Anutin calls for clearer data center rules, green energy
BANGKOK — 4 September 2026, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul called for clearer laws and regulations governing Thailand’s growing data center industry, while urging greater use of renewable energy. Anutin, who is also interior minister, made the remarks at 08:45 at Government House while chairing the first meeting of the Data Center Business Policy Committee for […] The post Anutin calls for…
Bangkok, September 4, 2026 — Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul emphasized the need for clearer laws and regulations governing Thailand's expanding data center industry, while advocating for increased utilization of renewable energy sources. Addressing the inaugural meeting of the Data Center Business Policy Committee for 2026, Anutin, who also serves as Interior Minister, highlighted the significance of data centers as essential infrastructure for the nation's digital economy.
However, he cautioned that they could impose substantial demands on electricity, water, land, and other public utilities, alongside posing environmental and cybersecurity challenges.
In the prime minister's words, "Data centers are the foundation of the digital economy," and he added that the regulations must remain aligned with technological advancements while safeguarding public interests. The prime minister urged the committee to focus on establishing precise legal definitions for data centers, Green Data Center standards, renewable energy usage, data protection, cybersecurity, and support for AI and cloud sectors.
Moreover, Anutin voiced concerns over businesses requesting extensive electricity capacity in advance, citing preliminary applications totaling around 20,000 megawatts.
He assured that the government was not dismissing data center construction entirely, but rather sought to "put them in order." The Bangkok Governor, Chadchart Sittipunt, reported that authorities were reviewing data centers in Bangkok following complaints about fuel fumes and generator noise. Six data centers had been established in the city, but only three had received permits, as the facilities were initially classified as warehouses due to the lack of precise legal definitions for standalone data centers.
According to Chadchart, the three authorized facilities had not been ordered to halt operations while relevant agencies continued their evaluations.
The governor emphasized the necessity of updating laws pertaining to urban planning, building controls, and environmental impact assessments to accommodate the emergence of standalone data centers. He stated that the existing laws may not have kept pace with the evolving landscape.
Written by urgent.news from Khaosod English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
