Bangkok: The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is currently conducting a thorough inspection of data centers throughout the city, halting the approval of new projects and strictly enforcing a five-point safety checklist. This initiative is led by Mr. Chatchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, alongside Deputy Governors Mr. Wisanu Trapsompol and Mr. Pornprom Na Wikitseth, as announced in a recent press conference outlining the progress of these inspections.
According to Thai News Agency, the preliminary survey conducted by the BMA revealed that Bangkok hosts two types of data centers: those embedded within general buildings like office complexes, banks, and government institutions, amounting to 43 centers, and 6 standalone facilities, with 3 operational and 3 under construction. The latter's permit approval is currently on hold. The survey also highlighted that among the 43 centers, 31 utilize small-scale generators not necessitating fuel storage permits, whereas 12 centers possess the required permits for storing over 15,000 liters of fuel.
Unlike hyper-scale data centers found in other provinces, the data centers in Bangkok consume significantly less power, using less than 3% of the city's peak electricity. Their water consumption is also lower than that of large shopping malls.
The BMA, holding the primary oversight for building permits, urban planning, and public health, collaborates with agencies such as the Metropolitan Electricity Authority, the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority, the Department of Energy Business, the Department of Industrial Works, and the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning to maintain comprehensive control over the management of these centers.
A stringent five-point checklist has been devised for regular inspections, covering building standards, resource utilization, public and environmental impact, fire prevention, and fire evacuation readiness. The checklist ensures adherence to international standards for building certifications, regulation compliance for resource storage, monitoring of environmental impacts such as pollution and noise, and regular fire safety drills.
The checklist also mandates monthly wastewater quality checks, real-time air quality monitoring, semi-annual testing for Legionella bacteria, and temperature and humidity assessments within a 500-meter radius of the centers to safeguard surrounding communities.
Pending the release of clear guidelines from the Data Center Business Policy Committee, the BMA has suspended new project approvals. District offices have inspected existing data center sites, reporting no significant issues. Meanwhile, the public can report problems through the Traffy Fondue system, available 24/7.
Governor Chatchart emphasized, "The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is actively addressing concerns within our legal capacity. We urge citizens to report any issues they encounter, ensuring we can address and resolve them promptly while we await further operational guidelines."
Source: Thai News Agency