Thailand Sets 70-Decibel Noise Limit and Heat Rules for Data Centres

Under the new rules, data centres must keep noise to about 70 A-weighted decibels while their uninterruptible power-supply systems are running, Bloomberg reported. It cited Danucha Pichayanan, secretary-general of the National Economic and Social Development Council, the government's economic planning agency, speaking after the cabinet meeting. The rules also cover heat discharge and water. Full limits for those were not available in the reporting reviewed for this article.

The rules matter for the global cloud and AI companies that have made Thailand one of Southeast Asia's main data centre destinations. They also matter for the residents and utilities living with the facilities. Operators now face measurable environmental limits in a market where, until recently, some sites could get permits by classifying buildings as warehouses and so avoid safety and environmental checks, according to DC Market Insights.

The cabinet decision is the latest step in an overhaul that began in September. At its first meeting, on 4 September, a new Data Centre Business Policy Committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas asked operators of 49 data centres under construction to pause work. It also froze decisions on 117 pending applications, 166 projects in all. The move followed an Energy Ministry inspection that found about 200,000 litres of unlicensed fuel at a data centre on Rama IX Road in Bangkok, DC Market Insights reported. Ekniti said at the time that the decision did not mean Thailand was closing the door to data centre investment.

The investment at stake is large. The Board of Investment approved 88 AI and data centre projects worth 886 billion baht, about $27 billion, in the first half of 2026, compared with 623 billion baht for all of 2025. The largest single approval was an 842 billion baht expansion linked to TikTok, cleared in May. Google, AWS, NTT Data, STT GDC and Equinix are among the companies behind approved projects, according to Mingtiandi.

Power is the other pressure point. Figures from the planning council in September showed 35 operating data centres drawing more than 2.5MW each. About 50 more projects totalling over 5.4GW were under construction, and 117 seeking over 29.6GW were awaiting approval, Mingtiandi reported. In late October, the policy committee approved a draft framework under which developers would compete for grid power and water in government-run pitching rounds, with applications under the new system expected to open in early 2027. "This change in the criteria represents an overhaul of the incentive system," Danucha said then, according to Mingtiandi.

Water rules are still moving through a separate process. A draft ministerial regulation under the Building Control Act would require data centres to reuse at least 80% of their monthly cooling-tower blowdown water, and would ban diluting discharge with clean water to meet standards. The draft also sets requirements for fire suppression, emergency power and insurance. The policy board is scheduled to consider it on 27 November. If it is approved and published in the Royal Gazette, it would take effect 180 days later.

Facilities already built or under construction will not be covered retroactively, but they will have about a year to upgrade their noise and temperature controls before inspections begin, Mingtiandi reported. The government has not said when the 49 paused projects may resume.