Let's go back to the days when Southeast Asian capital cities were without congestion and skyscrapers.
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
![Source: Coconuts](https://coconuts.co/public/field/image/vintage9.jpg)
Captured in the year 1929. A typical scene captured on No. 4 Platform in Kuala Lumpur Train Station.
![Source: Pinterest](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/17/ec/36/17ec36c5c5ed3d60b127effabad3eefb.jpg)
A shopping street in Kuala Lumpur captured in 1961.
![Source: R.S Murthi](http://images.says.com/uploads/story_source/source_image/509475/1c7b.jpeg?_ga=2.157841151.431024320.1525853972-1930867082.1525853972)
Sg Besi Airport looks like when it was 1960.
![Source: R.S Murthi](http://images.says.com/uploads/story_source/source_image/509569/e8f4.jpg)
Sultan Abdul Samad building in 1920.
![Source: R.S Murthi](http://images.says.com/uploads/story_source/source_image/509574/4c6a.jpg)
An aerial view of Kuala Lumpur city center in 1920.
JAKARTA, INDONESIA
![Source: Pinterest](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/a3/1f/65/a31f6552f10cef886690e51ad3393a71.jpg)
Passer Baroe Jakarta
![Source: captainhuntz.wordpress.com](https://i1.wp.com/cdn.kaskus.com/images/2014/01/03/5557530_20140103112654.jpg)
The Thamrin road during 1969
![Source: Alterity](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4K3OkvZ9i7Y/S7rFKFd3bsI/AAAAAAAAAfM/4Sg6eTeKFoE/s1600/Monas+1969.jpg)
Jakarta's National Monument MONAS in 1969
![Source: Deskgram](https://scontent-atl3-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/74f6703e35439e371ad59271d4de0fd9/5B8B2DCF/t51.2885-15/e35/27891636_2056601814587644_6054222081246101504_n.jpg)
Semanggi in year 1971
![Source: Pinterest](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/47/20/f4/4720f4da90868ce47986fc396e380877.jpg)
The old Hotel Indonesia which built in 1962 which used to be the tallest building in Jakarta.
SAIGON, VIETNAM
![Source: Pinterest](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fb/ea/cf/fbeacfa2628f3a069d2dd1df75a45363.jpg)
Traffic in front of Hotel Continental in Saigon in 1950
![Source: Vintage Everyday](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fELGtLh-Nyg/VTai9kDmadI/AAAAAAABc64/6MTX4kyYCC0/s1600/The%2BFall%2Bof%2BSaigon%2C%2B1975%2B(3).jpg)
North Vietnamese troops enter Saigon on tanks and trucks, ending the Vietnam War
![Source: http://www.historicvietnam.com](http://www.christopheloiron.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Tu-Do-Street-1964.jpg)
Tu Do Street in Saigon captured in 1964
![Source: www.christopheloiron.com](http://www.christopheloiron.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Continental-Palace-1963.jpg)
Saigon's The Continental Palace in 1963
SINGAPORE
![Source: TheSmartLocal](http://thesmartlocal.com/images/easyblog_images/82/Capitol-Theatre-Before.jpg)
Singapore’s Capitol Theatre or The Cathay built in 1929
![Source: yipcheongfun](http://thesmartlocal.com/images/easyblog_images/1478/B-Singapore-River.jpg)
Singapore River
The newly constructed National Stadium captured in July 1973.
![Source: thesmartlocal.com](http://thesmartlocal.com/images/easyblog_images/82/xb2ap3_thumbnail_orchard-road-before.JPG.pagespeed.ic.GP2oQtocbK.webp)
The Orchard Road, Singapore.
![Source: thesmartlocal.com](http://thesmartlocal.com/images/easyblog_images/82/singapore-chinatown.jpg)
The Singapore's Chinatown.
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, BRUNEI
![Source: Google Images](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lhpn68m9b5I/UsqHpuobjVI/AAAAAAAAK2A/Jax-Wbdn-g8/s1600/postcard_brunei_arkib_1970_bsb.jpeg)
The scenic aerial view of Bandar Seri Begawan.
![Source: http://around-brunei.blogspot.my](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GgAiGxvq6KQ/UGBLUJtqevI/AAAAAAAAAN4/y1hZlpg-hrg/s1600/SERIA+TOWN+VIEW+FROM+BAREK+POLIS+SERIA--11th+FEB+2003.jpg)
View from Barek Polis Seria. As seen, old Panggung Marina, Plaza Seria, as well as other shops in the town, captured in 2003.
MANILA, PHILIPPINES
The rear of La Quinta Market in Manila.
![Source: Pinoy Kollektor](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/4d/49/20/4d4920b97bfaf79d6f21c0447e32d331.jpg)
The Manila Metropolitan Theatre.
The Malate Church in Manila.
The Santa Lucia Gate to Walled City, Manila
The Monkey Cage in Manila's Botanical Garden.
VIENTIANE, LAOS
![Source: Pinterest](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/be/14/48/be1448ea78258c2b7da3cf43d0f1344f.jpg)
That Luang in year 1910
![Source: Manfred´s Travel Pictures](http://www.tropicalisland.de/VTE_Vientiane_Mekong_riverfront_with_restaurants.jpg)
Mekong riverfront with restaurants in Vientiane.
PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA
![Source: The Romance Of The Grand Tour](https://romanceofthegrandtour.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/5-street-corner.jpg)
Retro streetscapes in Phnom Penh's Old Town
![Source: Phnom Penh Places](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D0IgS2aEXfc/T-IIgOsM-dI/AAAAAAAAA6k/xcGusmjyah8/s1600/pp-1906.jpg)
A Buddhist procession in Phnom Penh in 1906
![Source: mikewhiteuk.com](http://www.mikewhiteuk.com/images/3892.jpg)
Salle du Trone in 1906
![Source: Phnom Penh Places](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wM_RHGJwLnc/T-IIUMp67LI/AAAAAAAAA6M/9iE5vEUs3rQ/s1600/11-ot.jpg)
A view of the Water Festival in front of the Royal Palace in around 1910
BANGKOK, THAILAND
![Source: Daily Mail](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/05/23/article-2148590-133D212D000005DC-233_966x587.jpg)
Siam in the 1900s. In Sampeng Lane, a commercial centre in the old city
![Source: Asia Times](http://static.atimes.com/uploads/2017/08/Thailand-Dusit-Thani-Hotel-Bangkok-Historic-Picturejpg-1600x960.jpg)
The immediate landmark for the capital is this Dusit Thani Hotel, which has unique triangular structure topped by a golden spire, towered over Bangkok at 100 meters when it was first opened for business in 1970.
![Source: Daily Mail](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/05/23/article-2148590-133D20FD000005DC-133_968x594.jpg)
Commuters on a tram travel across the city which was just beginning to flourish at the turn of the century
![Source: Daily Mail](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/05/23/article-2148590-133D20D0000005DC-501_968x593.jpg)
In 1863, Bangkok's first modern road, New Road, was built in Chinatown - four miles from the royal family's Grand Palace
![Source: Daily Mail](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/05/23/article-2148590-133D2109000005DC-593_966x577.jpg)
Cars were introduced to Bangkok in 1900 - and by 1904, there were around 300 of them on the city's newly built roads. In the picture above, a car rally at the time rolls down the royal boulevard.
YANGON, MYANMAR
The downtown area is the Yangon city's bustling heart.
![Source: Pinterest](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/24/86/82/248682ff1d51104169c0330198aa4429.jpg)
Yangon's most famous stupa, the Shwe Dagon Pagoda, can be seen silhouetted on the horizon.
![Source: Wikimedia Commons](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Rangoon_Harbour.jpg)
Yangon Harbour in 1980s
Yangon downtown in Sule Pagoda area.
Source : Various sources