Thailand introduces new regulations for data centre operations

Thailand has approved a new regulatory framework to manage the rapid expansion of its data centre industry, driven by significant investments in artificial intelligence. The government is implementing a seven-tier system to categorize facilities based on their power consumption, ranging from Tier 1 (under 0.5 MW) to Tier 7 (exceeding 200 MW).

Under these rules, larger hyperscale operations in Tiers 5 through 7 will face stricter environmental reviews, requirements for independent water security, and mandates to provide computing resources to local small businesses. New environmental standards also include limits on noise levels, which must stay within 70 decibels for uninterruptible power supply systems, and restrictions on temperature increases at facility boundaries, which must not exceed 1 to 2 degrees Celsius.

To protect national resources, the regulations mandate the recycling of cooling water and the testing of wastewater. These measures aim to balance over 3 gigawatts of pending digital investments with Thailand’s national power reserves and net-zero carbon goals. According to the Thailand Board of Investment, AI-related projects accounted for approximately 70 percent of the over 50 billion USD in investment promotion applications received during the first nine months of the year.