BANGKOK, Thailand – Bangkok is inspecting 47 data centres across the capital to assess their impact on energy use, backup fuel, electricity systems, noise, heat and surrounding communities, with Governor Chadchart Sittipunt stressing that the city is not opposed to technology but wants digital development to fit the urban environment. Chadchart said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is compiling information on data centres across the capital in coordination with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society and through publicly available information.
District offices have also been instructed to inspect facilities and their surrounding areas to gather information on energy consumption, backup fuel storage, backup power systems, noise, heat and other potential disturbances affecting nearby residents. Of the 47 facilities identified by the BMA, six are standalone data centres that specifically applied to the city for permission to operate as data centres. Three of the six have already received approval and begun operations, while the other three remain under consideration.
The BMA has temporarily delayed consideration of the three pending applications while waiting for clearer guidance from relevant authorities. The wider group of about 47 facilities consists mainly of data systems operating inside existing buildings or offices that did not apply specifically for permission as standalone data centres. The BMA is therefore conducting inspections to establish how these facilities are being used and gather complete information before compiling an overall picture of data-centre operations in Bangkok.
Chadchart said all district offices had been instructed to inspect data centres identified through information provided by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society. The BMA is now waiting for guidelines expected from the national Data Center Board, which are expected within about a month. In the meantime, the city will continue monitoring potential impacts on residents.
Chadchart said most data centres currently operating in Bangkok are not large hyperscale facilities. They generally have electricity demand of about 20 megawatts and are subject to requirements governing the amount of reserve fuel they must maintain. The current requirement calls for up to 500,000 litres of reserve oil under regulations introduced in 2004 and overseen by energy authorities.
Chadchart said that if the requirement is reviewed in the future, authorities should consider current data and whether the existing rules remain appropriate for rapidly changing technology and operating models. The BMA will use information gathered from its inspections to develop a comprehensive picture of data centres across Bangkok.
The information will then be used to help establish appropriate guidelines for the city, with the aim of allowing Thailand’s digital economy to develop while protecting residents’ quality of life and Bangkok’s urban environment. This version avoids suggesting that Bangkok is “against” data centres while still making the public-impact concerns the main news angle.
