Thailand's cabinet approves data centre rules: 20 MW threshold for industrial zones, 70 dB generator noise limit at the boundary and recirculated cooling water

What changed

The Bangkok Post reported on 10 November that Thailand's cabinet approved the new data centre regulations, with a one-stop approval centre and screening committee under the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society and a real-time TH-DC Dashboard. Data centres fall into seven classes by electricity use, from below 0.5 MW to 200 MW and above. Sites of 20 MW or more must be in industrial zones and face stricter rules; smaller sites may be in commercial zones and follow codes of practice still to be finalised after consultation. The codes limit backup generator noise to 70 decibels at the project boundary, cap the temperature rise in nearby areas at 1 to 2 °C, and require cooling water to be recirculated and tested before discharge. A full environmental impact assessment is generally not required. Projects with permits or Board of Investment promotion before 14 August 2026 may proceed, with about a year to comply; later applicants are screened to weed out speculators reserving power and water. This adds the detail missing from the Nikkei Asia report listed earlier today.

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