Bangkok officials inspect 49 data centers to assess urban impact

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is conducting a comprehensive inspection of data centers located within the city to manage their environmental and urban impact. Following coordination with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, officials have identified approximately 49 facilities. These include 6 standalone buildings—3 of which are already operational—and 43 facilities located within other buildings, consisting of 10 government-owned sites and 33 private sector sites.

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt has instructed district offices to survey these locations, focusing on electricity and water usage, backup fuel storage, noise, heat, and potential public nuisances. Most identified facilities are not hyper-scale projects, with electricity usage around 20 megawatts. The BMA is awaiting clearer regulatory definitions and guidelines from the Data Center Policy Committee, which are expected within approximately one month.

In the interim, the BMA plans to collaborate with the National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC) to assess impacts. A summary report regarding resource consumption and inspection results is expected to be released on September 11.