Data centre board to tighten public safety controls on data centres

Thailand’s data centre board will hold its first meeting tomorrow, under the chairmanship of Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas, to review laws and regulations governing data centres and plug some loopholes being exploited by some unscrupulous operators.

Several operators have been found to have established facilities in non-permissible areas in Bangkok and surrounding provinces, while others are alleged to have stored excessive fuel to generate electricity.

Officials from the Energy Ministry and the police raided a data centre on Rama 9 Road and found 200,000 litres of fuel being stored there. The fuel was eventually removed and the data centre operator was ordered to cease operations immediately.

Under the current law, stockpiling more than 15,000 litres of fuel requires permission from the Department of Energy Business.

Government Spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek said today that the data centre industry is growing rapidly in Thailand, but there are various sets of laws and agencies tasked with overseeing the diverse aspects of the industry, such as the buildings in which data centres are to be located and facilities for stockpiling fuel to generate electricity.

She said that the government is supportive of and is promoting the data centre sector, while ensuring that laws and regulations governing them are reviewed to plug the loopholes, making sure that their operations meet public safety and environmental standards.

Data centres consume huge amounts of energy to operate 24/7.