Stock Rally Drives Combined Wealth Up 10% To $187 Billion

Nearly two-thirds of the tycoons on the list are richer this year. Chalerm Yoovidhya & family, owners of energy drink Red Bull, retain the top spot for the third consecutive year with a fortune of $47 billion. The beverage giant’s annual revenue rose more than 8% to €12.2 billion ($13.9 billion) in 2025 on worldwide sales of nearly 14 billion cans.

The Chearavanont brothers of the Charoen Pokphand (CP) group hold on to the second spot with a net worth of $36.6 billion. In January, Arise Digital Technology, an investment firm owned by Suphachai Chearavanont, son of CP senior chairman Dhanin Chearavanont, agreed to buy close to 25% of telecoms company True from joint venture partner Telenor Group of Norway for just over 100 billion baht ($3 billion), with an option to acquire an additional 5.4% within two years.

Energy-and-telecoms tycoon Sarath Ratanavadi’s wealth is up the most in dollar terms, increasing $5.6 billion to $17.6 billion, keeping him at No. 3. His Gulf Development doubled its stake in Kasikornbank, the country’s third-largest commercial lender by assets, to nearly 10% to become the bank’s second-largest shareholder.

The Chirathivat family ascend one spot to fourth place with their net worth rising more than a third to $11.7 billion. Their Central Group’s flagship Central Retail, which operates department stores, supermarkets and specialty shops, says it plans to invest 18 billion baht this year to upgrade and expand its outlets in Thailand and Vietnam. At No. 5 is beverage tycoon Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, whose real estate business under Singapore-listed Frasers Property is implementing a portfolio revamp which helped to pump up his wealth 10% to $11.5 billion.

Among other big gainers is Jareeporn Jarukornsakul, cofounder and group CEO of WHA, an industrial estate, warehouse, and logistics firm. Her net worth surged 69% to $1.25 billion as booming demand for AI data centers drew foreign investors to Thailand.

The two returnees this year include Bancha Ongkosit, founder of printed circuit board maker KCE Electronics, which benefited from buoyant demand for AI-related electronics equipment. The other is Gunkul Dhumrongpiyawut, founder of Gunkul Engineering, who got a boost from the renewable energy producer’s push into supplying green power to data centers.

Three longtime members of the list died: media baron Krit Ratanarak of Bangkok Broadcasting & TV, whose fortune passed on to his only son, Chachchon Ratanarak; Prasert Prasarttong-Osoth, cofounder of hospital chain Bangkok Dusit Medical Services, whose wealth is listed under the Prasarttong-Osoth family; and Chuchat Patcharachai, who cofounded microlender Muangthai Capital with his wife Daonapa Patcharachai, now appearing on the list on her own. The minimum net worth to qualify rose to $555 million from $420 million last year.

Full Coverage of Thailand’s Richest 2026:

Reporting by Gloria Haraito, Anuradha Raghunathan, Yessar Rosendar and Jessica Tan.

Methodology

This list was compiled using shareholding and financial information obtained from the families and individuals as well as stock exchanges, regulatory agencies and other sources. Unlike our billionaire rankings, this list encompasses family fortunes, including those shared among extended families of multiple generations. Public fortunes were calculated based on stock prices and exchange rates on June 18. Private companies were valued based on comparisons with similar companies that are publicly traded. The list can also include foreign citizens with business, residential or other ties to the country, or citizens who don’t reside in the country but have significant business or other ties to the country. The editors reserve the right to amend any information or remove any listees in light of new information.