Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt has ordered inspections of 47 data centres to assess their energy use, safety systems and potential environmental impact on nearby residents.
Mr Chadchart said on Wednesday that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) had instructed district offices to inspect the facilities, focusing on electricity consumption, backup fuel storage, emergency power systems, noise, heat and other potential nuisances.
The facilities are located inside commercial buildings and did not apply for licences specifically identifying them as data centres, he said. The inspections would help the BMA better understand their operations and determine how the industry should be regulated.
Mr Chadchart said six standalone data centres had applied to the BMA for operating permits. Three applications had been approved and the facilities were operating, while the remaining three had been put on hold pending clearer guidelines.
Most data centres in Bangkok are not hyperscale facilities and consume about 20 megawatts of electricity, he said. They are regulated by energy authorities and required to store 500,000 litres of backup fuel.
Mr Chadchart said any revisions to the requirements should take into account evolving technologies and operating practices.
Meanwhile, the Pollution Control Department (PCD) has investigated a complaint about the illegal dumping of industrial waste linked to the construction of a data centre in Rayong’s Ban Chang district.
Inspectors found an estimated 20 tonnes of construction waste, including bricks, stones, concrete, plastic and fibreglass, dumped across one to two rai of land. Officials said they found no evidence of the 100,000 tonnes of waste previously reported.
Ban Chang Municipality has ordered the company responsible to remove the waste and have it disposed of by a licensed operator. The removal is expected to begin today and be completed within seven days.