand, and the county government said it is continuing to invest in export infrastructure. A new international-standard agricultural packaging and processing facility is expected to begin operations early next year, featuring vapor heat treatment and cold-chain systems designed to support overseas shipments. Pingtung mangoes are already exported to Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand, and the county government said it is continuing to invest in export infrastructure. A new international-standard agricultural packaging and processing facility is expected to begin operations early next year, featuring vapor heat treatment and cold-chain systems designed to support overseas shipments.

The Pingtung County Government said cooperation with major retailers can help stabilize production and sales while increasing farmers’ income. Carrefour said its Taiwan stores shipped about 50 tonnes of Pingtung Irwin mangoes in May. The company expects sales to rise further in June as the season reaches its peak.

Unsurprisingly to many who drive to Kenting and back frequently, news reports confirmed that many of the fixed poles along the route were not functional, but decoys used to deter speeding. In fact, across Pingtung County’s roughly 1,500 kilometers of roads, fewer than 40 fixed camera poles have, or had, functional radar units. Traffic police said removing “unreasonable” camera locations has helped cut fixed-camera speeding citations by more than 60 percent in 2025, from more than 100,000 violations to about 40,000 cases. Some might say fewer cameras obviously means fewer citations. Police said the more important measure is that traffic accidents along the same stretch have also decreased.

Many visitors to Thailand are sure to visit the famous Mae Klong Railway Market to see the vendors hurriedly collect their wares from the tracks to get out of the way of an oncoming train. But did you know that Pingtung used to have a similar market? Historian Chiu Tsai-yen and Taiwan Film Culture Company teamed up to document this page in Taiwan’s history.

Mudan Junior High School is classified by the Ministry of Education as an extremely remote school. Its previous teacher dormitory had been in use for more than 50 years before it was closed in 2020 because of aging buildings and outdated facilities.