Red Bull’s Chalerm Yoovidhya & family retain top spot

SINGAPORE (July 9, 2026) – The combined wealth of tycoons on the 2026 Forbes list of Thailand’s 50 Richest expanded 10% to US$187 billion from $170.5 billion, boosted by a surging stock market. The complete list can be found here, as well as in the July issue of Forbes Asia and the August issue of Forbes Thailand.

Despite being buffeted by a border conflict with Cambodia, Thailand’s economy grew 2.4% in 2025 as domestic consumption slowly improved and exports picked up. Nearly two-thirds of the tycoons on this year’s list are richer compared to last year.

Chalerm Yoovidhya and 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, up $900 million from $35.7 billion last year. 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.

The Chirathivat family ascend one spot to fourth place with their net worth rising more than a third to $11.7 billion. 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 (No. 28), 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 (No. 46, $653 million), founder of printed circuit board maker KCE Electronics, which benefited from buoyant demand of AI-related electronics equipment. The other is Gunkul Dhumrongpiyawut (No. 41, $750 million), 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 (No. 10, $2.3 billion); Prasert Prasarttong-Osoth, cofounder of hos­pital chain Bangkok Dusit Medical Services, whose wealth is listed under the Prasarttong-Osoth family (No. 7, $3.7 billion); and Chuchat Patcharachai, who cofounded microlender Muangthai Capital with his wife Daonapa Patcharachai (No. 22, $1.4 billion), now ap­pearing on the list on her own.

The minimum net worth to qualify rose to $555 million, up from $420 million last year.

The top 10 richest in Thailand are:

1. Chalerm Yoovidhya & Family; US$47 billion
2. Chearavanont Brothers; $36.6 billion
3. Sarath Ratanavadi; $17.6 billion
4. Chirathivat Family; $11.7 billion
5. Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi; $11.5 billion
6. Chaiyawan Family; $5.1 billion
7. Prasarttong-Osoth Family; $3.7 billion
8. Sathien Sathientham; $2.8 billion
9. Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha & Family; $2.4 billion
10. Chachchon Ratanarak; $2.3 billion

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 the Forbes World’s Billionaires 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.

For more information, visit www.forbes.com/thailand.

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