Pollution officials are inspecting a Bangkok data centre after oil-contaminated waste entered drainage pipes, raising concerns that it could reach Rama IX Canal and affect nearby communities.
Pollution Control Department (PCD) director-general Surin Worakijthamrong said on Sunday his department was working with the Huai Khwang district office to monitor the cleanup at the DAMAC Digital Thailand (BKK 01) data centre in Bangkok’s Rama IX area.
The contamination was found in an internal wastewater sump and a public drainage pipe, raising concerns that oil could reach Rama IX Canal.
Mr Surin said the data centre had hired General Environmental Conservation Plc (Genco) to treat and dispose of all contaminated waste. Sandbags were being used to contain polluted water and sediment, while oil-removal agents were being applied before the wastewater was pumped into tankers for treatment.
Outside the facility, drainage pipes had been blocked to prevent contaminated water from reaching the canal, and oil residue had been removed. Wastewater had also been pumped out for treatment and disposal. Genco said none of the water generated during the cleanup would be discharged into the environment.
The PCD will conduct follow-up tests for volatile organic compounds, hydrogen sulfide and lower explosive limit levels to assess safety.
Meanwhile, Sen Soonthon Prueksapipat, chairman of a Senate subcommittee on consumer protection, called for tighter regulations on fuel storage at data centres in community areas.
He said some facilities could store up to 400,000 litres of backup fuel, comparable to petrol stations, while the current legal limit is 500,000 litres. He suggested data centres should therefore be subject to the same safety standards as petrol stations.
Former Bangkok deputy governor and infrastructure expert Samart Ratchapolsitte proposed the government establish clear rules governing where data centres can be built and how many resources they require.
He asked how much they benefit Thailand, how much they use Thai goods and services and what local communities gain from them.
On Thursday, the Department of Energy Business filed a police complaint against the data centre for allegedly storing over 200,000 litres of fuel without a licence, in breach of the Fuel Control Act.