Thailand data centres face noise and water limits

Thailand's cabinet agreed new rules on Tuesday to limit noise and water use at data centres after public concern over a construction boom linked to artificial intelligence.

Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas said national resources must not be used in ways that harm the public. The government said in September that it would tighten oversight and asked developers of nearly 50 data-centre projects under construction to pause work while rules were drafted.

Proposed standards include limiting noise at site boundaries to 70 A-weighted decibels, capping nearby temperature increases at one to two degrees Celsius, and requiring cooling water to be recirculated and tested before discharge.

The cabinet also approved new zoning rules in principle. Data centres using more than 20 megawatts of energy are set to be located in industrial zones and face stricter oversight.

Narit Therdsteerasukdi of Thailand's Board of Investment said 57 data-centre projects have been approved across the country. Seventeen are operating, 20 have construction permits and 20 are preparing to invest.

Ekniti said more than 110 applicants had requested over 30,000 megawatts of electricity, but only about a quarter or fewer had genuine investment plans. Eligible projects approved before August 14 will have one year to meet environmental guidelines.