Thailand halts all datacenter construction and approvals pending new rules
The government admits it lacks basic data on how many facilities operate, and gives operators a week to report.
Thailand's National Economic and Social Development Council decided last week to pause all datacenter builds and approvals in the country while it draws up appropriate regulations, The Register reports. The Council announced the pause last Friday in a communiqué issued after a meeting of its Datacenter Business Policy Committee. At that meeting, Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said datacenters are an important part of the nation's economy. He also acknowledged that the government does not have good data on how many facilities currently operate in Thailand, or on the pipeline of new builds. The Register notes that community disquiet over datacenter development has become a political issue in the country, making the admission notable. The development approval pause gives operators and investors one week to submit information about their operations, which the Council intends to use as the basis for its regulatory work. The decision affects hyperscalers, colocation providers and investors with projects planned or underway in Thailand, as well as AI companies counting on Southeast Asian capacity. How long the pause lasts and what the eventual rules require were not specified in the announcement.