Mr Amonthep suggests focusing on quality investments.
CIMB Thai Bank (CIMBT) has urged policymakers to prioritise sustainable investment in data centre projects to maximise the long-term benefits for the Thai economy.Amid robust growth in foreign direct investment, particularly in data centre projects, the Thai government should focus on the quality rather than the quantity of investment, said Amonthep Chawla, chief economist at CIMBT.
In addition, he warned that data centres could place significant pressure on the country's energy, water and infrastructure resources if their development is not properly managed.
"As Thailand becomes one of the region's leading destinations for data centre investment, the Board of Investment [BoI] should seize the opportunity to prioritise projects that generate greater value for the economy, rather than relying solely on tax incentives to attract foreign investors," said Mr Amonthep.
He suggested the BoI adopt sustainability-focused investment criteria, such as setting standards for power usage effectiveness, promoting greater use of renewable energy, encouraging water recycling and waste heat recovery, and requiring reductions in lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions.
