Thailand sets new rules for data centres as applications surge
There are over 100 prospective operators
Bangkok - The Thailand Data Centre Committee announced on Tuesday that it would enforce a series of minimum requirements for data centre operators, including standards for location, land use, fuel storage, water management infrastructure, and an environmental code of practice. By categorizing data centres into seven tiers based on power demand, the committee aims to regulate and manage the increasing demand for data centre services in the country.
Danucha Pichayanan, the secretary-general of the National Economic and Social Development Council, revealed that new data centre applications are expected to commence in early 2027, following the submission of the criteria to the cabinet next week. Existing data centres will be granted a one-year window to conform to the new minimum requirements, according to Danucha.
With over 100 prospective operators in the pipeline, Thailand has witnessed a surge in data centre investments in recent years, prompting the government to closely examine their impact. As of February, the nation boasted 42 data centres, generating a total of 3,400 MW of IT load and an investment of approximately 750 billion baht (US$22.58 billion).
Thailand seeks to establish itself as a regional data infrastructure hub, akin to Singapore and Malaysia, and has already attracted significant investments from major tech companies. Notably, TikTok invested US$24.61 billion this year in data centre projects, while Google announced a US$1 billion investment in data centre and cloud architecture in 2024.
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