Akaniti sets a one-month deadline to regulate data centers, emphasizing minimum standards for electricity, water, urban planning, and the environment. The goal is to attract investment that maximizes national benefits while ensuring the public is protected from negative impacts.
At 11:15 a.m. on 4 September 2026 GMT+7, Mr. Akaniti Nitithanprapas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, spoke at Phakdi Bodin Building, Government House, after chairing the first 2026 meeting of the Data Center Business Policy Committee, stating that the government has set a one-month timeframe to establish clear policies and minimum standards for comprehensive data center regulation. Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul instructed the committee that the regulation is not to block investment but to transition from fragmented approvals by various agencies to a unified national strategy, allowing investment to proceed without adversely affecting the public.
Akaniti added that data centers are critical infrastructure for the digital economy, artificial intelligence (AI), and new technology businesses. However, Thailand lacks a central strategy. Many projects seek permits, electricity, water, or investment promotion from multiple agencies, causing scattered data and no unified overview. The meeting ordered compiling all data within one week on operational, under-construction, and pending projects to create a central dashboard for government agencies showing data center status, power grids, urban plans, water sources, and related laws.
"The committee will establish four working groups covering economic value, infrastructure (water, electricity, digital), land and urban planning, and environmental aspects. Each group must propose minimum standards and policy frameworks by next week, aiming to finalize overall policy within one month."
The key principle is setting Minimum Requirements to protect the public from economic, social, environmental, urban planning, building, safety, water, electricity, and digital security impacts. These standards will apply to all projects—existing, under construction, and future. Projects already approved must comply with the new safety standards, allowing adjustment time, while projects not yet started must await clear new measures.
After establishing minimum standards, new projects will compete to provide the greatest benefits to Thailand, not just investment size. They must demonstrate how they generate income for Thai people, integrate with AI strategy, use Thai digital content, support SMEs and local entrepreneurs, and align with Net Zero goals.
"The public need not worry. The government is not halting investment but ensuring minimum standards that do not affect the public regarding water, noise, environment, and maximize Thailand’s benefits. Previously scattered information will be integrated into a unified picture within one month."
, Mr. Chaiyachon Chidchob, Minister of Digital Economy and Society, as vice chairman of the committee, said the first meeting aimed to better coordinate government work since data center oversight is spread across many ministries and agencies.
The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society has collected data from various agencies, including the Ministries of Energy and Interior, to create a live dashboard combining data center, power line, urban planning, and other relevant information. This will clarify the overall picture. Regulatory data, project statuses, and legal information will be consolidated in one dashboard to ensure consistent understanding among agencies and clear tracking of data centers under construction and operational, forming an essential database for future regulation.
, Mr. Danucha Pichayanan, Secretary-General of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), or National Development Council, serving as secretary, stated there are currently 35 operational data centers, with only 11 promoted by the Board of Investment (BOI). Forty-nine projects are under construction and about 117 are interested or pending approval. The committee will define size thresholds for stricter regulation and classify data centers as a specific business type to clarify licensing, data tracking, and oversight.
, Mr. Eknat Phompand, Minister of Energy, said the Ministry of Energy will regulate four key areas: electricity tariffs specific to data centers, clean energy criteria, backup power systems, and grid stability. Data centers consume large amounts of electricity; tariffs must reflect real costs, including higher costs due to imported natural gas. Electricity users will be categorized to prevent data center consumption from increasing electricity costs for households, businesses, and other industries.
Furthermore, data centers must meet clean energy standards that do not hinder the country’s Net Zero targets, maintain safe backup power systems that do not threaten lives or property, and connect to the grid without destabilizing it or affecting nearby electricity users.
, Mr. Pornpeer Suwanchavee, Deputy Minister of Interior (Interior Minister 2), said the Ministry of Interior will focus on three main areas: urban planning, electricity services, and water services. He confirmed there has been no impact on electricity or water services to the public so far, but related agencies are ready to pause data center projects not yet started until new measures are clear.
, Mr. Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, revealed that Bangkok has six related data center projects: three operational and three pending approval. The operational projects will be closely inspected to assess impacts and issues, serving as lessons for the committee. The remaining projects are asked to pause. Clear definitions and regulatory guidelines for data centers will build public confidence on urban planning, building codes, appropriate setbacks, fuel reserve readiness, safety, and adequacy of local water and power systems.
