The Land Commission calls on the government to urgently tighten control over investors rushing to establish Data Centers, fearing competition with local residents for water and electricity, emphasizing that household water and power must come first.
On 23 Sep 2026 GMT+7, the Land, Natural Resources and Environment Commission of the House of Representatives, chaired by Ms. Kulwalee Nopamornbodi, summoned related government agencies for an urgent briefing after many communities expressed serious concerns about large-scale Data Center investments in Thailand, which could threaten water and electricity security and lead to higher utility costs borne by local residents.
The Eastern Special Development Zone Policy Committee (EEC) revealed the current situation: 113 projects nationwide have applied for electricity use (total demand 31,751 megawatts). After removing duplicates, the real demand is about 20,220 megawatts, with 87% or 47 projects concentrated in the Eastern region. Accommodating all projects would require building an additional 6,000–10,000 megawatts of power plants within five years.
The EEC noted that foreign investors are attracted to Thailand due to nearly 40% excess electricity capacity. However, if foreign companies later relocate, the country would bear massive surplus electricity and construction costs pushed onto citizens' electricity bills. The commission recommends that large projects build their own power plants and supports integrating solar power with energy storage systems.
The National Water Resources Office stated that even if water sources are developed as planned, Chonburi, Rayong, and Chachoengsao will still face a shortage of about 318 million cubic meters by 2032. If Data Centers operate at full capacity, they would use over 330,000 cubic meters of water daily—equivalent to what millions of people use in one day. The office thus proposes the principle that "areas lacking sufficient water should not permit Data Center establishment."
Meanwhile, the EEC suggested using treated wastewater from communities and hotels for cooling, about 120,000 cubic meters daily. The commission believes this should be a mandatory condition, not optional, to protect residents' tap water supply.
A major concern is that current laws lag behind technology, classifying Data Centers merely as "warehouses," exempting them from Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and public consultations. The Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) admitted that no regulations currently cover this. The commission insists that ONEP must review and require EIAs to ensure transparency and public access to information.
The Provincial Waterworks Authority plans to propose new water rates specifically for Data Centers starting November, as current rates do not reflect environmental damage and lost agricultural opportunities. Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Electricity Authority confirms it will charge connection fees directly to project owners and not pass costs to other electricity users.
The commission will compile all information to submit to the national committee, with five main demands: require large projects to build their own power plants without relying on state electricity funded by citizens; avoid unnecessary new power plants to prevent surplus electricity burdens if investors withdraw; mandate EIA preparation and allow residents to access information and express opinions before construction; appoint an agency to oversee these operations directly; and expedite laws to keep pace with technology, enforce treated wastewater and recycling systems, and accelerate development of 16 pending water projects in the Eastern region to ensure sufficient water for farmers and residents.