The Prime Minister opened the first meeting of the Data Center Board to expedite regulation and strict control of electricity usage, aiming to prevent speculation in electricity license sales after total electricity requests surged to 20,000 megawatts. He pointed out the need to focus on Green Energy to advance Thailand as a digital hub.
On 4 Sep 2026 GMT+7 at Phakdi Bodin Building, Government House, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul chaired the first meeting of the National Data Center Policy Board. The meeting included the Deputy Prime Minister, Governor of Bangkok, and related committee members to set clear and systematic policy frameworks and directions for the country's digital infrastructure development.
Anutin stated that data centers are vital infrastructure for the digital economy, forming the foundation for data storage and processing for future industries. Currently, Thailand attracts continuous interest from both domestic and foreign investors due to its strategic location and role as an ASEAN economic hub.
However, this growth brings challenges related to high resource consumption, including electricity, water, and land, as well as environmental impacts and cybersecurity concerns. The government must urgently oversee these issues to comply with laws and protect national interests.
"This does not mean we are saying no more data centers today. Rather, we need to regulate and review rules to design an appropriate system that supports balanced digital economy growth, similar to what Singapore and Hong Kong have experienced," Anutin said.
He added that the board should clarify legal definitions and support ecosystems for AI and Cloud technologies to enhance competitiveness amid current technological changes.
Anutin also expressed concern over illegal operations, reporting findings of concealed data center construction in Bangkok aimed at cost reduction or misuse of license types to evade regulations.
Additionally, there is a practice of "reserving" or speculating on electricity licenses from the Provincial Electricity Authority, with requests totaling nearly 20,000 megawatts—equivalent to the whole country's electricity consumption—raising public concern over increased electricity production burdens. He instructed the committee to regulate and close legal loopholes to ensure public safety.
Regarding promotion strategies, the Prime Minister emphasized that Thailand does not merely want to be a location for data centers but aims to create added value through technology transfer and Thai workforce development. He stressed the importance of 'Green Data Center' standards and using renewable energy (Green Energy) over fossil fuels to align with Thailand's Net Zero mission and OECD standards.
