South-east Asia's data centre boom slows as Thailand pauses 49 projects and Johor tightens water rules, the Guardian reports

What changed

The Guardian reported on 7 November that Thailand paused construction on 49 data centre projects and approval decisions on 117 more in September 2026, and that West Java's governor in Indonesia halted one project over permits and an incomplete environmental assessment. The article cites Cushman & Wakefield estimates that Johor's operational capacity grew from 94 MW in 2023 to 1,110 MW in 2026, with 3,088 MW more under construction or planned, and a Wood Mackenzie estimate that data centres already use about 24% of Johor's electricity, possibly 40% by 2035. Johor has said it will no longer approve the most water-intensive Tier 1 and Tier 2 facilities, and Thailand announced an approval framework that weighs energy and water use, power guarantees and higher tariffs. Capacity figures are third-party estimates; the article does not say whether they are IT or facility capacity.

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