Thailand implements noise and water limits for data centres

The Thai government approved new regulations to limit the noise and water usage of data centres to protect public resources.

Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas announced these measures following a review triggered by concerns over a boom in AI-driven construction. The government ordered developers of nearly 50 projects under construction to pause work while the new rules are finalized.

The proposed standards set a noise limit of 70 A-weighted decibels at site boundaries and cap nearby temperature increases at 1 to 2 degrees Celsius. The rules also require facilities to recirculate cooling water and test it before any discharge. Additionally, the government approved zoning rules that require data centres consuming more than 20 megawatts of energy to be located in industrial zones where they will face stricter oversight.

Narit Therdsteerasukdi of the Board of Investment stated that 57 data centre projects have received approval across the country. While many applications were submitted, the government noted that only about a quarter of the 110 applicants requesting over 30,000 megawatts of electricity had genuine investment plans. Projects approved before August 14 have one year to comply with the new environmental guidelines.