Thai Opposition Raises Seven Data Center Concerns

On September 3, Korn Chatikavanij, a Democrat Party list MP and party deputy leader, expressed concern about data center investment in Thailand, saying the government's approach reflects poor policymaking and reckless management that risks harm to the country and its citizens in both the short and long term.

Korn outlined seven key issues that the Democrat Party has flagged for months, even submitting an urgent motion to parliament on the matter. While he welcomed the government's establishment of a data center committee in August, he said the committee still lacks clear authority and answers remain scarce.

His seven concerns include: (1) Governance and transparency—no clear owner, rules, or public benefit framework; permissions come from multiple uncoordinated agencies; the Board of Investment offers tax breaks not available to other agencies, raising questions about fairness. (2) Electricity policy—no clear explanation of how data centers align with the government's energy strategy; promoting data centers while claiming to reduce fuel imports contradicts selling surplus power generated from gas, which requires more liquefied natural gas imports and could raise electricity costs for citizens. (3) Water—data centers use enormous quantities equivalent to 50,000–60,000 people annually; unclear if data center contracts give them priority access to water before farmers and the public. (4) Pollution—no accountability framework for noise, heat, and wastewater from data centers. (5) Environmental impact assessment—data centers have not undergone the required environmental review. Additional concerns touch on land use, national security, and US warnings that Thailand may become a channel for Chinese high-tech access. Korn urged the government to corral the issue before it spirals beyond control.