Summary

Who is the Richest Person in Thailand Today?

• Richest Person: Dhanin Chearavanont

• Age: 84

• Net Worth: $12.5 Billion

• Rank: 159

• Source of Wealth: Diversified

• Residence: Bangkok, Thailand

• Marital Status: Widowed

• Children: 5

Dhanin Chearavanont
Dhanin Chearavanont

With a $12.5 billion net worth and a global ranking of 156th, Dhanin Chearavanont, 84.

At one of the biggest manufacturers of livestock and animal feed worldwide, Charoen Pokphand Group (CP), he serves as chairman. It generates feed, pork, shrimp, and other agricultural products.

CP owns shares in the telecom division True Corp, the Hong Kong conglomerate CITIC, and the Chinese insurer Ping An. Tesco's operations in Malaysia and Thailand are also owned by it.

Dhanin Chearavanont: Early Life and Education

On April 19, 1939, he was born in Bangkok, the son of a Chinese immigrant. Chia Ek Chor, his father, founded a company selling seeds and agricultural chemicals. Despite being the youngest and fourth son, he possesses the qualities to be selected as the head man to carry on running the family business.

The Chearavanont family hails from Shantou, China, and is a Thai Chinese business family with headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand. The family is well-known for its commercial success, which allowed them to accumulate a fortune of US$5.5 billion in 1995, placing them among the wealthiest Chinese families globally.

In the 1920s, Dhanin Chearavanont's uncle, Chia Seow Hui, and father, Chia Ek Chor, departed China for Bangkok to start a business selling seeds and agricultural chemicals. Their company expanded both vertically and geographically throughout Asia through a number of technology projects and contract farming programs. International brands like Honda, Tesco, and Wal Mart chose to work with the Charoen Pokphand Group as their preferred partner in the 1980s when China opened up to foreign businesses.

When he was younger, Mr. Dhanin attended the Sarasit Wittaya School in the Banpong district of Ratchaburi Province before beginning his studies at a Chinese school in Bangkok. He departed for central China in 1952 to pursue his high school education, and then he went to Hong Kong to finish his scholar studies. Mr. Dhanin returned to Thailand in 1958, shortly after receiving his degree from Hong Kong University, to assist with his private enterprise.

Dhanin Chearavanont Career

In the beginning, because it met the needs of a group of Chinese farmers who wanted to grow familiar tree varieties, Dhanin Chearavanont's business went smoothly. The store expanded to sell more imported vegetables, serving the growing Chinese population in the land of the Golden Temple.

By the 1950s, Dhanin's two brothers also "joined hands" to join the business. They chose the cattle feed market and marked the birth of Charoen Pokphand company - considered an extension of Chia Tai. At this time, the family's youngest son, Dhanin, is studying at university in Hong Kong.

In 1958, Dhanin returned to Thailand to help his family with the business. With a sharp mind, just 2 years later, he brought the company to rapid development, increased the number of animal feed factories and expanded customers not only in Thailand, but also exported abroad.

The company established its first branch in Hong Kong when Dhanin was only 25 years old. By the late 1960s, CP had established its leading position in the animal feed manufacturing segment. In 1970, Dhanin officially became the third president and CEO of CP Group and Chia Tai Group.The C.P. Group is one of Asia's largest conglomerates and operates in agriculture, telecommunications, marketing, distribution and logistics, international trading, petrochemicals, property and land development, crop integration, insurance, automotive, and pet foods.

Among the biggest conglomerates in Asia, the C.P. Group is involved in the following industries: petrochemicals, international trading, telecommunications, marketing, distribution, and logistics; property and land development; crop integration; insurance; automotive; and pet foods.

Dhanin Chearavanont: Personal Life

Dhanin Chearavanont children and grandchildren
Dhanin Chearavanont's children and grandchildren

Khunying Tewee Chearavanont, the 83-year-old wife of Dhanin Chearavanont, the senior chairman of Charoen Pokphand (CP), the biggest private conglomerate in Thailand, passed away last year.

February 25, 1940, was Khunying Tewee's birthday. She was seventeen and Dhanin was eighteen when they first met.

They had three sons and two daughters and had been married for sixty-two years.

Khunying Tewee is well known for her contributions to Thai Buddhism in particular and to society at large.

HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn presented Khunying Tewee with an award in recognition of her achievements as a well-known businessman's wife and her ability to raise her kids to be decent citizens and successful adults.

Dhanin Chearavanont: Net Worth and Salary

With a net worth of $12.5 billion, businessman Dhanin Chearavanont is the richest individual in Thailand. The Charoen Pokphand Group currently owns 7,000 7-Eleven locations abroad in addition to holdings in the Shanghai Superbrand Mall and seventy-seven Lotus supermarkets. Among many other holdings, the company's diversification includes telecommunications, marketing, distribution, international trade, petrochemicals, insurance, and pet foods.

The following companies are the major subsidiaries of the CP Group:

1. Charoen Pokphand – a holding company

2. 7-Eleven Convenience Store

3. Siam Makro

4. Lotus Supermarket Chain

5. Chester’s Fastfood chain

6. CP Land – a real estate company

7. True Corporation – the mother company of True Move telecommunication

8. Ping An Insurance – the C.P. group is the largest shareholder

Top 10 Richest Billionaires in Thailand (Forbes 2024)

RANK

NAME

NET WORTH

INDUSTRY

1

Chearavanont brothers

$34 B

Food & Beverage

2

Chalerm Yoovidhya & family

$33.4 B

Food & Beverage

3

Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi

$13.6 B

Food & Beverage

4

Chirathivat family

$12.4 B

Fashion & Retail

5

Sarath Ratanavadi

$11.3 B

Energy

6

Vanich Chaiyawan

$3.9 B

Finance & Investments

7

Prasert Prasarttong-Osoth

$3.8 B

Healthcare

8

Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha & family

$3.5 B

Fashion & Retail

9

Somphote Ahunai & family

$3 B

Energy

10

Osathanugrah family

$2.5 B

Food & Beverage

CP Group Facts

1921: First appeared under the name Chia Tai, at that time it was just a grape seed store founded by two Chinese brothers Chia Exchor and Chia Seow Nooy

Within 30 years from 1921 - 1950: Mainly doing business by importing seeds and vegetables from China, along with exporting pigs and eggs to Hong Kong

1950s: Started expanding into the field of exporting animal feed

1970s: As the Thai economy became more liberal, CP Group began to expand business with the Thai government and foreign companies. They support Thai people in raising chickens, in return the farmers will sell the chickens to CP Group itself. CP Group then distributes these chickens to a series of restaurants, fast food stores,...

1973: Started exporting chicken to Japan

1976: Started exporting chicken to Singapore

1980s: CP Group began entering the shrimp farming and distribution market. Also during this period, they became the first foreign company to invest in China.

1987: Participated in investing in 7-Eleven and KFC store chains

Early 1990s: Controlled about 200 subsidiaries in China

From 1993: Many subsidiaries began to list on the Thai and Hong Kong stock exchanges

2013: Completed the deal to buy back shares of HSBC

From 2014 to present: Continuing to invest in large deals abroad, is the name behind large animal feed companies, 7-Eleven store chain, True Group telecommunications company, and about 200 companies. subsidiary in China.

Few people know that Dhanin was once the richest person in Thailand in 2015. According to Forbes statistics, Dhanin Chearavanont owns assets worth 13.7 billion USD.

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