5 billionaires who top Thailand’s rich list

By Dat Nguyen   March 14, 2024 | 11:19 pm PT
The 5 richest people in Thailand have a combined net worth of $45 billion as of Thursday, down 16% from last year, according to U.S. magazine Forbes.

Dhanin Chearavanont, senior chairman of animal feed and livestock company Charoen Pokphand Group

Dhanin Chearavanont, senior chairman of Charoen Pokphand Group. Photo courtesy of the group

Dhanin Chearavanont, senior chairman of Charoen Pokphand Group. Photo courtesy of the company

Dhanin Chearavanont, 84, tops the list with a $12.5 billion net worth, ranking 156th globally.

He is the chairman of Charoen Pokphand Group (CP), one of the world's largest producers of animal feed and livestock. It produces feed, shrimp, pork and other agriculture produces.

CP has stakes in Chinese insurer Ping An, Hong Kong conglomerate CITIC and telecom unit True Corp. It also owns retail chain Tesco's operations in Thailand and Malaysia.

Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, founder of Thai Beverage

Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, founder of Thai Beverage. Photo courtesy of the company

Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, founder of Thai Beverage. Photo courtesy of the company

Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, 79, has a net worth of $11.3 billion.

He controls Thailand’s largest brewer Thai Beverage, which produces the famous Chang beer.

His retail empire includes hypermarket chain Big C Supercenter, acquired in 2016 for more than $6 billion. He also has stakes in Singapore-based beverage and property giant Fraser & Neave.

Charoen's son Panote oversees One Bangkok, a $3.5 billion mixed-use development in the heart of Bangkok.

Sarath Ratanavadi, CEO of Gulf Energy Development

Sarath Ratanavadi, CEO of Gulf Energy Development. Photo courtesy of the company

Sarath Ratanavadi, CEO of Gulf Energy Development. Photo courtesy of the company

Sarath Ratanavadi, 58, has a net worth of $10.7 billion.

He is the CEO of energy giant Gulf Energy Development. He took the company public in 2017 raising more than $700 million, in what was the country's biggest IPO in a decade.

Gulf Energy has a joint venture with state-owned oil and gas firm PTT to build a $1.3 billion LNG terminal and port on Thailand's east coast.

Sumet Chearavanont, executive chairman of Charoen Pokphand Group

Sumet Jiaravanon, executive chairman of Charoen Pokphand Group. Photo courtesy of the company

Sumet Jiaravanon, executive chairman of Charoen Pokphand Group. Photo courtesy of Forbes

Sumet Chearavanont, 89, has a net worth of $5.5 billion.

He is the older brother of Thailand’s richest man Dhanin and has been the executive chairman of CP since 1993.

He also chairs the family's Chinese arm Chia Tai Group.

His son, Chatchaval, bought Fortune magazine for $150 million in November 2018.

Jaran Chearavanont, founder of Charoen Pokphand Group

Jaran Chearavanont, founder of Charoen Pokphand Group. Photo courtesy of Forbes

Jaran Chearavanont, founder of Charoen Pokphand Group. Photo courtesy of Forbes

Jaran Chearavanont, 93, has a net worth of $5.4 billion.

He is the founder of CP Group. He started working in the family's livestock feeds business in the 1950s.

Jaran is listed separately from his younger billionaire sibling Dhanin Chearavanont based on his 12.76% stake in the family's vast assets.

 
 
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