Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has ordered an immediate regulatory overhaul and creation of a clear legal definition for data centres, after power requests from the sector surged to nearly 20,000 megawatts (20GW), to address growing public anxiety over unchecked development and environmental impacts.
Presiding over the inaugural meeting of the Data Centre Policy Committee at Government House today, Anutin emphasised the need to organise the sector systematically.
High-ranking officials present included Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas, Deputy Interior Minister Polapee Suwunchwee and Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt.
Anutin noted that, while data centres are vital infrastructure for Thailand’s digital economy and have drawn strong interest from domestic and foreign investors, their growth is posing severe challenges vis-à-vis electricity, water and land usage, environmental degradation and cybersecurity.
Public concern has escalated over facility construction in urban areas, where regulations have failed to keep pace with rapid digital advancement.
To counter this, the prime minister stated that the government aims not merely to provide land for facilities, but to drive long-term competitiveness through technology transfer, workforce development and a robust cloud and AI ecosystem, citing models in Singapore and Hong Kong.
Addressing illegal practices, Anutin praised City Hall's proactive stance in inspecting Bangkok developments. He condemned operators exploiting legal loopholes, misusing permits and operating covertly to lower costs, warning that such practices must be eradicated in the public interest.
He also raised the alarm over speculative power requests submitted to the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA), which totalled almost 20,000MW (a significant percentage of the country’s current electricity generation capacity).
He said that the government will tighten rules to end the practice of securing power allotments for commercial resale or letting them expire unused.
In line with Thailand’s Net Zero targets and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) standards, Anutin instructed Ekniti to ensure that the industry prioritises green energy, such as solar and wind power, to support the growing resource demand sustainably.
The government stands ready to amend regulations, or enact a dedicated law based on the committee’s findings, to establish clear legal frameworks, promote renewable energy and enforce strict oversight, Anutin stated.
